Magical Kenya Open & Mexico Open | Steve Palmer’s Golf Betting Tips | The Sweet Spot

Get the latest golf betting tips for the upcoming Magical Kenya Open and Mexico Open, as Jack Reeve and Steve Palmer take a look at this week’s tournaments.

The team also take a look back at the Genesis Open from last week, analysing who stood out, as well as who underperformed. Steve gives us his best predictions for this week’s tournaments, including other selections who could be worth backing in the markets.

🔊 Listen to The Sweet Spot Podcast here: https://audioboom.com/posts/8460640-magical-kenya-open-mexico-open-steve-palmer-s-golf-betting-tips-the-sweet-spot

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00:00 – Intro
00:20 – Genesis Open Review
13:15 – Magical Kenya Preview
26:34 – Mexico Preview
39:02 – Best Golf Tips

18+ Gamble Responsibly

#igolf #thesweetspot #stevepalmer #golftips

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Hello and a warm welcome to this sweet spot your goto golf tipping show brought to you by the Racing Post it’s Jack reev and it’s Steve Palmer to look back on the Genesis Invitational two tournaments to preview this week in the shape of the Kenya open and the Mexico open Steve

Palmer deep breaths required the PGA Tour is testing our patients at the moment it is Jack yeah just when you think you can’t get any more frustration along comes another Sunday evening of PJ tour torture I think they should rename it the PGA torture um Scotty sheffer’s

Putter the week before last and then yeah that was frustrating but yeah the weekend performance of Patrick kley at Riviera was even more frustrating yeah I think Lady Luck has has turned into a sadist at the moment Jack um we just need the worm to turn we do at least

We’re getting it in the right positions Steve you know we we predicted did a good week from Patrick kle and as I said last week with Scott if you would have said at one point he’d be five clear you would have taken that it wasn’t to be it

Was it was the round of probably the the year on the PJ tour from Hideki in round four he was six back from Patrick carlay going into the final round he ended up winning by three it was one of those if you look at the final leaderboard you

Would have thought it was an absolute caner it wasn’t it was a a phenomenal round of goal from Hideki matama Steve and and when he gets going he’s one of the best in the world well absolutely and to address the Patrick cley weekend that you mentioned

It turns out he was ill for the final round did you know that the story broke yesterday no he he woke up on Sunday morning apparently with a temperature of over 100 degrees um so that may explain why he was quite so bad on Sunday you know imperious for 36 holes five shots

Clear then got a bit defensive on the Saturday you he played that round as if it was the final round you know playing for the center of greens happy making passs and it was a tactic to be fair to him that looked like it might work until

The 17th hole on the 17th hole on Saturday if he’d found the Fairway there it’s a pretty routine birdie but it’s a par five uh but he sliced the drive laid up was short with his approach failed to get up and down so he made a bogey at 17

And suddenly that that plan that he had had backfired and the lead was down to two and that put enormous pressure on him on Sunday um I think with a four shot lead even though he was Ill he obviously dosed up on pills didn’t he but um CU you couldn’t tell he was

Wasn’t sweating or anything he didn’t look very happy but he never looks very he never looks very happy does he um so I couldn’t tell he was Ill until I found out but um I think with a four shot lead going into Sunday even though he was ill

I think he would have defended that um but a two short lead too much pressure and then he made a par at that easy par five opening hole and just the control of the tournament just disappeared in a Flash um I’m sorry I know you wanted me

To talk about Hideki but I just had to get my cly grief out the way first um they say don’t they in football sort of 2-0 is is the most dangerous score line to be ahead and it and it feels kind of feels the same in gol I was messaging

You and you should be really excited when your player hits the front and goes clear but I think I’ve still got thrist of Lawrence in the back of my mind I was so confident that he’d win that in in the South African open and it didn’t

Happen and like you say I think it’s a completely different mentality there is there is then something to hold on to and as you say he was so different on that Saturday it was far from poor but I think you almost rather being the hunting rather the hunted don’t you in

That situation yeah absolutely absolutely I mean and Hadi matama I mean you let’s let’s let’s find some joy in that because it is it is a joy to watch hii matama uh in full flow um you he I remember being on him in the Bridgestone Invitational you remember that in

2017 Firestone and he closed with a 61 there was one of the best rounds I’ve ever seen it was near perfect golf won by five shots and you know when he’s in the groove he can produce near perfect golf and you know 62 at Riviera is is

