Steve Palmer's LIV Golf Las Vegas first-round preview and free golf betting tips

Where to watch LIV Las Vegas

DAZN and LIV Golf Plus app, 6.15pm Thursday

Best bets

Legion XIII to win team event
3pts 3-1 Betfair, Power

Smash to win team event
1pt each-way 22-1 bet365

Tyrrell Hatton and Talor Gooch dual forecast
0.5pt 90-1 bet365

LIV Las Vegas first-round preview

Legion XIII won their first title in last week's LIV Mayakoba event and Jon Rahm's side look set to become the dominant force on a circuit which is now being screened live on DAZN (Sky channel 429).

Dustin Johnson's 4 Aces used to boss the team competition, but they finished 12th of 13 teams in Mexico and may need to accept there has been a changing of the guard.

LIV chiefs attempted to balance Legion XIII by putting two supposedly weak players alongside Ryder Cup stars Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, but the lesser-lights of this quartet appear much better than the organisers realised. Caleb Surratt was 13th in the individual Mayakoba competition, finishing like a steam train, and the teenager seems set for a glorious future.

Kieran Vincent also carded a strong final round and the Zimbabwean powerhouse looks ready to contribute to the cause.

The 3-1 about Legion XIII winning in Vegas looks enormous, as does the 22-1 about Smash, who can be backed each way at a quarter the odds, first three. Smash is led by Brooks Koepka and Talor Gooch, but Jason Kokrak won a PGA Tour event in Las Vegas in 2020, while Graeme McDowell should enjoy the test of accuracy provided by Las Vegas CC.

The Hatton and Gooch outright dual forecast seems worth a small tickle at 90-1.

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