Steve Palmer's Sony Open in Hawaii final-round preview, free golf betting tips

Where to watch

Sky Sports Golf, 9pm Sunday

Best bet

Russell Henley to win the Sony Open
1pt each-way 14-1 Hills

Story so far

Golf punters in the UK and Ireland watching the Hawaii Swing have got used to living as night owls over the last fortnight, but weather concerns mean the PGA Tour have moved the tee-times forward for the final round of the Sony Open, and the action starts at a more agreeable time.

The final threeball of Brendan Steele, Kevin Na and Joaquin Niemann is scheduled to tee off at 8.20pm UK time, with Sky Sports Golf live coverage coming on air at 9pm. Steele leads Na and Niemann by two shots with 18 holes to play.

Steele could be backed at 175-1 ante-post, despite leading for much of the tournament last year and eventually losing a playoff to Cameron Smith. Steele ended last year in poor form, hence the juicy odds against his name, but the Christmas break has clearly done him the world of good.

Steele's Saturday 61 was matched by Na, who conjured an unusually stellar ball-striking display, while Niemann used a third-round 63 to set up another chance of glory in Hawaii. Niemann lost a playoff to Harris English for the Sentry Tournament of Champions title at Kapalua last Sunday.

Leaderboard
-18 Brendan Steele
-16 Kevin Na, Joaquin Niemann
-15 Peter Malnati, Charley Hoffman, Russell Henley, Chris Kirk, Stewart Cink
-14 Peter Mitchell, Daniel Berger, Marc Leishman, Nick Taylor
-13 Billy Horschel, Aaron Baddeley, Hideki Matsuyama, Webb Simpson

Best prices
7-2 B Steele, 4 J Niemann, 7 K Na, 14 R Henley, D Berger, 16 C Hoffman, C Kirk, 18 P Malnati, 20 S Cink, 25 M Leishman, W Simpson, 35 H Matsuyama, N Taylor, K Mitchell, 45 B Horschel, 50 bar

Final-round preview

The ante-post market leaders may be done with the Sony Open. Sentry Tournament of Champions victor Harris English is tied for 39th place, nine shots off the pace, while Collin Morikawa double-bogeyed his 16th hole on Saturday and will start round four sharing 17th spot, six shots adrift.

Webb Simpson, the 12-1 pre-tournament favourite and 7-1 at the halfway stage of the event, is five shots behind and will still feel he has a squeak, but from a tie for 13th place he has precious little margin for error.

Much will depend on how the pacesetting Brendan Steele approaches Sunday. Steele relishes Waialae Country Club and was two shots clear with two holes to play in last year's Sony Open, but he bogeyed the 71st hole and hooked his drive at the 72nd in a costly late wobble.

Steele has explained how fresh he is feeling after his break and how well he is swinging. On a hot day with light breezes forecast - the calm before the storm which has prompted PGA Tour chiefs to move the tee times - the Californian seems unlikely to suffer any cardbusters.

Kevin Na also spoke with huge levels of confidence in his post-round interview. Steele is chasing his fourth PGA Tour title and Na his fifth, and these two experienced 37-year-olds seem unlikely to wilt in the final group.

Niemann has started 2021 with a bang, but he has some Sentry demons to overcome, having missed a tiddler to cost him victory on the 72nd hole, then making a mess of the playoff hole. The Chilean youngster did not give himself enough time to warm up for the playoff - instead opting to banter with Sergio Garcia and their lady friends at a picnic table - so the events of Kapalua may haunt him if he gets in a similar position a week later.

The 7-2 Steele and 7-1 Na are more than fair prices, but punters looking for some extra juice going into the final round of an event which will quickly become wide open should Steele tread water in front, are pointed towards Russell Henley at 14-1.

Henley has won three PGA Tour titles and the first of them came with a barnstorming performance at Waialae, where he reached 24 under par to win by three shots. A holed bunker shot for eagle at the 18th in round three has sent Henley into Sunday with his tail up and from just three shots behind he looks the most dangerous opponent for the final threeball to worry about.

The conditions will invite anyone on the leaderboard to card in the low 60s and threaten the trophy, but Henley, impressive post-lockdown last year, seems the best value option given position and prices.

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