Patrick Reed to feed off home support and larrup Li

Sky Sports Golf, 2.30pm Wednesday

Patrick Reed and Marc Leishman can provide a winning double on day one of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club.

Reed is thrilled to have finally got clubs and balls which he fully trusts in his bag, having spent months testing different tools, and the Texan is licking his lips about performing in his home state this week. This fiery competitor seems likely to make short work of Haotong Li in the 4.31pm UK and Ireland time fixture.

Reed, second in the Valspar Championship and seventh in the Arnold Palmer Invitational in his last two starts, is likely to feel much more confident on the first tee than Li, whose form is heading in the opposite direction. The Chinese raider, making his Match Play debut, has been tinkering with equipment in the wake of winning the Dubai Desert Classic and his results since are MC-53-63-54.

Reed, a Ryder Cup colossus who defeated Rory McIlroy in the singles of the last contest, is full of matchplay experience, while Li has precious little experience of this format.

Leishman has shown his matchplay mettle in the Presidents Cup. The Australian found form on Sunday, with a 67 at Bay Hill for seventh place, and he should know too much for WGC debutant Julian Suri.

Recommendation
P Reed (3-4) & M Leishman (4-5)
3pts double Coral, Ladbrokes

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport

Like us on FacebookRacingPostSport