Yeah it’s the best closing round in history to win that it’s one of I’d say it’s one of the best PJ tour rounds I’ve ever seen um you know it it was magnificent it’s bogey free and um yeah I suppose what more did we expect from a

Former world number one amateur I mean he’s he’s shown his his pedigree and um yeah all credit to I’m not biting Steve biting it’s he’s he’s he’s a difficult player to be on no her deck isn’t it for those that found um the winner last week if you’re watching him based solely on

Facial expressions you just assume me shooting sort of 75 every round there was that patch wasn’t he where he hit it to six inches then three inches and you would have thought he’d missed the green he’s such high standards well the second of those shots he clearly not

Aiming that far right was he I mean he um he looked he disillusion because I think he thought he was going to find the bunker um so yeah I suppose he got away with one there but yeah has such a cozy victory in the end but yeah his

Iron players is amazing he chipp he he’s an underrated chipper yeah his de mat arm he’s brilliant around the greens um and yeah when he putts well which is not very often you know that’s always the traditional weakness um yeah he can be devastating so yeah yeah Hideki matama

Is on our master’s short list now isn’t he absolutely what were you more disappointed with Steve Patrick can’t nail Tiger Woods pulling out early as as the biggest Tiger Woods fan in the on planet Earth how definitely Patrick cley I mean Patrick Carley was was a devastating

Blow um Tiger Woods played well enough to defeat Justin Thomas in round one and well and Justin Thomas look like the greatest three bow bet of all time um and Tiger Woods and Gary Woodland managed to defeat him in round one um yeah yeah it’s a shame what’s happened

To Tiger yeah the end is nigh isn’t it I mean it feel it feels like the end is nigh I’ve said it before St you know there there’s always so much excitement surrounding tiger when he when he plays again I I really don’t get any Joy from

Watching him anymore he doesn’t swing it the same it’s really I always find it difficult watching him walk like it’s just it just looks painful yeah and you know I love watching him talk about the game and you know watching old reals but I don’t know about you there’s nothing

In it for me watching him play golf nowadays you don’t want the memories tarnished do you I know I know what you’re saying because you know Tiger Woods you know the whisper it he he did a shank last week didn’t he did you see the shank yes wor the worst shot I’ve

Ever seen Tiger Woods hit he blamed it on a back spasm or something um which is a lovely excuse to have but you know he played well on the previous hole and then boom he’s he’s it’s an absolute shocker there so if tiger was just going

To start shanking I I just wish he’d retire I think I I don’t want to watch tigerwood shanking um yeah go out go out um on a high I yeah maybe he’s just going to do one more set of majors and then that’ll be that but yeah I think

The tiger ear is over yeah we we must stick to the party line he said said he had influenza um influenza was the reason he pulled out maybe he gave it to countle well yeah yeah yeah yeah there was a lot of illness around last week

Who knows um but yeah yeah he had influenza and he he still thinks he can be a factor at the highest level but I’m not so sure um so yeah yeah tiger was disappointing week Scotty Sheffer we must mention it finished last of the put

In the putting stats um yeah he was 44th when we were on him the week before in it was 44th in the putting stats but he’s still there was there was a moment there was a moment Steve wasn’t there was it a couple of months ago where he

He changed equipment he changed his Putter and and for a brief period it looked like he he got something to click and now it’s just back to where it was is that right yeah there was hope wasn’t there when he won the Hero World Challenge he just linked up with the new

Putting coach um few little Tinkers with equipment and it looked very promising but it just hasn’t kicked on from there it’s worsen since then and to finish last of the of the you 51 players made the cut he was the worst P putter of all

The players that made the cut um yet he still finished in the top 10 it’s absolutely amazing he can you it seems like he can take 10,000 putts every week doesn’t matter he’ll still finish in the top 10 so Scotty Sheffer fascinating and then there two more players I’d like to

Discuss if I may um will Alat torus who I think deserves a huge pat on the back um are you prepared to Pat him on the back I’ll give him a p don’t injure him because that is the back that is the that got him out for

About you know several months um but to get a runnerup finish in a top class event like that so soon after huge injury layoff I think that was a great achievement because if you remember the Hero World Challenge we were just talking about you had sheffer’s improved

