Golf betting tips: Open Championship round two preview and best bets

Golf betting tips: Open three-balls

2pts Cole & Morikawa to win their three-balls at 100/30 (Sky Bet)

2pts Niemann & Lawrence to win their three-balls at 13/5 (Sky Bet)

1pt four-fold Cole, Morikawa, Niemann & Lawrence at 14/1 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook

Day one of the Open Championship threw up the full suite, perhaps with the exception of sunshine. Anything around par or better was a good score and that’s even true of those who started later in the day and appeared to enjoy the best of conditions.

With Friday’s forecast threatening high winds in the afternoon, gradually increasing from a strong enough start, it’s those in the PM-AM wave who might prove particularly well drawn. This was true in 2016 and we could be on our way to a repeat, with Shane Lowry, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele the three most likely to take full advantage.

That prospect is enhanced by the fact that many of the big names in the morning failed to fire, so suddenly the list of winners does appear to be quite short. Playing catch-up will be extremely difficult at Troon, where birdies are especially hard to come by.

There’s no hiding the fact that we look set to complete a nightmare year of outright selections in the majors. Tony Finau remains close enough if the draw doesn't work against him and perhaps Patrick Cantlay can make up some ground, but Tommy Fleetwood and the rest are probably beaten already.

Rushing back into the outright market isn’t something I’m keen to do so we’ll press on and try to claw our way to a good week via the three-balls, which at least started well.

Cole to beat Kitayama and Cejka (0825 BST)

Having someone on the ground for us this week is fantastic and I'm very happy taking Matt Cooper's lead and backing ERIC COLE to beat Kurt Kitayama and Alex Cejka.

The latter shot a competitive 73 on Thursday but doesn't set the bar high and Kitayama has a very poor links record. That was true before he shot a six-over 77, with a late eagle helping him to avoid shooting something in the 80s.

Cole won the three-ball despite a bogey at the 18th and can repeat the trick.

Morikawa to beat Burns and Kim (0936 BST)

COLLIN MORIKAWA was among Thursday's winning selections albeit to no benefit as he was doubled with a loser.

Hopefully he'll do the business again and we'll be rewarded this time. Certainly, having been three shots too good for too links-phobic players in Si Woo Kim and Sam Burns, another solid day's work should do the trick.

Morikawa was very tidy and having arrived as one of the form players, he looks reliable.

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Taylor to beat Wallace and Canter (1304 BST)

Matt Wallace (-1) played extremely well bar one hole in the first round and Laurie Canter shot a decent round of level-par, but NICK TAYLOR is tempting to upstage both on Friday.

First of all, Taylor is about Wallace’s equal on this year’s form (his best is superior), and the pair are a little way of Canter, who I don’t consider to be a natural links player. Canter’s driver is his main weapon and he’s a proper ball-striker who would be better served by more predictable conditions.

As the wind begins to get up, the way Taylor struck the ball in round one is most encouraging. But for a whole host of missed putts from inside feet he would’ve been much closer to the two Englishmen he’s grouped with.

Wallace would be a narrow favourite in my book, Taylor second. As we can have upwards of 2/1 the Canadian, he's possibly a shade overpriced, but not quite to the extent that I felt compelled to get involved.

Niemann to beat Jaeger and Schenk (1404 BST)

I don’t think we need much of an excuse to row in again with JOAQUIN NIEMANN for the second day running, especially as he’s a similar price.

Niemann was three shots too good for Adam Schenk and Stephan Jaeger, both of whom struggled on the greens. Schenk has now played three Open rounds without threatening a good score; Jaeger’s first was a bit of a struggle.

Niemann is the best player in the group in pretty much all departments and I’d argue that he’s best equipped for the wind which is certain to make life difficult.

Lawrence to beat Smylie and Bradbury (1605 BST)

Siding with players who won well on day one doesn’t always appeal as the market will to some degree reflect what has happened. However, THRISTON LAWRENCE was light years ahead of his two playing partners and is a strong fancy to win again.

Lawrence has plenty of good links form from his amateur days and put it to use in a tidy round of 71. Gaining strokes in every department, he did everything well and is doing pretty nicely in majors as he gathers more and more experience.

Elvis Smylie’s 76 was no disaster, albeit his short-game did most of the good work. He’s lacking in experience and while a local caddie helps, and he did fire three late birdies, the Australian is one for another day.

Dan Bradbury meanwhile shot 83 and will do very well to recover from it. Making nine at the ninth and then coming home in 41 will have been devastating for a promising young player whose form this year has been patchy.

Posted at 2145 BST on 18/07/24

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