Steve Palmer's US Open match-betting predictions & free golf tips

Where to watch

Sky Sports Golf, 12.30pm Thursday

Best bets

Louis Oosthuizen to beat Brendon Todd
2pts 10-11 bet365

Patrick Reed to beat Tony Finau
2pts 9-10 Betfair

Rory McIlroy to beat Justin Thomas
1pt 11-10 bet365

US Open matches

Louis Oosthuizen is an experienced Major performer who typically raises his game under the most intense pressure and the former Open champion can be fancied to account for Brendon Todd in a US Open 72-hole contest.

Oosthuizen, who romped to a seven-shot victory at St Andrews to lift the Claret Jug in 2010, has been unlucky not to add to that lone Major triumph. He has since been runner-up four times in Majors, including playoff defeats in the 2012 Masters and the 2015 Open.

In the US Open at Chambers Bay in 2015, Oosthuizen finished a shot behind a triumphant Jordan Spieth, and his form figures from the last five editions of the event are a rock-solid 2-23-23-16-7. Oosthuizen is not the sort of character who will wilt in the face of the Winged Foot challenge, while Todd is unproven at the highest level.

Just nine Major appearances have yielded a best finish of 12th for Todd and his US Open results are a 17th and a missed cut.

Oosthuizen, a veteran of 45 Majors who tied for second in the Players Championship at Sawgrass, can be much more certain of passing this week's assignment. His PGA Tour form figures of 6-33-13-25 are also encouraging.

Patrick Reed possesses the short-game class to not be frightened by the Winged Foot greens, but that is not the case for Tony Finau. Reed at a shade of odds-on seems more than fair for this match. Finau remains hugely fragile with a putter in his hand and will probably be vulnerable on these fast, sloping dancefloors.

Reed was the seventh-best scorer in the Tour Championship last time out, while Finau was 14th in the 30-runner field, so Reed may have timed his run into form better for the second Major of the year.

A final match-bet option to consider is Rory McIlroy at 11-10 to beat Justin Thomas. This is purely a price-based move because the bookmakers who have made the joust a 10-11 your-choice affair are arguably closer to the mark.

Thomas had some strapping on his wrist prior to the final round of the Tour Championship and there is a small chance that an old problem may be troubling him a little again. McIlroy's main issue could be a lack of sleep after just becoming a father, but he can get his head down at Winged Foot and should be in positive mood.

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