Confident young guns look set to pepper the pins in Illinois

Sky Sports Golf, 1pm Thursday

3M Open champion Matt Wolff will immediately sink his teeth into a par-five hole when he returns to action in the John Deere Classic this week, so the purring powerhouse will expect to make a fast start in Illinois.

Wolff starts his John Deere campaign from the tenth tee at 1.40pm UK and Ireland time, with Charles Howell and Kevin Tway for company, and the US Tour's latest champion is the star attraction in a poor field.

This is the weakest JDC for many a moon and the improving young guns of the circuit can be expected to dominate. Joaquin Niemann certainly fits into that category and the 20-year-old Chilean is fancied to beat Lucas Glover over 72 holes at TPC Deere Run.

Niemann has been in solid nick for a couple of months, with form figures of 31-27-31-5-5-23 in his last six starts, and he will expect to improve on the 23rd place he managed on his JDC debut 12 months ago. He putted poorly last weekend in the 3M, but had been rolling his rock nicely prior to that, and his ball-striking has been relentlessly impressive.

Glover finished seventh in the 3M, but has been struggling for consistency, missing his two cuts prior to that. He is one of the worst putters on the circuit, so it is not surprising that his JDC record – four missed cuts and no top-ten finishes – is so poor. Weak putters usually get left behind in what is always a low-scoring week.

Niemann should also be trusted for his first-round threeball, which includes Glover, with Seamus Power completing the 1.50pm group (tenth tee). And two other threeball wagers appeal – Nick Watney to defeat Chris Stroud and Adam Long at 1.40pm, and Sungjae Im to outscore Matt Every and Kelly Kraft at 1.50pm.

Rain has softened the course and the power advantage of Watney should prove decisive over a pair of powder-puff drivers, while birdie machine Im, 15th in the 3M on Sunday, should make merry on such an easy layout and leave his playing partners behind.

Recommendations
J Niemann to beat L Glover
1pt 10-11 Sky Bet
J Niemann to win threeball
1pt 11-8 Coral, Lads, Sky
N Watney to win threeball
1pt 11-8 Coral, Lads
S Im to win threeball
1pt 10-11 general

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport

Like us on Facebook RacingPostSport