Putting but you also had zalat Tores last you know ugly golf like you salot Tores fans must have been worried when they saw their man doing that in the Bahamas but here he is you know and and loving that long putter he switched to yeah um yeah so I’m excited for zad taus

Excited for mat xama worried about Sheffer but just you know just in awe that he manages to keep finishing the top 10 despite missing every part he looks at Tiger Woods I think’s gone um breaks me art to say it but yeah he’s got a lovely new new apparel line isn’t

He um is it lovely I’ve seen some of the stuff I’m a bit I don’t know I was I just sort of looked at it looks like knockoff brand you getting Sports D or something yeah yeah I must admit I wasn’t too taken on it it’s not even

Sunday red is it it’s Sunday red apparently it’s some like trademark issue yeah yeah yeah yeah I thought the the outfit he had on um on round two was particularly bad um you know lots of stripes and that but yeah maybe you know tigers have stripes was that the one

That he was throwing it back to when he made his debut at Rivier I quite like that a bit of nostalgia you like yeah you like stries you like some Stripes but yeah yeah that didn’t bother me but yeah can I just get one more thing off

My chest you know you got hand I’m I’m pretty angry man today um I just think we need to have another go at the rules of golf don’t we because Jordan SP you Jordan SP was disqualified I mean did did did yeah Jordan spe was disqualified for signing

For an incorrect scorecard and I just think it just we’ve got to just modernize we don’t you think Jack I mean what you you your solution well I just think like everybody knows what score is on you know you’ve got a million C you got shot track following every flipping

Hole every every group’s got a million people following is it cameras on all of them and then when he comes off apparently had an upset stomach on on on on the day dis everyone ill yeah there was a lot of illness about he was desperate to get to the to the lavatory

Jack so he’s in the scores and he’s he’s just had a bad finish he’s he’s he’s close to pooing his pants let’s not put to f a point on it here um sorry to be so crude but and then he’s rushed through it all done done his admin that

They expect them all to do even though everyone knows what score everyone’s got and they could just do it all for him does his admin runs off to the toilet and he’s disqualified for a mult multi-million dollar event um yeah I I think we’ve got a you don’t expect

Cricketers you I I was trying to think about comparisons with other sports like the cricketers out there say Brian L just made 375 he’s try and he comes off and can you sign for how many fours did you get you know just that’s true actually yeah I just think yeah I didn’t

Back spe I you know anyone who bats beef I feel particularly GGY for him was a long way back but he could have done Ani matama he could have guess I guess my my to you have you have you ever signed for an incorrect score in a in a in a you

Know I don’t know the door open or something I haven’t actually played in I whenever I play in a tournament that involves scoring it’s normally like a team event and it’s it’s a I leave it to someone else’s so out I just like to focus on my own game which is what I’m

Suggesting the players should be allowed to do you know let someone else their caddy Steve they they pay they’re caddies enough I mean surely they can and with you most things I’m I’m struggling to sympathize with this one I must admit you’ve got to get 18 numbers

Correct if if speed needed the toilet that much go to the toilet first and then sign the scorecard yeah I don’t know whether he’s allowed to do that I don’t know what the I’ve heard Michael Kim tweeted about it and he said that some players turn up having put nothing

On their scorecard the whole round and then they do them all on they write them all in just from memory or whatever but you this is the biggest tour in the world Mega Buck why can’t you just have one person score in every group why do

You have to players they hold up the the boards and such yeah and you got shot shot tracker yeah um you know I just think I think at this level the amount of money in the game you you shouldn’t have one of the the the stars of the tournament disqualified for an admin

Error I think I think it’s TI of modernized but yeah I got a lot to get off my chest but if Patrick Carle had won nothing would have been bothering me well we we we’ll we’ll score for Jordan speed for 10% of winnings and uh we’ll

Call it a deal there so he’s never disqualified again right that was uh the Genesis Invitational one by Hideki Matti two tournaments to preview this week the DP World Tour is back we’ve got the Kenya open and we’ve got the Mexico open on the US PJ we shall start in Kenya

Steve Palmer where are we playing Mata Golf Club Nairobi Kenya 7,228 yards par 71 four par FS the Kenya open used to be a challenge Tour event it was Mater in 2009 2010 2011 2012 2017 and 2018 and we’ve had two Kenya opens on the DP World Tour 2022 in last year

Tight treelined Accurate Driving absolutely essential the honors board reflects that we’ve got loads of win this week as well it’s going to be really fiddly test this 156 players going to post I don’t know why but this is always one of my favorite events of the year I’m flicking the Telly on and

