Golf Betting Tips – Irish Open
After several weeks of pretty mundane action on the European Tour, finally we have another quality event to get stuck into this week with the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation. The event is being staged for the first time at the much acclaimed K Club Palmer Course at Straffan, County Kildare which previously hosted the Smurfit European Open between 1993 to 2003 and again in 2005. The course was also the venue for the 2006 Ryder Cup, which saw a record-equaling trouncing of the USA by the European team captained by Ian Woosnam.
The Par 72 7,350yd Palmer Course is a parkland track with water in play on 15 holes, which over the years has been toughened up considerably since Darren Clarke famously shot 60 around here in 1999. This layout demands accuracy, good course management, and players with solid Greens in Regulation(GIR)stats. It also has to be considered this week for punting purposes that plenty of the younger fancied contenders, including the tournament host have no real competitive experience around this track. With unsettled conditions and quite a bit of wind forecast for the four days(15-20mph), previous course experience may prove to be an advantage, and draw bias could also be a factor.
Irish Open Golf Betting Tip
Lee Westwood 33/1 E/W (6 places) Betfred
The nap this week is awarded to the course and distance specialist Lee Westwood, who has two previous wins under his belt at this track in the Smurfit European Open, as well as an unbeaten record in the 2006 Ryder Cup. The 43-year-old who now lives in the Edinburgh area, has had a nice break since his stellar Tied 2nd place finish at Augusta, which surely must have filled him with huge confidence for the remainder of the season. He has been practicing hard at the Renaissance Club near his new base, as well as winning a few quid with Alan Shearer at Close House Golf Club which he represents on Tour, so hopefully he will be match fit for this huge money event. With the added incentive of trying to gain an automatic spot for this year’s Ryder Cup, this great tee to green merchant looks decent value on a layout that he knows really well and where he also boasts a great previous track record.