Steve Palmer's Saudi International preview, best bets, free golf tips

Golf tips, best bets and player analysis for the Saudi International at Royal Greens Country Club on the European Tour.

Where to watch

Live on Sky Sports Golf from 8am Thursday

Best bets

Tom Lewis
3pts each-way 30-1 Ladbrokes
Click to back this tip with Coral

Adri Arnaus
2pts each-way 50-1 Sky Bet
Click here to bet on this selection with bet365

Min Woo Lee
1.5pts each-way 66-1 Ladbrokes
Click to back this tip with Coral

Gavin Green
1pt each-way 66-1 Sky Bet
Click to back this tip with Hills

American trio Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed top the betting for the second Saudi International, a world-class group which includes the defending champion.

Johnson won the inaugural edition in fine style and is by far the most appealing of the market leaders. He has generally impressed since returning from knee surgery in the Presidents Cup, following up with seventh place in the Sentry Tournament of Champions, where aside from a few loose, cardbusting drives, his game was in excellent condition.

His light recent schedule and hunger for silverware make Johnson a perfectly acceptable option for punters happy to take short prices. Koepka, who did not seem entirely fit in his return from his latest knee issues, was 57th at Royal Greens last year, while Reed, who finished 56th, was competing in California on Sunday and may lack energy after his long trek to Saudi.

Steve Palmer's top tip

Tom Lewis 30-1

A one-over-par Thursday 71 left Tom Lewis playing catch-up in the inaugural Saudi International, but he quickly got to grips with the new track and was 17 under par for his closing three rounds, finishing in third place.

Lewis fired a Saturday 62 and relished the dimensions of Royal Greens, a track which can be overpowered by big-hitters like the 29-year-old Hertfordshire lad. He will be licking his lips about teeing up there again this week and could leave with the trophy this time.

Lewis is world number 50, having started the year 54th, so he needs to play well over the next couple of months if he is to earn a Masters debut with a top-50 ranking the week prior to the Augusta showpiece. A pleasing 2019 has set up that opportunity, a campaign which included a remarkable five-shot triumph in the Korn Ferry Tour Championship.

The Korn Ferry coup meant a PGA Tour card, which Lewis has used sparingly, and his focus has remained on the European Tour. Sixth place in the DP World Tour Championship was a solid end to the season and another example of his liking for desert golf.

Lewis afforded himself a long, relaxed Christmas after his lucrative year, admitting to rust when missing the cut in Abu Dhabi on his return. But he was in the groove again last week at the Dubai Desert Classic, finishing third.

If Johnson fails to recreate his form from last year, two-time European Tour champion Lewis seems one of the likeliest candidates for taking advantage.

Next best bet

Adri Arnaus 50-1

It seems only a matter of time before Adri Arnaus becomes a European Tour champion. The Spaniard is a world-class driver of the ball who is equipped to churn out greens in regulation wherever he tees up. Putting is a weakness, but when he does find some form on the dancefloors, the powerhouse will be tough to beat.

Arnaus has become a Dubai resident so Middle East events hold no fears for him, and that comfort showed last week when he finished tied with Lewis for third place in the Desert Classic. The 25-year-old won the 2018 Challenge Tour Grand Final in the UAE, showing early promise in the desert, and a missed cut on the mark at Royal Greens as a rookie last year is nothing to worry about. He should set up countless birdie chances this time.

Other selections

Min Woo Lee 66-1

Gavin Green 66-1

The future seems extremely bright for 21-year-old Australian youngster Min Woo Lee, who has a glorious swing and oozes power. Aussies are dominating at the moment, with Adam Scott, Wade Ormsby, Cameron Smith, Lucas Herbert and Marc Leishman winning titles, and Lee is capable of feeding off that success.

Lee was third in the Australian PGA just before Christmas, then 15th in the South African Open on his first start in that country. He has been going to uncharted terrain and doing well, but this week he tees up at a venue he knows – he played at Royal Greens last year and closed with back-to-back 63s for fourth place. That astonishing weekend's work came as world No. 979, so there is every reason to expect something similar with 12 months of improvement under his belt.

Another power-packed youngster improving all the time is Gavin Green, who won the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2017 and has been threatening a European Tour breakthrough since. The Malaysian has made a tidy start to this year, with 15th spot in the South African Open followed by results of 21-27 in the desert events, and he was 11th in the inaugural Saudi International.

Players to note

Romain Langasque
The Frenchman has looked a European Tour champion in waiting for a while and has made a decent start to the year. Royal Greens is a venue he could overpower.

Haotong Li
The Chinaman made four eagles in one round last year, three of which came at par-fours, and finished runner-up. Recent efforts have been unconvincing, but this venue may revive him.

Victor Perez
The Frenchman had been consistently producing solid golf until a final-round 76 in Dubai on Sunday. He tied for 13th at Royal Greens last year and should get back among the birdies this week.

Thomas Pieters
The frustrating Belgian led the Desert Classic last week after a first-round 67, but followed it with a 77 and ended the event in 37th place. This seems another great opportunity on a suitable track, but he has been struggling for 72-hole consistency.

Royal Greens course guide

Course Royal Greens Golf and Country Club, King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia
Prize money $3.5m ($583,330 to the winner)
Length 7,010 yards
Par 70
Field 132
Course records- 72 holes 261 Dustin Johnson 18 holes 61 Dustin Johnson

Course winner taking part Dustin Johnson

When to bet By 4am Thursday

When to watch Live on Sky Sports Golf from 8am Thursday

Time difference Saudi Arabia is three hours ahead of the UK and Ireland

Last week - Dubai Desert Classic 1 L Herbert (200-1), 2 C Bezuidenhout (200-1), T3 A Arnaus (90-1), D Burmester (350-1), T Lewis (100-1), T6 K Kitayama (80-1), A Wu (400-1)

Course overview The European Tour moved to new domain last year, staging an event in Saudi Arabia for the first time, and the host course opened only nine months prior to the tournament. David Sampson designed the track, which is short by modern standards and fairly straightforward for European Tour professionals unless the wind blows strongly from the neighbouring Red Sea. There is only one par-five on each nine – the fourth and the 18th – and the course is dominated by its 12 par-fours. Undulating fairways are lined by light rough, desert or lakes, leading to fairly flat, Pure Dynasty (seeded paspalum) greens which typically run at 11.5 on the stimpmeter

Story of last year Dustin Johnson closed with back-to-back birdies at the 17th and 18th holes to seal a two-shot victory over Haotong Li

Weather forecast Hot and sunny for the most part, with moderate breezes throughout

Type of player suited to the challenge The course is relatively easy – Dustin Johnson won with a 19-under-par total last year and 53 players finished under par – and anyone carrying a cold putter will be left behind. The course encourages aggressive golf, setting up well for big-hitters, and the top four finishers last year were powerhouses

Key attribute Power

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