THE final meaningful event of the golfing year overlaps with the start of the ‘silly season’, as the Alfred Dunhill Championship competes for attention with the Grant Thornton Invitational.

The Dunhill brings an end to the opening stage of the DP World Tour’s 2024-2025 season, while the Thornton brings together some big names from the men’s and women’s Tours in the States, in a knockabout team event.

Not just knockabout , actually – the Thornton has a $4million prize fund! The winners will pocket $500,000 each, while even the pair who finish last in the 16 team event will walk away with $60,000 apiece.

Not bad for three rounds of modified Texas Scramble, Fourball and Foursomes play – the sort of stuff many weekend hackers play. It is fun to watch how the pros go about it.

It also offers the most attractive betting options, with last year’s runners-up, the Canadian duo of Corey Conners and Brook Henderson, an eye-catching 9-1 to go one better this time.

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Golf tips

Conners and Henderson were put up as the possible winners in this column last year, but finished a shot adrift of the Australian duo of Jason Day and Lydia Ko.

Ko and Day are back to defend their title, and at 8-1 they will have plenty of support.

But while Ko has had a great year – winning the Women’s British Open title and Olympic gold – Day has flattered to deceive since ending a long barren run with victory at last year’s Byron Nelson.

The 6-1 favourites are women’s world No 1 Nelly Korda and big-hitting Tony Finau, who says his appearance is proof that the rumours linking him with a move to LIV are false.

But as well as being distracted by the rumour mill, Finay has recently undergone knee surgery – and we saw with Ludvig Aberg that it can take a bit of time to get back into the swing of things after an operation, however minor.

So the Canadians will do for me, with an each way saver on 22-1 shots Lauren Coughlin – who has enjoyed a breakthrough season on the LPGA Tour – and Cameron Young.

Young faded in all-too-familiar fashion after taking the first round lead at the Hero World Challenge last week with a brilliant 64.

But there is a lot less pressure here, and it would be ironic if Young finally got his long-awaited win in an event like this.

LIV rebels Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwarzel bring some much needed stardust to the Dunhill at Leopard Creek, one of South Africa’s best courses.

The veteran Major winners are up against a field made up mainly of journeymen and wannabes.

Oosthuizen heads the betting at around 8-1, but he may be a little under-cooked. And with old favourite Thriston Lawrence, a 12-1 chance, having gone off the boil, the value might be further down the betting.

Laurie Canter did not live up to expectations at the Nedbank last week, finishing in a share of 21st. But he is worth another chance at around 22-1.

Aldrich Potgieter looked the likely winner of the Nedbank after snatching the 54 hole lead, and only a final hole bogey prevented him forcing a play-off.

He is 66-1 this time, which looks tempting. Two more South Afrcians, Robin Williams and Wilco Nienaber, are other each way options, at 80-1 and 90-1 respectively.

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