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

Where to watch the US open

Sky Sports Main Event and Golf, 3pm Thursday

Best bets

Dustin Johnson to win 9.32pm threeball
3pts 11-8 bet365, Coral, Ladbrokes

David Puig to win 10.16pm threeball
3pts 11-8 BoyleSports

Patrick Rodgers to win 3.18pm threeball
3pts 5-6 bet365

US Open first-round threeballs preview

Most of the LIV Golf rebels have had a spring in their step since news broke of the union with the PGA Tour and two of them can be followed on day one of the US Open.

Have your cake and eat it! That seems to be the message being sent to the LIV defectors, who banked the millions from switching to LIV, yet appear set to be welcomed back to a much more lucrative PGA Tour before long. Dustin Johnson is one of the lucky ones and the 2016 US Open champion can be supported for his first-round threeball against Sam Burns and Keith Mitchell.

Johnson finished fourth in the 2014 US Open, second in 2015, third in 2018 and sixth in 2020. He relishes his national Open and has arrived at this one in good heart, having won the LIV Tulsa event a month ago.

Burns has been wild on approach shots this season and poor around the greens, which is a bad combination for Los Angeles Country Club. Mitchell made a bright start to the year, but has badly lost his way in recent weeks.

David Puig, a college star who opted to start his professional career on the LIV circuit, will probably be relieved that an avenue to PGA Tour golf should soon reopen. The Spaniard, who finished 12th in the last LIV event (Washington), can outclass Karl Vilips and Olin Browne Jnr in the 10.16pm (UK) contest.

The best threeballs bet of the morning starters is arguably Patrick Rodgers, who spent his university days in California looking like he might become the next Tiger Woods.

A phenomenal amateur career has not been followed by much professional glory, but Rodgers has a strong record in California on the PGA Tour and has a huge length advantage over US Open playing partners Ryan Armour and Jens Dantorp.

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