Seeing that the Kenya open is bring being broadcast in the morning it makes these February D Days feel a little bit lighter I was yeah yeah yeah I’ve been to Kenya I’ve been to Ken I didn’t get out the airport though I was on my way I

Was on my way to a wedding in Mala as you do and um friends haven’t you I was best man at a wedding in Malawi I must have discussed this before and and then I was at Kenya airport for what seemed like yeah back days and um but yeah it looked

Like a lovely country on the other side of the airport but I didn’t get I I just didn’t want to get out there too much but yeah it’s a magical event this it’s actually called the magical Kenya open really excited for it let’s go through the top of the market thristan Lawrence

Is your Market lead around about 14 to one one at time of recording you and Ferguson 16s ruyu hashino 18s Alex fatrick 25 to1 Roma langas haven’t seen that name for a little while 25 to1 Frederick laqua 25 to one bigger the rest Steve I think it’s fair to say not

The uh not the most star studded of lineups for the DP World Tour event this week but that doesn’t matter when it comes to a betting perspective how many selection selections for the magical Kenya open that is firm but fair and we have five selections it was very hard to

Get the the list down here we got five it’s a tough event okay five selections who’s the main headline pick it’s Yan Ferguson at 16 to1 who is made for the challenge of a windy Mater he’s extremely accurate he’s a consistently straight hitter beautiful golf swing a Scott who’s Ultra comfortable in Breezy

Conditions he won the boys amate championship at Royal Liverpool an open venue in 2013 he threatened to win the Kenya open on his Mata debut in 2022 he was four shots clear you might remember this one four shots clear with a round to go um but he was inexperienced he

Carded a Sunday 76 he ended up in eighth place but he promised he pledged that he would learn from that setback do better next time and he he lived up to those words you just three weeks later he won the cat Masters it was it was brilliant

The way he recovered mentally from that 76 and then three weeks later strong wins at Doha Golf Club better event and he and he won that and a really gutsy finish and then after that a few months after that he won a second DP World Tour title and the isps Hand a world

Infit he a mouthful that one God I had so much momentum there as Bruce Bruce used to like saying lost it all now um but the point need’s making that he’s had four top fives since that second Victory all right he’s been knocking at the door of the hat-trick two of them

Have come in South Africa he likes playing in Africa and he finds it easier to get to the tournaments in this part of the world now because he now lives in Dubai so a shorter Journey much shorter journey to um to Africa from Dubai than

It is from his old place in in Glasgow uh he finished ninth in the katar Masters last time out he’s in good form he’s the most likely winner of the golf tournament I’m all over our friend Yan Ferguson yeah it does seem a a main stay on the top of the leaderboards now

Doesn’t he on the DP World Tour it’d be nice to see him win a couple more and really solidify his place at the top of this tour I think he’s got huge ability I I really like you and Ferguson we were running for the French Open of course

And it looked like he was going to win the French Open another test of accuracy and there was a couple of heartbreaking moments in that where there was one moment where he puted off off the green into the water you know the the these are things you know sent to try us

Um but yeah that that was a much you know French Open a better event you I I think you and Ferguson has got loads of trophies in him um and in this grade in this as you mentioned it’s a weak field this week I think he’s a Class Act in in

A weak field we’ve had that a couple of times this year thinking about it we had Ferguson putting into the water and we had Scotty Sheffer putting Into the Bunker didn’t we a couple of weeks ago yeah yeah yeah we did actually yeah in round three of of Phoenix he uh he did

Well well to scramble a bogey from that yeah yeah that yeah we don’t have much luck do we strange all season so far H you and Ferguson 16 to one top pick in the magical Kenya open four more to go who’s next it’s you and Ferguson’s best

Friend Connor Sim Conor Connor Sim is 35 to one I’m right behind the Scots this week you know as soon as I’ve processed this Patrick cartly disappointing I’m not I haven’t quite processed the Patrick kindly disappoint but as soon as I have I’m going to start singing flower of SC

I’m I’m going to continue singing flare of Scotland until Sunday afternoon when when one of these two Scots is going to win the Kenya open you I think we’re going to get a Scottish one two this week you know the fact that they’re both there is great you know you’re off to a

