We have a 10/1 treble for the first round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
Golf betting tips: BMW PGA round one
1pt treble Smalley, Rozner and Laporta to win their three-balls at 10/1 (General)
Thursday morning sees many of the big names begin their bids for BMW PGA glory in strange circumstances, as a two-tee start this year means they'll be hitting their first drives off the ninth tee rather than the first.
Presumably this is to help ensure play is completed on time but it's a real pity, as there's something lost in not having Rory McIlroy introduced on the tee alongside two fellow major champions, in front of an iconic clubhouse. Courses are designed to be played from one to 18 and, in a tournament of such magnitude, I'd rather that had remained the case.
Finding value among these early starters isn't easy. My favourite option was Angel Hidalgo, back in form and grouped with two of the weakest players in the field, but only one firm has priced it up. Next best was Thomas Detry, but I've a nagging worry about opposing Rafa Cabrera Bello, who is bidding to make it eight cuts made in a row at a course he enjoys.
Richard Sterne is a veteran outsider who could upset the odds against an out-of-sorts Dan Bradbury and a player in Calum Hill who appears not to enjoy this test, but 11/4 about a player who has his own issues right now isn't big enough. As such, it's onto the afternoon where there are three I particularly like.
Smalley to beat Olesen and Winther (1240 BST)
ALEX SMALLEY should like what he sees at Wentworth and the in-form American, runner-up in a major this year, can account for two Danish playing partners on his debut in the BMW PGA Championship.
Much of Smalley's best form has come at courses similar in style to this one and it was notable that he said on Tuesday that Wentworth reminded him of somewhat of being back in the US. Sedgefield, scene of his recent share of seventh, is in fact his home course and it's one Wentworth specialist Aaron Rai has won at, while it was also Rai he chased home at Aronimink in the PGA Championship.
After a strong run in the FedExCup Playoffs, Smalley could make some noise this week and he's in here with two players who typically struggle at the course. Thorbjorn Olesen has missed nine cuts in 13, shocking for a player of his calibre, and averages over 73 in round one. Jeff Winther has cracked the top 65 once in eight tries and has typically started slowly as well.
Rozner to beat Migliozzi and Ravetto (1320 BST)
On the face of it, Wentworth ought to be the sort of course that Guido Migliozzi enjoys, but that hasn't really been the case. He's missed five of seven cuts and across these appearances has only once ended the first round inside the top 50.
With David Ravetto having gone MC-61 in two appearances so far and ranking among the very worst putters on the DP World Tour this summer, the way could be clear for ANTOINE ROZNER to shoot a decent number and take advantage of this winning opportunity.
Rozner has been hitting it well all year and that remained the case despite last week's missed cut, and his tee-to-green numbers in five appearances in this have been excellent. He's made four cuts as a result, finishing seventh and 31st across the last two renewals, and his last four opening rounds have been under-par.
Another of those may well do the trick and this is a player who has 10 sub-70 rounds in 17 tries at the course. Migliozzi, by contrast, has just four from the same number of attempts and the player with the best recent form also boasts the best current form.
Laporta to beat Smylie and Schneider (1350 BST)
The strongest fancy on day one is FRANCESCO LAPORTA, a rock-solid operator who has found his putting boots and should expect to make the cut. Laporta has been sixth and 24th from just three starts in the event and his three opening rounds so far have been 68, 71 and 68, all of them under-par.
Elvis Smylie played well enough on his debut last year but that was all down to some remarkable short-game numbers and he returns now after an enforced absence due to a rib injury. It cost him his place in the Open Championship and he's entitled to be rusty on this high-profile return.
Marcel Schneider has course form figures of 67-MC-MC and hasn't made a good start anywhere since May, so if Laporta continues in the form he's shown lately he could win this with a bit in hand.
Posted at 21:45 BST on 15/09/26
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