Steve Palmer's Kaulig Companies Championship predictions and free golf betting tips

Steve Palmer's Kaulig Championship predictions

Stewart Cink
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Steve Palmer's top tip

Stewart Cink 6-1

Steve Stricker is 5-2 favourite for the Kaulig Companies Championship, previously known as the Senior Players Championship, and the favourite demands great respect.

Stricker, who has won six Majors on the Champions Tour, can boast form figures in this event of 6-23-1-2. The 56-year-old has won four times this season. With Padraig Harrington teeing up in the Scottish Open this week, Stricker will not have to worry about the Irishman.

There is a new kid on the block, though, who could lay down the gauntlet to Stricker in the months to come. Stewart Cink turned 50 at the end of May, becoming eligible for the Champions Tour, and his only appearance so far resulted in third place in the Senior PGA Championship.

Cink, who won the 2021 RBC Heritage on the PGA Tour, carded a 64 in the Travelers Championship in his last PGA Tour appearance and still retains much of the ability which once made him world number five and an Open champion.

Cink won the 2004 WGC-NEC Invitational at Firestone, repelling Tiger Woods in the process, then pushed Woods to a four-hole playoff at Firestone in the 2006 WGC there. Cink can return to the same layout this week feeling confident of contending.

Firestone course guide

Course Firestone South Course, Akron, Ohio
Prize money $3.5m ($525,000 to the winner)
Length 7,248 yards
Par 70
Field 78 (no cut)

When to bet By 1pm on Thursday

Time difference Ohio is five hours behind the UK and Ireland

Course overview Firestone hosted the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on the PGA Tour until 2018. From 2019 onwards, it has been home to the Senior Players Championship, which has been renamed this year. It is a long parkland track with tree-lined fairways

Story of last year Jerry Kelly beat Steve Stricker by two shots, winning the event for a second time

Weather forecast Hot, humid and calm, with a thunderstorm threat throughout

Type of player suited to the challenge Firestone South has always been a daunting course, demanding strong ball-striking