Farflung location these two guys can keep them you know keep each other company perhaps share a couple of whiskies of an evening you know I think it’s good for both morale morale wise and Sim is equally well suited to this this test of accuracy really accurate

Driver as Sim neat and tidy won the Australian amateur in in 2016 loads of great amateur form in windy locations he played in the 2017 Walker cup he took Scotty Sheffer to the 18th green in a singles match you know he shows what good amateur sign was he I think he got

Up to world number eight amateur I believe um so not quite a former world number one amateur but yeah he was a great amateur golfer then he won on the challenge tour in 2019 he’s threatened to win on a few times on the DP World Tour seven times

He’s finished in the top three and he was third in the 2021 Kenya open that was at Karen country club we love Karen country so he liked Karen Country Club he’s got a solid record in Africa generally his Mata form figures are 2655 I’m expecting a big Improvement this

Week because he’s coming into this tournament in in really solid form um he’s not doing much wrong I think this is an ideal assignment see here come on Scotland come on the United Kingdom well I would say Steve if you’re if you are going into this weekend singing Scottish

Songs maybe avoid it at about quarter to 5 on Saturday because I’ve Just Seen Scotland England on Saturday Saturday well yeah yeah well I’m bringing us all together I’m I’m concentrating on the United Kingdom I hope that match is a draw on Saturday two Scots I’m trying to look

Down the list to see who else we’ve got um who am I expecting up next you are expecting the potential party pooper to this United Kingdom party you know I want to bring us s together this weekend but there is a potential party pooper in

The shape of yesper senson um who is 28 to1 you know as we unfur our Union flags on Sunday maybe yesper senson might ruin it because you he looks a DP World Tour champion in weit and then he let’s be perfectly honest uh he’s really impressed me this season he’s a 27y old

Swede he won on the challenge tour last May then he had three runner up finishes on the challenge tour before his graduation then he finished second in the South African open in early December you know Barn storming start to life on the DP World Tour back in Africa this

Week of course confidence Sky High he was Ill there’s a lot of illness around on both he was Ill at the Bahrain Championship um but he finished runner up you know he showed bundles of Courage um at times during that tournament hold some clutch putts unlucky runner up um

Then he followed up with 16th Place in the katar mes he’s not missed a cut this year spencon car did four rounds of par or better to finish 26th on his um his own previous Kenya open that was at Mata 2022 he was world number 389 at the time

Yeah I can’t get spencon out of the frame this week so yeah yeah yeah yeah yeser senson 28 to one very good three down two more to go um where are we going next we’re going to Darius vanriel at 60 to1 who we like backing when there

Is a premium on driving accuracy such a precise golfer Mata is a dreamy venue for him he was 12 in the 27 17 Kenya open at Mata he missed a cut by shot when in terrible form in 2022 then finished 11th in last year’s Kenya open

At Mata he closed with a 63 that was the joint best round of the week he’s also done well at Karen um he was eighth he was eighth in the 2016 he was eighth in the 2016 Kenya open 10th in the 2021 Kenya Saia classic you might have missed

That one as a oneoff DP World Tour event also was that was that the one where we were on Sam horfield he hit Shank 17 oh blim it might well have been yeah yeah yeah I think we did Bat Sam H for sorry just just completely derailed your

Thought proc just go back to Tiger shank as we’re talking about Shanks I love the way he made it sound classy he said he did he he got it wrong his his his back spasmed and he delivered the huzzle first and I thought that’s the only way

You can make a shank sound slightly technical yeah that’s it yeah he delivered the huzzle first yeah I don’t know whether his glut his glutes weren’t activated there were they I don’t know what was going wrong but um yeah yeah I just found that heartbreaking but yeah

Darus vanre won’t be won’t be shanking anything got off darel so darus vreal is is absolutely proven at Mater he’s proven at Karen um you know and and he and he’s proven in Africa generally yeah just before Christmas he finished ninth in the joerg open and fourth in the Alfred Daniel

Championship in South Africa um and that came on the back of him Reviving his career career with fourth place in the in the DP World Tour qualifying school so everything’s going well for Darius van Drew and he’s he’s turning up his you the the most suitable track for him

On the whole schedule is is is kind of playing in in Kenya in particular Steve a real kind of specialist track because whenever I’m watching these events you know we always talk about the differing grass types which I never really believed in until I started playing on

