Steve Palmer's Charles Schwab Challenge predictions and free golf betting tips

Golf tips, best bets and player analysis for the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club on the PGA Tour.

Where to watch

Live on Sky Sports Golf red button from 1pm on Thursday

Best bets

Patrick Reed
3.5pts each-way 22-1 Hills, Power

Abraham Ancer
3pts each-way 20-1 Hills, Power

Justin Rose
2.5pts each-way 30-1 Power

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Last year's Charles Schwab Challenge was a morale-boosting occasion for everyone who loves golf - Colonial staged the first post-lockdown PGA Tour event after a three-month shutdown - and it was the strongest field ever assembled for the event.

Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka and Xander Schauffele all teed up at a time when the elite were desperate for competition, but post-US PGA this week, all six of them are skipping Colonial. The spotlight instead falls on the US PGA champion - Phil Mickelson appears set to compete in the wake of lifting the Wanamaker Trophy.

Frazzled in his post-round media conference on Sunday, Mickelson said he would take two weeks off before preparing for the US Open, but a later change of heart means golf fans in Texas could get the chance to worship the legendary Lefty at Colonial.

Steve Palmer's top tip

Patrick Reed 22-1

Short-game masters have thrived at Colonial in recent years and Patrick Reed should be trusted to continue the trend this week after a fast finish in the US PGA Championship at Kiawah Island.

Reed, born and based in Texas and ultra-comfortable in the Lone Star State, is blessed with incredible scrambling ability and can thrive around the tiny dancefloors of Colonial. He has not been a regular starter in the event, but finished seventh in the top-class 2020 edition, only two shots outside of the playoff.

Reed has since won the Farmers Insurance Open by five shots - a dominant display on a tough track which proved that the swing changes he had made with David Leadbetter were working - and more recently he has finished eighth in the Masters and sixth in the Wells Fargo Championship.

Last week, the 2018 Masters champion was slow out the gates, only just making the cut, but Reed outscored everybody in the field over the weekend, closing with rounds of 69 and 70 for 17th place. There must be every chance he builds on that Kiawah form by claiming a tenth PGA Tour title on Sunday.

Next best bet

Abraham Ancer 20-1

Another Texas-born and Texas-based swinger may provide the main challenge to Reed. Abraham Ancer also finished the US PGA in style, signing off with a 65 which was the best round anybody carded at Kiawah. Corey Conners - with his Thursday 67 - was the only player who got close to matching Ancer's remarkable Sunday effort.

The finishing flourish was a continuation of Ancer's rock-solid recent form - 26th in the Masters, 18th in the RBC Heritage, fifth in the Valspar, second in the Wells Fargo Championship, then eighth in the US PGA last week.

It seems like only a matter of time before this Presidents Cup star becomes a PGA Tour champion and Colonial - a test of accuracy over power - seems like ideal terrain for a potential breakthrough. Ancer was 14th in last year's all-star renewal of the Charles Schwab and can do even better this time.

Other selection

Justin Rose 30-1

Another Sunday sizzler was served up by Justin Rose at Kiawah - the Englishman carded eight birdies to claim a share of eighth place. That followed seventh spot in the Masters and Rose clearly remains a contender for the highest honours in the sport at the age of 40.

Rose has never missed a cut in his seven previous Colonial starts. He won the event by three shots when it was known as the Fort Worth Invitational in 2018 and he was third last year in the strongest Colonial gathering in history, missing out on the playoff by just a shot. The former US Open champion, world number one and FedEx Cup victor should be a leading contender again this time.

Players to note

Jordan Spieth
Punters seeking a fourth string to their bow are advised to add the favourite. Spieth has a superb record at Colonial, including victory in 2016 and two seconds. Putting problems blighted him at Kiawah Island, but if he can get his flat-stick sorted, the Texas Open champion could deliver more home-state glory.

Brian Harman
The little left-hander, third at Sawgrass, a quarter-finalist in the WGC-Match Play and 12th at Augusta, possesses the short-game skill to contend at Colonial.

Will Zalatoris
The Masters runner-up has the tools to overpower Colonial and may build on his eighth-place finish in the US PGA by going close to a maiden PGA Tour title.

Collin Morikawa
Last year's playoff loser can showcase his pinpoint iron-play at Colonial. The 2020 US PGA champion must be respected.

Ryan Palmer
The Colonial member knows every blade of grass at this track and has been playing well enough this year to have designs on the silverware.

Kyoung-Hoon Lee
The talented Korean got off the mark in the AT&T Byron Nelson the week before last and may ride the crest of that wave in the same state this week.

Colonial course guide

Course Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, Texas
Prize money $7.5m ($1.35m to the winner)
Length 7,209 yards
Par 70
Field 120
Course records- 72 holes 259 Zach Johnson (2010) 18 holes 61 Keith Clearwater (1993), Lee Janzen (1993), Greg Kraft (1999), Justin Leonard (2003), Kenny Perry (2003), Chad Campbell (2004), Kevin Na (2018)

Course winners taking part Keith Clearwater, Phil Mickelson (twice), Sergio Garcia, Rory Sabbatini, Zach Johnson (twice), Chris Kirk, Jordan Spieth, Kevin Kisner, Justin Rose, Kevin Na, Daniel Berger

When to bet By 1pm on Thursday

When to watch Live on Sky Sports Golf red button from 1pm on Thursday

Time difference Texas is six hours behind the UK and Ireland

Last week - US PGA Championship 1 P Mickelson (250-1), T2 L Oosthuizen (66-1), B Koepka (45-1), T4 S Lowry (80-1), P Harrington (500-1), H Higgs (500-1), P Casey (66-1), T8 A Ancer (50-1), J Rose (80-1), C Morikawa (30-1), J Rahm (14-1), W Zalatoris (55-1), S Scheffler (45-1), T Finau (40-1), R Fowler (150-1), K Streelman (225-1)

Spectator quota 10,000 per day

Course type Parkland

Course overview The PGA Tour has held an event at Colonial since 1946 and the ancient track inevitably offers up plenty of birdie opportunities to the modern professional. Ben Hogan won at Colonial five times, hence the track's nickname 'Hogan's Alley'. There are only two par-fives – the first and the 11th – and the latter is a whopper at 635 yards. In-play punters should be aware that the first two holes on the course are the easiest, immediately followed by the three most difficult. The third, fourth and fifth are known as the 'Horrible Horseshoe'. The tight, tree-lined layout, which features 12 dog-legged holes, has been lengthened through the years but remains much more of a test of accuracy over power. The fairways are Bermuda grass, but the small greens are smooth Bentgrass. This event was played in June last year - the first post-lockdown Tour gathering - but is back in its traditional May slot this time.

Story of last year Daniel Berger took advantage of some late flat-stick hell for Collin Morikawa - the Floridian eventually beating the Californian with a par at the first extra hole

Weather forecast A stormy, wet build-up, then sunny, hot and relatively calm on the competitions days, with moderate breeze expected for Thursday and Sunday afternoons

Type of player suited to the challenge An accurate sort with a behaving putter can destroy Colonial – it is a course that can be overwhelmed with straight-hitting rather than power-play. The last six winners are all renowned as strong putters, which is a revealing trend. Newcomers are obviously at a significant disadvantage at such a long-established venue.

Key attribute Touch/putting

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