Steve Palmer's US Open third-round preview, best bets, free golf tips

Where to watch

Sky Sports Golf, 2pm Saturday

Best bets

Matthew Wolff to win twoball
2pts Evens general

Hideki Matsuyama to win twoball
2pts 8-11 Betfred

Louis Oosthuizen to win twoball
2pts 19-20 Betway

Story so far

They would probably finish joint-bottom of the leaderboard in a popularity contest among their peers, but Patrick Reed and Bryson DeChambeau are first and second on the Winged Foot standings at the halfway stage of the US Open.

Reed, Masters champion in 2018, has been enjoying a Winged Foot layout which has greens of similar pace and undulation to Augusta - and the Texan is in front at four under par. And DeChambeau was one of few players who were able to make progress in round two - the Californian hothead carding an eagle at the ninth to finish at three under.

First-round pacesetter Justin Thomas struggled to a Friday afternoon 73 to drop to a share of third place, but the Kentucky man will be a lot more thrilled with his position than Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. The two legends of the sport missed the cut - by four shots and seven respectively. Collin Morikawa fell a shot shy of the cut-line despite a strong Friday effort, while defending champion Gary Woodland, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose and Jordan Spieth also failed to qualify for weekend employment.

Leaderboard
-4 Patrick Reed
-3 Bryson DeChambeau
-2 Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Harris English, Justin Thomas
-1 Jason Kokrak
Par Thomas Pieters, Xander Schauffele, Matthew Wolff, Brendon Todd, Hideki Matsuyama

Selected others
+1 Jon Rahm
+2 Webb Simpson
+3 Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy

Best prices
9-2 P Reed, 5 J Thomas, B DeChambeau, 10 X Schauffele, 12 J Rahm, 16 H English, 20 H Matsuyama, 25 D Johnson, 33 J Kokrak, M Wolff, 40 B Todd, R McIlroy, W Simpson, 55 bar

Third-round analysis

Patrick Reed is a Major champion with proven bottle and he is putting well on these devilish Winged Foot dancefloors. The question mark against arguably the most controversial character on the PGA Tour is whether his ball-striking will be good enough to handle the assignment as the USGA almost inevitably turn the screw this weekend.

In rushing through a field of 144 amid a paucity of September daylight hours, the USGA set up Winged Foot much easier than usual for round one, watering the greens and making them astonishingly receptive. Tough pin position and some breeze made life tougher in round two, without endangering the completion of the second 18 holes, but with the field cut to just 62, the tournament organisers can have their wicked way.

It will not be straightforward for the USGA to get their kicks - the weather seems set fair with a little breeze forecast early before hardly anything late - but they seem likely to get the greens as firm and fast as possible, while tucking pins in the most difficult locations.

It would be a surprise should the leading score be advanced in round three - four under may be enough to lead - and anyone under par through 72 holes probably still has a fair chance of success. Reed, as good as he is close to the hole, may find his long game lets him down over the final two rounds.

Bryson DeChambeau has never won a Major and his cavalier tactics seem less likely to succeed as the track firms up, while nothing Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Harris English or Jason Kokrak have done in their careers suggests they have the necessary courage to turn a bright US Open start into a trophy collection on Sunday evening.

Justin Thomas enjoyed himself on Thursday but was wild for the most part on Friday - he will need to tighten up to survive - so any stumbling from Reed in front could turn this into a wide-open affair. Certainly the talented quintet on level par, featuring Xander Schauffele and Matthew Wolff, are well in the hunt, as well as Jon Rahm and Louis Oosthuizen, who are one over par.

Despite a disappointing finish to round two - three over par for his final five holes - faith remains that Schauffele will give himself a winning chance on Sunday. That was a tough stretch of holes which was butchering most players and the Californian has been in red-hot form. His US Open record is superb, his confidence is high, and he relishes difficult courses.

This is a hugely competitive event - and it is madness to be bullish about anyone at this stage - but double-figure quotes about Schauffele seem generous. Everything he has shown in recent weeks, including outscoring everyone in the Tour Championship last time out, indicates he will stick like glue to this leaderboard.

Third-round twoball punters are pointed towards Matt Wolff to beat Brendon Todd (6.41pm UK and Ireland time). Wolff, who finished fourth in the US PGA on his Major debut, has quickly shown a liking for Major set-ups. And if the greens become as firm and fast as anticipated for the later round-three starters, the extra loft with which powerhouse Wolff will be approaching them will give him an edge. Todd, one of the shortest drivers around, will probably need an incredible long-iron performance to keep up.

Bubba Watson has an abysmal US Open record and Hideki Matsuyama is much preferred in the 6.30pm contest, while Louis Oosthuizen should prove too steady for Joaquin Niemann in the 6.19pm match.

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