Steve Palmer's World Wide Technology Championship first-round preview, best bets

When to watch

Sky Sports Golf and Mix, 7pm Thursday

Best bets

Viktor Hovland top European
2pts each-way 11-2 bet365

CT Pan top Asian
2pts 11-10 bet365

Aaron Wise to beat Cameron Tringale
2pts 4-5 Coral, Ladbrokes

Preview

World Wide Technology Championship favourite Justin Thomas tees off at 12.50pm UK and Ireland time in the first round at El Camaleon, joining Rickie Fowler and Joaquin Niemann in a marquee threeball.

Brooks Koepka, Billy Horschel and Tony Finau are also out early, while Mexican duo Abraham Ancer and Carlos Ortiz headline the later wave at 5.19pm. Defending champion Viktor Hovland is also out late and the Norwegian sounded confident of success in his pre-tournament media conference.

Hovland appeals in the top European market. He excelled in amateur competitions at El Camaleon and has played in the PGA Tour event there three times, saying he feels like a "veteran" at the course. There are not many Tour venues where the youngster has so much experience and he relishes the paspalum greens at the track.

Both of Hovland's PGA Tour victories have come on paspalum and the slow dancefloors remind him of those he grew up playing in Norway. Rain and soft conditions helped Hovland triumph 12 months ago, but he may still have enough to win a relatively weak European section this week. He topped the greens-in-regulation statistics last year.

CT Pan, 11th in his last Mayakoba start and in tidy form, seems a generous price for top Asian, with only Sung Kang and Anirban Lahiri to beat, while Aaron Wise, runner-up last year and impressive in Las Vegas last time out, could prove the pick of the match-bet options against Cameron Tringale.

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