Steve Palmer's Arnold Palmer Invitational first-round preview and free golf betting tips

Where to watch the Arnold Palmer Invitational

Sky Sports Golf, 12.30pm Thursday

Best bets

Byeong Hun An to win 4.55pm twoball
3pts 10-11 Betfair, Power

Luke List to win 1.05pm twoball
3pts 5-6 Betfair, BoyleSports, Power

Taylor Moore to win 2.05pm twoball
2pts 13-10 bet365, Betfair, Power

Patrick Cantlay to win 4.45pm twoball
2pts 10-11 Betfair, BoyleSports, Power

Ludvig Aberg & Tommy Fleetwood dual forecast
0.5pt 275-1 bet365

Arnold Palmer Invitational first-round preview

Favourite backers were boosted on the eve of the Arnold Palmer Invitational when Scottie Scheffler revealed a new putter and got an ideal first-round twoball partner.

The world number one has switched to a mallet-headed putter for the first time – something Rory McIlroy had suggested might be a solution to Scheffler's putting woes – and it will be fascinating to see if the equipment change delivers an immediate improvement on the greens.

Scheffler, a general 13-2 market leader for the Arnold Palmer Invitational, tees off alongside his good friend Sam Burns at 3.10pm UK and Ireland time on Thursday. Scheffler can edge that match, but more appealing twoball options are elsewhere.

Orlando-based Korean Byeong Hun An looks decent value at 10-11 to beat Emiliano Grillo in their 4.55pm meeting. An, who finished tenth at Bay Hill in 2019, has been swinging superbly for months. He has twice finished in the top five in the Honda Classic and another positive week seems likely in his adopted home state.

Luke List, a greens-in-regulation machine who tied second in the Genesis Invitational last month, was runner-up in the 2018 Honda Classic and has two top-tens to his name at Bay Hill. List should be much shorter than 5-6 to see off Justin Lower in round one.

Taylor Moore, who won the Valspar Championship in Florida last year, has not missed a cut since the Open Championship. Moore seems great value to outscore the much more erratic Patrick Rodgers in the 2.05pm twoball, while Patrick Cantlay is worth backing to defeat Matthew Fitzpatrick.

Cantlay revealed in his pre-tournament media conference that he got flu on the Friday night of the Genesis Invitational last time out, so his squandering of a five-shot weekend lead can be forgiven. Cantlay's driving ability gives him an edge over Fitzpatrick at Bay Hill.

Ludvig Aberg and Tommy Fleetwood look set to contend for the title this week and the 275-1 about an Aberg and Fleetwood dual forecast is worth a small dabble.

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