The PGA Tour switches to Florida for a four week run, starting with the Cognizant Classic, quickly followed by two huge events, the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Players.
Most of the really big names are keeping their powder dry for those back-to-back Signature events, but there are enough familiar faces heading to the PGA National course at Palm Beaches this week to whet the appetite.
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Cognizant Classic betting tips
The Cognizant really is wide open – how many times can you get at least 20-1 about the player you want to back?
That is the best price available for the man who heads the market with most bookmakers, former Open champion Shane Lowry.
That is based on his second place finish to Rory McIlroy at Pebble Beach four weeks ago, and a run of three consecutive top fives in this tournament.
That includes another runner-up finish, behind Ryder Cup team-mate Sepp Straka in 2022 – and at 25-1, I reckon the Austrian ace offers better value.
Straka already has a win to his credit this season with his impressive victory at the American Express tournament last month, and he followed up with a share of seventh in that hotly-contested shoot-out at Pebble.
Finishing in the top 15 at the Phoenix Open was another good effort. So I am prepared to overlook Straka’s missed cut at the Genesis last time out, especially on a course where he knows how to get the job done.
Austin Eckroat is the defending champion, and he can be backed at a generous-looking 55-1.
I am a fan of the Young Oklahoma golfer – but the only player to win back-to-back at PGA National is a certain Jack Nicklaus, and that was way back in 1977-78.
Nicklaus had the advantage of having designed the course, which features the famous Bear Trap, and it would be a big surprise if Eckroat can match his achievement here.
Daniel Berger has also bagged three top five finishes here, and he looked the likely winner three years ago before giving up the 54 hole lead.
He has struggled with injuries over the past few years. But he looked to be almost back to his best when he finished runner-up in Phoenix and followed up with a share of 12th at the Genesis – which was much more hotly-contested than this event.
Min Woo Lee is another eye-catcher at 35-1 after finishing joint second behind Eckroat last year, but you have to take on board that the Aussie is not the most consistent performer.
Andrew Novak continues to suggest he will justify regular support from this column soon. He has two podium finishes in his last eight starts, and a top ten here a year ago is added cause for optimism.
Among the outsiders, Joel Dahmen has been quietly running into form with a couple of top tens in his last three starts, and Adam Schenk has also produced slime decent efforts. They are both on offer at 125-1.
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The South African Open has been won by home golfers for the last six years, and it is hard to see that sequence ending when the event moves to Durban Country Club this week.
Defending champion Dean Burmester is a clear favourite at 10-1, but that looks a bit skinny, especially with the change of venue.
The Springbok golfer who jumps out at me is Jayden Schaper, at 30-1. He followed his fifth place at the Qatar Masters by finishing fourth in Kenya last week.
Schaper shared the 54 hole lead at last year’s South Africa Open, before dropping to fifth with a poor final round. He will be extra motivated to make amends.
If the home dominance is to end, the player who could spring a surprise is progressive Spanish star Alejandro del Rey.
He has missed a couple of cuts since winning at Ras Al Khaimah, but he should have rediscovered his focus by now. He showed a liking for South Africa when sharing fifth with Schaper last year, and can be backed at 70-1.
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