Steve Palmer's Zurich Classic betting preview, tips, lowdown & TV details

TV: Sky Sports Golf, 1.30pm Thursday

This is the third edition of the Zurich Classic as a pairs event and a new all-Australian pairing of Jason Day and Adam Scott headlines the field.

Day has been struggling for fitness and consistency, while Scott is making his course debut, so the favourites hold no appeal at a short price. An out-of-form Patrick Reed could scupper the hopes of playing partner Patrick Cantlay, while Brooks Koepka has been saddled with a weak sidekick in the shape of younger brother Chase.

Billy Horschel and Scott Piercy have returned to defend their title, while the 2017 champions – Jonas Blixt and Cameron Smith – also remain in tandem.

Palmer's top tip
Tony Finau & Kyle Stanley 22-1

Playing in the final group of the Masters alongside Tiger Woods was a dream come true for Tony Finau and the giant Utah man can build on that inspiring experience by leading his team to Zurich Classic glory.

Finau did not disgrace himself in his illustrious company at Augusta – he started round four two shots off the lead and ended it two shots off the lead – and fifth place provided further evidence that the powerhouse is good enough to win Majors. The 29-year-old has finished in the top ten in four of the last five Majors.

Finau has finished second five times since winning the 2016 Puerto Rico Open and maybe a switch to pairs golf this week will help him claim the silverware his recent brilliance has deserved. This massive hitter is not a one-trick pony – he has contended on all different types of course – and his tee-to-green game has matured into one of the best in the business. He finished fourth in the US Tour driving distance stats last season and 18th for greens in regulation.

TPC Louisiana has traditionally been a track where players who churn out greens in regulation end up contending, and Finau has become a master of setting up countless birdie opportunities. He had a weak partner – Daniel Summerhays – alongside him in last year's Zurich Classic but they entered the final round only a shot behind. A Sunday alternate-shot 73 meant sixth place.

Finau has a better partner 12 months later, with Kyle Stanley, a fellow greens in regulation machine, replacing Summerhays. Stanley has found some form at the perfect time to aid the cause, with two bright WGC-Match Play efforts – a win against Louis Oosthuizen and a half with Tommy Fleetwood – being followed by 21st place in the Masters.

Stanley carded four rounds of par or better at Augusta, was five under par for the weekend, recording by far his best Major finish in 17 appearances, so he arrived for the Zurich in good heart at a course he likes. He finished third in the 2013 Zurich, going 17 under par for his final three rounds.

Stanley's only start in the Zurich in a pair resulted in 29th place with a massively inexperienced partner – Ryan Ruffels – in 2017. A mid-division World Cup effort alongside Matt Kuchar in November also provided some useful experience of the format.

Finau managed to finish fourth in the 2017 Shark Shootout despite having Lexi Thompson – the only lady in the field – as his partner. And the Finau-Stanley combination do not have to worry about picking a ball for the foursomes – they both use Titleist ProV1s, so will be comfortable working together. Many other players will enter the foursomes hitting an unfamiliar ball.

There are similarities to last year's victors – Finau is an aggressive slugger like Piercy and Stanley is a GIR grinder like Horschel. They should gel in similar fashion and are by far the most appealing wager in the 80-team heat.

Next best
Louis Oosthuizen & Charl Schwartzel 28-1

The other price which appeals is for the all-South African duo of Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel. Oosthuizen has been playing superbly for the best part of six months and he could provide a shot in the arm for his out-of-form buddy.

Oosthuizen, fifth in the CIMB Classic, third in the Nedbank, runaway winner of the South African Open, seventh in the Alfred Dunhill, fourth in Abu Dhabi, second in the Valspar and a quarter-finalist in the WGC-Match Play, contended in the Masters until a Sunday 76.

Oosthuizen finished 24th alongside Branden Grace in the 2017 Zurich, but joined forces with Schwartzel 12 months later and they ended up alone in third spot, two shots short. They have grown up playing together, they finished 12th as a pair in the 2011 World Cup and they have been Presidents Cup teammates in the last three editions.

Schwartzel was struggling coming into last year's Zurich, having missed the cut in the Masters and the Heritage, but was revived by partnering his pal. History could repeat itself. They both employ Titleist ProV1s and will be ultra-comfortable together in the foursomes.

