The third Rolex Series event takes place on the European Tour this week with the bandwagon heading from France to Ireland for the Irish Open. This is proving to be one of the most popular events on Tour and with the backing Rory McIlroy and his foundation give the tournament a decent field is usually assembled. That is very much the case here.
McIlroy himself won the tournament last year and he is back to try to defend his title but the field is even stronger for this renewal which will make it difficult.
Recent Winners
2016 – Rory McIlroy
2015 – Soren Kjeldsen
2014 – Mikko Ilonen
2013 – Paul Casey
2012 – Jamie Donaldson
2011 – Simon Dyson
2010 – Ross Fisher
2009 – Shane Lowry
2008 – Richard Finch
2007 – Padraig Harrington
The Course
As ever Rory takes this tournament around Northern and Southern Ireland and we are in the North this week at Portstewart Golf Club. The course is a pure links track and a beautiful one at that.
It is a par 72 which measures 7,118 yards and is as traditional a links course as there is. The rough on either side of the majority of holes is quite nasty so there will be a premium on accuracy here but as ever with links golf those who can shape their shots and come up with a lower ball flight prevail the most. Imagination is also key this week.
The Field
I mentioned above that the field is good this week. It is arguably better than that with no fewer than five of the top 15 in the world rankings teeing it up in the hope of winning some big dosh and a good trophy.
They are Rory himself, Jon Rahm, Hideki Matsuyama, Justin Rose and last week’s winner Tommy Fleetwood. Former champions Padraig Harrington, Shane Lowry and Mikko Ilonen are also in the field while Graeme McDowell makes an appearance on a course he grew up near.
Market Leaders
It goes without saying that Rory McIlroy is the favourite this week but I have never really had him down as a pure links man. If the rain comes and is heavy then he could go well but he doesn’t look to have his game in order at the minute so at a single figure price he is easy to pass over especially with all the other commitments he has here.
Hideki Matsuyama is the second favourite for the tournament and while he ticks every accuracy box there is his form has nose-dived since the beginning of the year and that is a concern. He won’t have played much golf in Ireland either so he is easy to pass over at 10/1. Jon Rahm has the inexperience of Ireland to deal with too so I’m not interested in the 14/1 in him.
Justin Rose tees it up as a 14/1 shot and while his class is not in question his ball flight is often an issue for me on links layouts. He may fair better at Birkdale than here as that looks a sterner test than this one which is where I often feel he fares better. Tommy Fleetwood won last week and is a genuine live shot at 16/1 but I suspect a few sherbets will have been consumed, and rightly so, so I’ll wait for another week before getting on Tommy again. It is 25/1 bar that quintet.
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Main Bets
I’m going with two main bets this week, both of whom are 33/1 and both who love links golf and the different style that is needed. Thorbjorn Olesen was always going to be on my radar for this tournament. He almost lapped the field in the Alfred Dunhill Links a couple of seasons ago and has gone well in windy events throughout his career. Olesen has top 10s in The Open and in this tournament in the past and after finishing as well as he did in France he should come here ready for a big showing.
Another winner of the Alfred Dunhill Links is Tyrrell Hatton and he seems to love links golf. He is my second pick. He has two top four finishes in the Scottish Open and two top five finishes in this tournament too including in 2015 when conditions were as brutal for a links set up as I’ve ever seen in the final round and he missed the play-off by one shot. Hatton was fifth in The Open last year too so although he hasn’t had the best run recently a change to a different style of golf should be just what he needs.
Outsiders
Soren Kjeldsen won that tournament two years ago in those tough conditions. I was on him that afternoon and I’m going to be on him here too. Kjeldsen is a very established and astute players in these conditions. Kjeldsen has had a run at the other links events as well as this one and his comfort in this style makes him a leading contender in my eyes. At 66/1 he is massively overpriced even allowing for the strength of the field.
Bradley Dredge tends to go well in events in the United Kingdom and for three rounds last week he was bang in form. I’m not too concerned about his final round drop off. He had to chase a leader who ultimately wasn’t catchable anyway but the way he played the first three days were encouraging. He is fine in the wind, he is accurate off the tee and he should love this test. At 80/1 he’s well worth supporting here especially with good vibes after being McIlroy’s closest challenger in this tournament 12 months ago.
Tips
Back T.Olesen to win Irish Open (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 34.00 with Coral (1/5 1-7)
Back B.Dredge to win Irish Open (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 81.00 with Coral (1/5 1-7)
Back them here:
Back T.Hatton to win Irish Open (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 34.00 with Boylesports (1/5 1-7)
Back S.Kjeldsen to win Irish Open (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 67.00 with Boylesports (1/5 1-7)
Back them here:
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