Some ones but it looks so different in Kenya well even without any wind these is such a tight such tight targets off the tea you know really tall really tall trees daunting daunting narrow Fairway so even with no wind you and I would just be spraying it into the uh into the

Into the tree yourself but we’re going to get winds every day this week um and it’s it’s going to you got to be a straight driver to succeed I’ll be staggered if if some swashbuckling type wins this week um I did just see as you as you mentioned

That the the first name on my list as I’ve got it down is vilco n I’m assuming he’s not going to go too well this week yeah yeah yeah I mean he he should be taking s of five iron off every te really one more to go in the Kenya open

Steve who is it it’s Santiago triio who was 75 to one another supremely accurate driver another two-time challenge tour Champion that I mentioned darus vul has won twice on the challenge tour Santiago tario has won twice on the challenge tour um and I think he might threaten a

DP World Tour breakthrough this week yeah he’s third third in the Kenya open last year he had weekend rounds of 64 and 66 only the eventual Champion his compatriot H Campo outscored him over those final 36 holes finding fa is going to be so difficult in the win this week

Trio’s up to the task he was in dire form when he came to his Kenya open Deo in 2022 but he finished 26th he carded four underpar rounds he’s never carded an overpar round at mataga I nearly chopped the microphone off there in passion for that statistic he finished

11th in the macious open in his last trip to Africa so yeah this is a 33y old Spaniard bit of a character um very quirky putting stroke but I’m not bothered about this week the put the quirky putting stroke this week because I think finding fairies is the absolute

Key to success you said it was difficult to get that long list down to a short list yeah um I always I never like asking this question because you’ve obviously crossed names off that you were close to going with with any you were you were you were close to putting

Up today yeah John John Catlin was the the last off the list I I would be crushed if John Catlin wins because this is a course that is is good for him um had his name for a while is he no no he had a little form slump gone back to the

Asian tour and he finished third last week um but I yeah I he just had a long flight on Sunday from that event to he um I just yeah it was it was hard to find negatives about John Catlin um so if you’re having six I just didn’t want

To have six I didn’t want to put too much pressure on the on the punters um yeah I’m I’m happy with me a lot okay we’ll recap all of Steve’s selections at the end of the show but first we need to look at the Mexico open Steve excited um

For this one talk us through where we’re playing vidanta Vata the magical Mexico open 7,456 yards par 71 four par FS a Greg Norman design it’s hosted since 2022 it’s flat wide open pass balam grass Fairways large greens sunny and K weather throughout Powerhouse is Paradise the most successful players in

This tournament over the last two years have also dominated the driving distance statistics uh we got a field of 144 going to post sounds a delight um let’s take a look through the top of the market defending Champion Tony feno your favorite R about 15-2 Nikolai hoard 16s

Stepan Jager 22 to1 alongside ailano Grio uh Thomas de Tre dri de whatever you want to call him 25 to1 Taylor pendri same price bigger the rest Steve how many picks for the Mexico open for there we go you’re over Klay now that’s what you needed to get out of

Your system pure aggression that’s always works isn’t it yeah we got four four picks for the Mexico open who is the headline selection Nikolai hoger 16 to one now who is made for the this vidanta Vata assignment we want Power packed aggressive players on our side this week Nikolai hogard fits into

That category and is well on his way to becoming one of the best players in the world he’s a 22y old with three DP World Tour victories under his belt the latest of them was in a high class DP World Tour Championship in November last year

He started this year as well in in Dubai played nicely but his first PJ tour star of 2024 was incredible a Tory Pines debut he had no to contend for the Farmers Insurance open Jack no right but Nikolai does not play by the rules Nikolai does not play by the rules he

Finished runner up at Tory Pines what further evidence do we need that this Danish dude is ready to eat from golf’s top table he has since finished 31st at Pebble Beach 39th at Riviera two elevated designated Signature Events he Clos with a 69 on Sunday only 11 players

In the field outscored him at Rivier on Sunday this lad is turning up in high class company making course to Boos and doing well now he turns up in a rubbish event let’s be perfectly honest with course experience Jack and he looks the man to beat to me he played in last

Year’s Mexico open finished 33rd pepperin pins had a bad week of short game he was world number 122 at the time had hardly any stat side experience he was runner up we must also mention he was runner up in the corales punana championship last year on paspal grass

Back on that surface this week yeah I think we’ve got a PJ tour breakthrough coming on Sunday for Nikolai hoger I’m I’m glad you mentioned that doesn’t again doesn’t look like a a great feel so when you see a player you know to the quality of hoard you just expect that

