Steve Palmer's RBC Heritage first-round preview, best bets, free golf tips

Golf tips, best bets and first-round preview for the RBC Heritage at the Harbour Town Links on the PGA Tour.

When to watch

Sky Sports Golf, 11.45am Thursday

Best bets

Bryson DeChambeau to beat Rory McIlroy
2pts Evens Betway (tie no bet)

Matthew Fitzpatrick to beat Tyrrell Hatton
2pts Evens Betway (tie no bet)

Corey Conners top Canadian
1pt 6-4 general

Shane Lowry to win threeball
1pt 5-4 bet365

First-round preview

The RBC Heritage, like last week's Charles Schwab Challenge, is boasting its strongest ever field in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown. Superstars are desperate for action and the world's top six players are at the Harbour Town Links for the first time since 1986.

Rory McIlroy is alongside Rickie Fowler and defending champion CT Pan in the 12.40pm threeball, while Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas and Justin Rose comprise a formidable 6.05pm group. Perhaps most interest, though, falls on Bryson DeChambeau.

The musclebound Californian has taken his game to a new level, establishing himself as the circuit's longest driver, and his form figures of 5-2-4-3 are impressive. Harbour Town is not a course that particularly favours power hitting, but DeChambeau has two top-four finishes to his name there in four visits, and he seems a good value evens outsider against McIlroy in a 72-hole match.

The evens can be accessed with Betway, with the comfort of knowing a tie would mean stakes returned. DeChambeau beat McIlroy by eight shots in their final-round Colonial twoball and the Northern Irishman finished 58th in his only previous Harbour Town start.

Matthew Fitzpatrick to beat Tyrrell Hatton is another evens match-bet option which appeals. Fitzpatrick, who adores Harbour Town, finished 32nd at Colonial. Hatton did not play and is probably carrying plenty of rust.

Corey Conners looks a rock-solid favourite in the top Canadian betting, while Shane Lowry, who finished third in last year's Heritage, is an attractive threeball punt against Keith Mitchell and Pat Perez (6.05pm).

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