The Irish Open in Killarney is the best of four golf tournaments that punters can get stuck into this week and many of them will be looking to back home-grown players.
Players of that ilk dominate the betting with Northern Irishmen Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell taking pole position in Coral's betting at 7/1 and 14/1 respectively, closely followed by Padraig Harrington at 18/1. They are joined by the back to form Darren Clarke (40/1 Victor Chandler) and last year's winner Shane Lowry (45/1 bet365).
Ross' Three Off The Tee:-
Padraig Harrington @ 16/1 Paddy Power (1/4 odds, SIX places)
The Dubliner hasn't won since the 2008 USPGA and has consequently slipped to No.19 in the world rankings but he's still playing solidly enough - 14 top-10 finishes in the last 12 months - and this event is always one of his main targets outside the majors. He last won it in 2007 and if the wind gets up as it's forecast to do later in the week, there's no better player in those conditions. At nearly three times the price of Rory McIlroy (see below) and with six places on offer (Paddy Power and Boylesports), he's a knocking good each-way bet.
Shane Lowry @ 45/1 bet365
Won this event as an amateur 12 months ago in pretty nasty conditions and while he isn't the three-figure price he was then, he still rates good value at 45/1. Seventh in the Scottish Open, he showed up well for three rounds in the Open at St Andrews (after winning the qualifier at Sunningdale) and would have finished much better than 37th but for a double bogey on the 17th. Accuracy and length off the tee will be key this week and Lowry scores heavily on both.
Jamie Donaldson @ 80/1 Betfred
The final pick goes to a non-Irishman but as a Welshman he'll be used to playing in bad weather! In fact, he was 13th here last year and went on to finish sixth at Gleneagles, also played in poor conditions. This season, he's been in contention several times and put together an excellent run of five top-10 finishes in six events, which included fourth place at the China Open. He went off the boil after finishing sixth in Madrid but Sunday's 68 in Sweden, which carried him up to eighth place, suggests he's on his way back.
Bubbling Under: Brett Rumford (90/1 Boylesports)
The Aussie is largely inconsistent but he's won three times on Tour, including of this event in 2004, and finished fourth last week, his third top-four finish in 2010.
Punters Beware: Rory McIlroy
Won love to win this for sure but his poor record in windy conditions is a concern and I'd want much bigger than the current 7/1 on offer.
Recommended Bets:
Padraig Harrington 2pts each-way @ 18/1 Skybet
Shane Lowry 1pt each-way @ 45/1 bet365
Jamie Donaldson 0.5pt each-way @ 80/1 Betfred