He’s going to go off a a shorter price 16 to1 feels very generous from the bookmakers yeah I’m I’m happy with that I’m happy with that very similar price of course to you and Ferguson in Kenya I think that’s a beautiful each-way double okay um excited that Nikolai hoard at

The main pick for the Mexico open three more to go who’s next next best is Eric Van ruin 35 to1 who triumphed on his last visit to Mexico of course on the paspalum fairways of el camalon in the worldwide technology championship in November that was his second PJ tour

Title they’ve been a lovely career progression for Van Ruan he he won on the sunshine tour he won on the challenge tour then he won on the DP World Tour now he’s a a lished PJ tour Champion he turns 34 years of age tomorrow so he’ll start the week with a

Birthday cake I think he’ll end the week with a trophy he finished 33rd on his Mexico open debut last year he missed two cuts coming into the tournament he missed seven Cuts immediately after the tournament so he’s in a terrible run form but finished 33rd in you know still

Banked a decent check um at Vidant valata um this time in much better Nick missed a cut by a shot in the Phoenix Open last time out don’t worry about that Eric Van royan second pick for Steve in the Mexico open who’s next Davis Thompson also 35 to1 you probably

Starting to panic Jack that we would be going into battle without a former world number one amate here we go you can calm down now we’ve got one in the side it’s Davis Thompson Davis Thompson he wasn’t World come on he wasn’t world number one

He buy well was and he had the world yeah he’s got the world he’s only 24 he was a brilliant amateur golfer he’s a 24 year old now with the world at his feet he won on the co Ferry tour in 2022 he finished runner up in the American

Express on the PJ tour last season he’s been he’s been in rock solid form for for seven months I’d say um he’s played only once before in Mexico and he finished 15th at El camalon you this week’s layout suits him much better than El camalon um yeah I think Davis

Thompson you given what you saw in Phoenix four underpar rounds in the Phoenix Open for 15 place it’s coming it’s coming for Davis Thompson yeah I’m really liking the look of this list so far Steve understand that we’ve rattled through them and one more pick for the

Mexico open who is it it’s Cameron Champ 50 to one 50 to one the champ who’s playing much better than the bare form suggests he started the year missing the cut in the Sony Open by shot at a course which doesn’t suit him at all he missed

The cut in the AMX but he closed with a 65 only 13 players in the AMX field outscored him that day then he missed the cut by a shot in the Farmers Insurance open despite second round 67 then he missed the cut on the Mark again in Phoenix you know narrow failures for

Cameron Champ all right so four Miss Cuts but yeah I just want to look beyond that and I think when he gets to one of his favorite golf courses in the world this week he’ll forget about those narrow failures Cameron Champ has finished Sixth and eighth in the Mexico

Opens at valata he he had missed the he missed his previous six PJ tour cuts when he teed up in this event last year yeah and yet he finished eighth he carded four rounds in the 60s so he can forget about all those miscuts and he can be a huge Contender here we’re

Talking about a three-time PJ tour Champion um yeah yeah Cameron Champs are really really interesting and attractive wer yeah one of those players very different to hii Matti but one once they get in full flow incredibly exciting to watch yeah yeah yeah one of the most spectacular drivers

Of a ball in the world and this course is is made for for powerful drivers um yeah now the the listeners and the viewers at home Steve I’m sure we’ll hear okay cor suit to Powerhouse has won this event before they’re screaming at you where’s Tony Fe now why you not

Selected him I understand your screams but his putting stroke is is unconvincing at the moment you know he’s um he’s up there with Scotty Sheffer really you he obviously likes this course it’s not just the win he was second you know him and John Rah have had this tournament between them that

The last two years um but yeah Tony finel is not Scotty Sheffer yeah good observation yeah we’re full of great advice on this on this podcast and you know there we got an absolute Diamond um but you know what I mean they’re both obviously putting badly but Scotty sheffer’s ball striking much more

Consistent I don’t think I don’t think we can be back in finel at 7 to one you I got no urge to play the short prices about finel much prefer my guys do you approach these PGA Tour events with slight trauma nowaday Steve after the st’ back of the season I mean you’ve

You your picks have been brilliant but you know big price winners left right and Center well yeah I I have yeah I do dip into the Twitter sphere to sort of um look at golfers and um yeah I do stumble across a lot of exasperated um

