Steve Palmer's QBE Shootout final-round preview, best bets, free golf tips

Where to watch

Sky Sports Golf, 6pm Sunday

Best bets

Tom Hoge & Sahith Theegala to win 4pm match
3pts 10-11 Betfair, Power, Hills

Trey Mullinax & Scott Stallings to win 3pm match
3pts 5-6 bet365, Hills

Harris English & Matt Kuchar to win 3.45pm match
2pts 11-10 Betfair, Power

Corey Conners & K.H. Lee to win 3.15pm match
2pts 3-4 bet365, Coral, Ladbrokes

Story so far

Five teams have detached themselves from the rest of the field in the QBE Shootout and it is 66-1 bar the leading quintet.

With the new partnership of Charley Hoffman and Ryan Palmer setting such a ferocious pace in front, those placed sixth or worse can probably be discounted by the punting community.

Hoffman and Palmer, 18-1 ante-post, were 7-2 after shooting a 56 in the scramble format on Friday. The veteran duo have shortened further to 6-5 after a Saturday 62 in the greensomes.

Tom Hoge and Sahith Theegala are alone in second place, with pre-tournament favourites Jason Day and Billy Horschel tied for third spot alongside Harris English and Matt Kuchar.

The final round - played under a betterball format - starts at 2.45pm UK and Ireland time. The final group is scheduled to tee off at 4pm. A sunny, warm, calm day is forecast for Tiburon GC, Naples, Florida.

Leaderboard
-26 Charley Hoffman & Ryan Palmer
-24 Tom Hoge & Sahith Theegala
-22 Jason Day & Billy Horschel, Harris English & Matt Kuchar
-21 Max Homa & Kevin Kisner

Best prices
6-5 C Hoffman & R Palmer, 9-4 T Hoge & S Theegala, 7 H English & M Kuchar, 15-2 J Day & B Horschel, 18 M Homa & K Kisner, 66 bar

Final-round preview

Charley Hoffman and Ryan Palmer have been bossing the QBE Shootout from the off, but four teams are close enough to reel in the leaders in the Sunday fourballs.

Hoffman and Palmer have enjoyed working together over the first two days, but they are essentially alone with their own ball in the final round, and weaknesses should be exposed. Both men have been in dire form on the PGA Tour.

Hoffman's PGA Tour form figures this season are MC-MC-29-42-MC-MC, while Palmer's are MC-45-MC-MC. The 45th place came in the no-cut CJ Cup. There seems every chance the leading pair lack Sunday sparkle, particularly on the greens, and invite pressure from behind.

Racing Post Sport's colours have been firmly on the mast of Harris English and Matt Kuchar from the start - the only pre-tournament outright recommendation - and hopes remain high that the three-time champions can threaten a fourth title.

English and Kuchar are the masters of this competition and a four-shot deficit will not worry them. They have closed with a 60 and a 62 in last two years of the QBE, and in their 2013 debut they fired a spectacular Sunday 58.

Tom Hoge and Sahith Theegala have gelled well - they boast a strong mix of talents - and the lead pursuers are well in the hunt for a successful QBE debut. English and Kuchar at 7-1 and Hoge and Theegala at 9-4 would be the recommendations for punters getting involved at this stage. English and Kuchar ante-post backers may want to have some cover on Hoge and Theegala.

The fourballs card is attractive, with four investments recommended. Trey Mullinax and Scott Stallings should score too consistently for Maverick McNealy and Lexi Thompson (3pm), while a similar assessment can be made for Corey Conners and K.H. Lee against Nelly Korda and Denny McCarthy (3.15pm).

English and Kuchar can outgun Jason Day and Billy Horschel on the greens in the 3.45pm match, while Hoge and Theegala are much preferred to Hoffman and Palmer in the finale.

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