Others to note
Tommy Fleetwood & Sergio Garcia
The only other price which tempts is the 9-1 about these Ryder Cup colleagues, who should find greens in regulation for fun. There are not many negatives and they should arguably be favourites, but they play a different ball, which is unhelpful in the alternate-shot format.

Scott Brown & Kevin Kisner
The 2017 playoff losers led going into the final round last year and they relish teeing up alongside each other. Kisner is the WGC-Match Play champion and they could be dangerous again.

Sam Burns & Cameron Champ
These two young powerhouses could produce serious fireworks in the fourballs, but Champ has been badly struggling for fitness and form.

Brian Harman & Patton Kizzire
This little and large combination won the QBE Shootout just before Christmas and could threaten another pairs title, but the poor form of Harman is a significant concern.

Charley Hoffman & Nick Watney
This looks a decent pairing at a fair price. Hoffman has found some form, while Watney's maiden US Tour victory came at this venue in 2007.

JB Holmes & Bubba Watson
Sherlock fans will be putting their trust into this pairing and the clues are definitely there. Holmes has won this year, Watson won three times last year, and they finished fifth together in this event 24 months ago.

Staking plan
T Finau & K Stanley
3pts each-way 22-1 Betfred
L Oosthuizen & C Schwartzel
2pts each-way 28-1 Betfred

The lowdown

Course TPC Louisiana, Avondale, Louisiana
Prize money $7.3m ($1.037m per person to the winners)
Length 7,425 yards
Par 72
Field 80 teams of two
Format This is a four-day team event, with no individual prize. The pairs will play best-ball competition (both players play their own ball, with only the best score on each hole counting towards the 72-hole total) in rounds one and three, then alternate-shot competition (one player in the team hits a shot, then the other player, until the ball is holed) in rounds two and four
The cut The top 35 teams and ties will qualify for round three

Course records - 72 holes 261 Jonas Blixt & Cameron Smith (2017) 18 holes best-ball 60 Retief Goosen & Tyrone van Aswegen (2017), Scott Brown & Kevin Kisner (2017), Chez Reavie & Lucas Glover (2018), Marty Dou & Xinjun Zhang (2018) 18 holes alternate-shot 66 Jordan Spieth & Ryan Palmer (2017), Kyle Stanley & Ryan Ruffels (2017)

Course winners taking part (individual strokeplay) Nick Watney, Andres Romero, Bubba Watson, Jason Dufner, Billy Horschel, Brian Stuard
Course winners taking part (pairs) Jonas Blixt & Cameron Smith, Billy Horschel & Scott Piercy

When to bet By 1pm Thursday

When to watch Live on Sky Sports Golf from 1.30pm Thursday

Time difference Louisiana is six hours behind the UK and Ireland

Last week - The Heritage 1 C.T Pan (160-1), 2 M Kuchar (22-1), T3 P Cantlay (22-1), S Piercy (125-1), S Lowry (125-1)

Course overview The TPC was designed by Pete Dye in 2003 and it made its US Tour debut in 2005. It staged its second Zurich Classic in 2007 (Hurricane Katrina ravaged the track in 2006) and has been the tournament's venue ever since. The event was an individual strokeplay competition until 2017.
The rough is fairly light and there are fewer trees to negotiate since the hurricane, but five water hazards and more than 100 bunkers keep the players on their toes. The par-fives (the second, seventh, 11th and 18th) are all in range and excellent chances for birdie. The 18th is the most difficult of the quartet, though, with a large lake down the right side. The 482-yard par-four fourth hole and the 215-yard par-three 17th are traditionally the most difficult. The 16th is a risk-reward, driveable par four of 348 yards, with water in front of the green

Story of last year Billy Horschel and Scott Piercy fended off Jason Dufner and Pat Perez to triumph by a shot

Weather forecast A stormy, breezy opening day is set to be followed by sunny, calm conditions for the remainder of the tournament

Type of player suited to the challenge Greens in regulation is the theme which runs through the victors at TPC Louisiana, with finding the right sections of the heavily undulating dancefloors the key to going low. Quality approach-play is the key to success. The new team element favours players who have competed in the same format in the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. Those with the same partner as previous years can be fancied to settle quicker

Key attribute Accuracy

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