First Round Leader

Patrick Reed First Round Leader at 70/1 (Seven Places)

With an early tee time and a chip on his shoulder to get into these conversations Patrick Reed could be a dangerous player this week and could figure early doors. Looking back to May of last year Reed has landed two round leaders, one at Colonial just before the new tour started and then one at Bedminster a few weeks later.

That's two victories in this market in his last 25 starts and his game could be perfect for this place. There will clearly be an emphasis on short game around the greens and there aren't many better in the game than Reed. Unlike many other LIV golfers who have yet to feel the pressure cooker in the big fields of late, Reed does having gone toe to toe with McIlroy earlier in the year in Dubai in what felt like a Major Sunday (or Monday!).

He finished 4th at the Masters and 18th at the PGA and will be looking to join the party with recent LIV golfers Koepka and Dechambeau contending at the business ends of these events. 

0.75pt each-way P.Reed  70/1 FRL (1/5 7) Unibet

Patrick Reed First Round Leader - 0.75pts e/w @ 70/1

Austin Eckroat First Round Leader at 150/1 (Seven Places)

If someone is to have a charge late on Thursday for the round lead it may just be Austin Eckroat. Eckroat's rookie season started somewhat slowly but has taken off lately. 5th in Punta Cana was followed by a couple of missed cuts and has since landed 5 cuts on the trot, finishing 2nd at the Byron Nelson, 16th at the Charles Schwab and then 30th at the Memorial last time out.

He ranked 28th tee to green at Muirfield Village and 20th in the same statistic at Colonial. They were stacked fields and he is holding his own with the best of them. After round one at the Memorial he was in 3rd place. He is an accurate sort from the tee which could prove vital this week and at only 24 years of age seems to be hitting his stride at the right time.

This is only his second major and the first for four years and he'll be excited about his prospects with the quality of his golf lately. 

0.5pt each-way A.Eckroat  150/1 FRL (1/5 7) Coral, Unibet

Austin Eckroat First Round Leader - 0.5pts e/w @ 150/1

Top Asian

Si Woo Kim Top Asian at 4/1 (Three Places)

Si Woo Kim is a lively outsider this week and could be worth chancing in the top Asian market with three places available. With the greatest respect to the rags in this market it looks likely that five of them will all miss the cut. This could leave a shoot out between the five class acts in this mini field and a few of them look vulnerable.

Tom Kim has gone badly off the boil with his last top 10 finish coming back in January. Sungjae Im has failed to find form since his win in Korea missing cuts at Oak Hill and Colonial before finishing 41st at Muirfield Village. This is out of character for Im and it'll take something for him to find his game on a tough layout like this.

There was improvement in his long game at the Memorial so he may still be the danger. Matsuayama doesn't have many negatives and is worthy favourite but Si Woo Kim can give him a run for his money. Kim ranks 14th on tour from tee to green this year and has wizardry around the greens some of the best could only dream of.

Should he manage to putt well (always a concern) he could give backers a run in the outright, but I believe the safer play is backing him each way with three places in this smaller field.

1pt each-way Si Woo Kim Top Asian  (1/5 3) 4/1 Skybet

Si Woo Kim - 1pt e/w @ 4/1

Lengthen The Odds

Scottie Scheffler to win by 4 or more shots at 22/1

One final bet for me this week will be on Scottie Scheffler. His numbers are Tiger-esque from tee to green and had he managed any decent putting weeks lately we could have seen him land here having won three of his last four events.

If he continues in that fashion with his long game then the only question mark will be the putter. If he can have a good week he can blow them all away quite comfortably and land a major by record margins. There is room to get him on the staking plan by backing him to win by 4 or more shots at 22/1.

To lead after every round is slightly less appealing around the 50/1 mark and should he end up this winning this I'd suggest it could be by a wide margin, just like Tiger used to.

1pt S.Scheffler to win by 4 or more shots  22/1  Skybet, Bet365

S.Scheffler to win by 4 or more shots - 1pt @ 22/1