Steve Palmer's Puerto Rico Open predictions and free golf betting tips

Golf tips, best bets and player analysis for the Puerto Rico Open at Grand Reserve GC on the PGA Tour.

Best bets

Kurt Kitayama
2pts each-way 33-1 Betfred

Peter Uihlein
1.5pts each-way 33-1 Betfred

Brandon Wu
1pt each-way 66-1 Coral

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Matthias Schwab has slight favouritism for the Puerto Rico Open at 20-1 - the Austrian having performed nicely for seventh place in the Honda Classic last week. Schwab is a decent player, but he is winless on all the main tours, and easy to pass over at the price in a wide-open heat.

Steve Palmer's top tip

Kurt Kitayama 33-1

This is one of the weakest Puerto Rico line-ups in history - and Kurt Kitayama could boss it after finding his A-game in Florida last week. Kitayama finished third in the much higher grade of the Honda Classic, banking $552,000 to cement his PGA Tour status.

Kitayama, a two-time winner on the European Tour, can build on his Honda heroics at Grand Reserve. He has played there once before, finishing 17th in 2017 when ranked outside the world's top 1,000. He returns at 172nd in the rankings and the forecast for weekend wind will not worry a player who has lifted trophies on the island of Mauritius and in breezy Oman.

Next best bet

Peter Uihlein 33-1

Former world number one amateur Peter Uihlein finished sixth at Grand Reserve in 2013 and fifth in 2017. The Puerto Rico Open remains an excellent opportunity for this underachiever to land an overdue maiden PGA Tour title.

Uihlein won on the European Tour in 2013 - the Madeira Islands Open - and his first PGA Tour success could come in similar conditions. He has twice triumphed on the Korn Ferry Tour - his latest victory coming in April last year - and still has time to realise his potential at the age of 32.

Uihlein closed with a 68 in the Honda Classic on Sunday - only eight players outscored him in round four.

Other selection

Brandon Wu 66-1

Some encouragement came for PGA Tour rookie Brandon Wu in round two of the Honda Classic last week. In the second-from-last group out on the tenth tee, Wu had an unappealing slot from which to fight his way back into the tournament, but he performed magnificently. The youngster signed off with back-to-back birdies to complete a round of 66 - a score only seven players in the field could better that day.

Wu missed the cut by a shot, but if he has found his A-game in time for Puerto Rico, great things may follow. Grand Reserve sets up wonderfully for him. On his only previous visit, Wu led at the halfway stage, before finishing seventh.

Grand Reserve course guide

Course Grand Reserve Golf Club, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
Prize money $3.7m ($540,000 to the winner)
Length 7,506 yards
Par 72 - four par-fives; ten par-fours; four par-threes
Field 120 The cut Top 65 and ties qualify for round three
Highest-ranked players in field (world ranking in brackets) Chan Kim (82), Victor Perez (108), Rafa Cabrera Bello (112), Matthias Schwab (163), Kurt Kitayama (172)
Course records- 72 holes 267 Chesson Hadley (2014) 18 holes 63 Derek Lamely (2010), James Driscoll (2011, 2014), Chris Tidland (2011), Scott Brown (2013), Trey Mullinax (2017), JJ Henry (2017)

Course winners taking part Michael Bradley (twice), George McNeill, Scott Brown, Chesson Hadley, DA Points, Martin Trainer

When to bet By 11.10am on Thursday

Time difference Puerto Rico is four hours behind the UK and Ireland

Course type Parkland

Course overview This long Tom Kite layout with spectacular views of the El Yunque rainforest and the Atlantic Ocean has hosted every Puerto Rico Open (first in 2008), but has had some name changes along the way (previously Trump International and Coco Beach). There are four par-fives, but the 15th is 600 yards and typically into the wind, while the 18th is 630 yards, so those two beasts provide a late test of power. There are 18 water hazards and the most difficult hole is usually the 459-yard 14th

Story of last year Branden Grace reached 19 under par to defeat Jhonattan Vegas by a shot

Weather forecast Sunny and warm for the most part, but short shower bursts each day. Light to moderate breezes for rounds one and two, with moderate to strong breezes for rounds three and four

Type of player suited to the challenge Steady plodders and powerhouses alike have triumphed at this venue, underlined by Alex Cejka and Tony Finau winning in consecutive years. A windy weekend could see accuracy favoured this time

Key attribute Accuracy

Spotlight insight Eight of the last 13 Puerto Rico Open winners have been PGA Tour maidens

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