Surely Rory McIlroy couldn’t complete a fairytale return home. SURELY?!
The Holywood native would dearly love to win his home tournament but the best he has mustered, to date, is a seventh place finish.
Bookies, such as Ladbrokes, are going on recent form, however, rather than past occasions McIlroy has failed to fire in front of his home crowd.
The world number one, as of this afternoon, is 4/1 to win the Irish Open, well clear of Rickie Fowler [13/1] and Sergio Garcia [15/1].
A lot of money has been put behind the reigning Open and US PGA champion to claim victory this Sunday. Indeed, a McIlroy win could cost the bookmakers in excess of €1 million.
Aside from McIlroy, the clear tournament favourite, here are seven players worth watching and an utter Hail Mary shout.
Rickie Fowler [current price 13/1]
Recently voted one of the PGA Tour’s most overrated players, Fowler stuck it to the naysayers with a clutch performance at The Players Championship, Sawgrass. Solid all-round game and fearless with a short iron in hand.
Martin Kaymer [26/1]
The Major winner and two-time Ryder Cup hero is one of the marquee names on the list and his pedigree means he has a short enough price. 22 tournament wins in his pro career but has not been top 30 this year. Each way might prove a safer option.
Graeme McDowell [41/1]
G-Mac would give his artfully sculpted beard to win this tournament. Brought up on the wild confines of Portrush Golf Club and has proved his Major-winning mettle in the past. Will be in the mix this weekend, no doubt.
Danny Willett [41/1]
One win on the European Tour this season and a plethora of solid outings and top ten finishes. Lest we forget, he nailed this 60-foot putt at the pressure cooker that is The US Masters.
Miko Illonen [101/1]
The Finn’s best, pardon the pun, finish this year is 18th but he is the defending Irish Open champion. He looked imperious last year and is an unfettered, dead-eyed putter at the best and worst of times. His price is extremely tempting, even for an each way swinger.
Robert Rock [151/1]
Eighth place at The Tshwane Open in March and another handful of decent, if unspectacular finishes this year. The Englishman has two career wins in the bank and should add to the €185k he has already accumulated this season.
Oliver Wilson [501/1]
A best finish of 34th this season. You must think we’re mad, but hear us out. Wilson is recovering the form he showed in 2008 when he was a Ryder Cup star and firmly in the world’s top 50. He fought back from losing his tour card, in 2011, and won €625k last October when he won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
An Irish winner?
Shane Lowry [currently 17/1] and Padraig Harrington [81/1] are past Irish winners of their home open. With 14 Irish or Northern Irish golfers in the field, including McIlroy, Ladbrokes are going with a 2/1 offer on a local claiming the title.
Other bets include McIlroy to miss the cut [6/1] and to land a hole-in-one [100/1].
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