Golf tips, free bets and latest odds for the The Sony Open and the Team Cup

Hats off to Hideki Matsuyama for his record-breaking victory at The Sentry, where he finished an astonishing 35 under par - and now for the second half of the Hawaii double-header.

If the Japanese star picks up where he left off on Sunday, he could make a mockery of his 9-1 odds. But it is a big IF.

Only two players have managed to win both Hawaii events in the past - Ernie Els and Justin Thomas, both when they were at the peak of their powers.

With a much bigger field to contend with this week, there are plenty of dangerous customers lurking further down the betting. 

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Matsuyama’s position as a relatively short-priced favourite means there are some tempting alternatives at decent prices, including the two men beaten in last year’s play-off, Keegan Bradley and Ben An.

Bradley and An were edged out by the tragic Grayson Murray, who shocked the golfing world by taking his own life a few months later. 

After being handed the Ryder Cup captaincy Bradley won the BMW Championship in Denver, and has every chance of earning a playing spot on his USA team in September.

A decent performance at the Sentry - where he finished T15 - plus his near miss 12 months ago make the USA captain's 25-1 odds look pretty generous.

An is slightly longer at 28-1. He also used his close call here last year as a springboard to success, as he went on to win the Genesis Invitational. So he should not be ruled out either.

Even though the last two Sony winners did not play in The Sentry, seven of the previous eight did. And blowing off the cobwebs has to be a good thing.

I also like the chances of Cam Davis, who will be determined to erase the memories of his final round gaffe on Sunday, where he and playing partner Will Zalatoris played each other’s ball.

That cost them both two shot penalties, and a big chunk of prize money. 

Davis still finished in a share of 13th place, although it would have been a  top five without the penalty - impressive stuff considering he gave the field a head start with a level par 73 on day one. At 40-1, the Aussies looks a sound each way proposition.

Nico Echavarria took even longer to get going at The Sentry. But he played well over the weekend, and an 80-1 quote makes him the best of the outsiders.

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The DP World Tour kicks off 2025 with the Ryder Cup-style Team Cup in Abu Dhabi, featuring ten-man line-ups from GB and Ireland and Continental Europe.

The Europeans were emphatic winners in this contest two years ago, but the bookies expect them to come off second best this time - they are on offer at 7-4, with GB&I installed at 4-7.

But I reckon it looks pretty even, and if anything I would lean more towards the Europeans.

If I’m right, that would make the 12-1 on Rasmus Hojgaard to finish top points scorer even more attractive, especially as most bookies are offering a quarter of the odds each way for a top four finish.

It might be worth having a saver on French star Mathieu Pavon at 22-1. He did all his best work early in 2024, highlighted by a first PGA Tour win at the Farmers. And he will be less rusty than most of his rivals after flying to Abu Dhabi from The Sentry.

Justin Rose also seems to have been under-rated at 16-1. His runner-up finish at the Open showed he is no back number, and the GB&I playing captain’s vast Ryder Cup experience is bound to prove useful.

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