Steve Palmer's Ras al Khaimah Championship second-round preview, best bets

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event and Golf, 8.30am Friday

Best bets

Grant Forrest to win 8.10am threeball
2pts 6-4 bet365, Betfair, Power

Nicolai Hojgaard to win 8.40am threeball
1pt 21-10 Betfair, Power

Second-round preview

Sebastian Heisele and Scott Jamieson were joint-leaders after the first round of the Ras al Khaimah Championship, both carding a seven-under-par 65 at Al Hamra Golf Club.

Heisele, an ante-post 200-1 chance, is a German who lives in Dubai, so he has not had to trek far from home for this event. Jamieson, 70-1 pre-tournament, contended in the Abu Dhabi Championship at the start of the year before carding a final-round 77.

Favourite backers got off to a horror start as Bernd Wiesberger opened with a two-over-par 74 in the morning calm. Jordan Smith, winner at Al Hamra on the Challenge Tour in 2016, carded a 71.

Second-round threeball punters are pointed towards Grant Forrest (8.10am UK and Ireland time) and Nicolai Hojgaard (8.40am).

Forrest could hit the ground running this week, having played three Challenge Tour events at this venue, and his comfort was clear in a round-one 69. Nicolas Colsaerts, struggling to work his way back into form after serious illness, is in this group. Forrest was edged out by Masahiro Kawamura in round one, but looks good value to turn the tables on Friday.

Gifted Danish youngster Hojgaard fired a superb Thursday 67. Wiesberger is in a share of 100th place and could lose interest if the cut-line falls far out of reach on Friday afternoon. Hojgaard can defeat Wiesberger and Robert MacIntyre for the second day running.

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