Steve Palmer's US Open first-round-leader preview and free golf betting tips

Where to watch the US Open

Sky Sports Main Event and Golf, 3pm Thursday

Best bets

Bryson DeChambeau first-round leader
1.5pts each-way 45-1 bet365, Hills

Max Homa first-round leader
1.5pts each-way 40-1 Hills

Patrick Rodgers first-round leader
1pt each-way 100-1 Betfair, Power

Gary Woodland first-round leader
1pt each-way 80-1 Coral, Ladbrokes

US Open first-round-leader preview

Bryson DeChambeau has got his swagger back in recent months and the 2020 US Open champion looks set to be a serious factor at Los Angeles Country Club this week.

DeChambeau, a six-shot US Open victor at Winged Foot three years ago, has lost weight and regained full fitness. Fourth place in the US PGA Championship a month ago was confirmation of a recent resurgence, a result sandwiched in between two solid efforts on the LIV circuit.

DeChambeau has averaged 70.5 in the first round of the last four US Opens – excellent scoring given how difficult the set-ups typically are – and 45-1 seems a juicy price about the Californian powerhouse outscoring everyone over the opening 18 holes at LACC.

The morning starters seem the players to concentrate on in the first-round-leader market, with perfect conditions forecast. Some early drizzle looks set to soften the track and the first groups out should get windless skies for their entire round.

DeChambeau is out at 7.40am local time (3.40pm UK) and can be expected to go on the offensive. And the same can be said of his fellow Californian, Max Homa, who is out at 8.13am local time. US Open outright fancy Homa, who boasts an incredible record in the Golden State, will be thrilled with his Thursday playing partners – Collin Morikawa and Scottie Scheffler – and the amiable American trio should contribute lots of the early birdies.

Back up FRL wagers on DeChambeau and Homa with smaller bets on Patrick Rodgers (7.18am) and Gary Woodland (8.02am). Coral and Ladbrokes are offering seven each-way places. Rodgers, a college star in California for Stanford University and successful on the PGA Tour on the West Coast, has been playing well this season and is well capable of pinging the lids at LACC.

Woodland is hitting his ball with the same level of authority he had when winning the 2019 US Open in California – at Pebble Beach – and the big-hitting Kansas man is well capable of entering the FRL equation if he can get some putts to drop.

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