Punters you know but there a lot of lot of Americans a lot of our American friends getting really disgruntled um yeah a lot of them have been new to bet of course weren’t they because you the laws have only recently changed and you know they’re all betting on the PJ tour

With um you know sort of novice enthusiasm and then seeing all these sort of 200 to one shots 300 to one shots and a lot of them I can see holding their hands up in despair saying yeah this is impossible um but um yeah I would urge patience you know I would

Urge patience you know the key to a successful golf punting is patience you know at some point this season that lady luck will will relent and um do do you do you take slight um sort of sadistic Joy from that watching those who are new to the game struggle with it as someone

That’s been hanging around in the scene for decades just finding winners here and there I mean you’re staying power Steve and the golf betting scene is like no other yeah I don’t take any pleasure from suffering people I’m not I’m not that horrible but yeah no I want us all

To do well I mean I like seeing suffering bookmakers you know I I I enjoy seeing bookmakers suffer but I you know punters we’re all comrades together and no I want us all to win and I’m sure we all will win at some point soon um

You know yeah we win this week we win this week J um you know I would I would urge our American friends to stick with it absolutely well I’ve been thoroughly enjoying here on your weekend plans recently Steve there was a great column from yourself in the Racing Post last

Week I mean Sweet Spot views had already heard about your trip to the the point to point have we got anything exciting like that going on this weekend uh I don’t know I think I’m going to um try and get it back get back running again

Jack you know I you know I got injured and I’ve been out for two months injured and I was six weeks into um the nine week couch to 5K program which you probably know all about so now I guess I got to go back to I was going to ask

Your advice on this it might be quite boring to ask it on on go straight I wouldn’t go back to the very start maybe like what we W week six I was on week six of nine but I’ve grown a great big beard belly in the two months I’ve been

Off it’s going to be so so hard to get going again I was thinking just go straight back to the start yeah you could do I mean I guess I guess the risk of yeah risk of starting Midway through you might injure yourself again what

What was it what was wrong with you I had a sort of well we couldn’t really identify what it was it was the connection between the groin and the and the thigh some sort of muscle in there sprang um that’s even a word but yeah I

I feel like I need to get back out there that sounds very wholesome that’ll be my plan yeah yeah I need awesome weekend cuz me and Tommy tiger were alone last weekend and um we had a lot of Chinese takeaways and we had a lot of um visits to the public

House and we had a lot of fish and chips and we had you General um yeah lot wear and tear from last weekend that sounds like a brilliant weekend Steve and we watched the Terrors and they they the Terrors got stuff for one um so that was pretty heartbreaking

But they’re playing again tonight so yeah I don’t know mate I don’t know I’m going to try and get running because I know you’re a runner and you always look a well I’m not running at the moment got tendonitis of I tendon I did that silly running challenge in January and screwed

It all up yeah this is the thing in it you can have great intentions you know I thought I thought I’d crack life because when I was running you know I seem to be tipping loads of winners and I you and yeah maybe if I can get running again

I’ll start to with but then you get an injury and it just you well go out running on Saturday singing the Scottish national anthem and Scot yeah is that this is that’s not that’s not their national anthem is it just their rugby song no but you can

Sing both can’t you maybe it is the national anthem get get commenting get commenting oh FL of Scottland when will see your like again our Flower of Scotland please win the kenen anyone sees a man running around wouth this weekend please don’t report him to authorities he has good

Intentions it’s good lyrics here please win the Kenny it’s almost wor Steve we uh we best recap our selections for this week so people could drop them down we shall start in the magical Kenya open Yan Ferguson Connor Sim come on Scotland yesper spencon Darius vanre Santiago

Triio and in the Mexico open the magical Mexico open why can’t Mexico be magical too Nikolai hog Eric Van Rowan Davis Thompson and Cameron Champ excellent um there’s your selections for this week’s tournaments a reminder to follow along with all of the action on the racing post sport website

For Steve’s in running selections as well two tournaments again next week Steve three I believe oh three is there oh yeah I think so I think so yeah yeah I remember is it the last week of the month next week yeah yeah the last week of February I definitely had three so

Triple at time well our rest and Recovery is very much over Steve thank you very much if you’re following in with Steve please remember to do so responsibly and we’ll see you again next Tuesday for another episode of The Sweet Spot