Outright plays (1.5 units):
Darren Clarke to win 10/1 e.w. @ Bet365 and Victor Chandler
Disappointing week for the well-fancied Irishman, but he has admitted afterwards that "some unknown reason Royal St. George?s never fitted my eye and I did not feel comfortable having to hit some of the shots that I had to." He had been working with Butch Harmon and was hitting the ball extremely well on the driving range, but could not take it out onto a course on which he lacked confidence. It should be a very different story at a Portmarnock course he knows very well. In his 2002 year review column for the Irish Independent he highlighted this importance of this event for him: "Few things in golf outside the Majors would give me more satisfaction than to claim the top prize there." Not many other players in the top-20 in the World Rankings would play in a Challenge Tour event (Northern Ireland Masters in September) to support golf in his home country. He has the motivation and the game to win this event at a cantor.
Peter Lonard to win 28/1 e.w. @ Victor Chandler
Not the same motivations for Lonard, but he should also fancy his chances after a strong showing last week. He did eventually finish 59th, but had a nightmare final round and motivation was certainly missing after a poor start. He had been as high as 3rd on the leaderboard on Saturday. To his links credentials, he can add a 5th place at Ballybunion in the 2000 Irish Open and an 8th place finish in 1998 at Druids Glen and has been in great form. This looks a big price against this fairly weak field with some notable players bound to suffer from being in the final groups on Sunday.
Luke Donald to win 50/1 e.w. @ Bet365, Victor Chandler, Paddy Power and BlueSq
Donald didn't make it to the weekend let alone the final groups, but having been paired with Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia for the first two rounds, it would have been a very difficult task anyway. He has no professional experience of links golf other than the British Open in the last four years, but he has shown himself to be an extremely able player in the United States and should certainly be able to compete against this field. Would be at far lower odds on a tight parkland course, but 50/1 is still too high.
Darren Clarke to win 10/1 e.w. @ Bet365 and Victor Chandler
Disappointing week for the well-fancied Irishman, but he has admitted afterwards that "some unknown reason Royal St. George?s never fitted my eye and I did not feel comfortable having to hit some of the shots that I had to." He had been working with Butch Harmon and was hitting the ball extremely well on the driving range, but could not take it out onto a course on which he lacked confidence. It should be a very different story at a Portmarnock course he knows very well. In his 2002 year review column for the Irish Independent he highlighted this importance of this event for him: "Few things in golf outside the Majors would give me more satisfaction than to claim the top prize there." Not many other players in the top-20 in the World Rankings would play in a Challenge Tour event (Northern Ireland Masters in September) to support golf in his home country. He has the motivation and the game to win this event at a cantor.
Peter Lonard to win 28/1 e.w. @ Victor Chandler
Not the same motivations for Lonard, but he should also fancy his chances after a strong showing last week. He did eventually finish 59th, but had a nightmare final round and motivation was certainly missing after a poor start. He had been as high as 3rd on the leaderboard on Saturday. To his links credentials, he can add a 5th place at Ballybunion in the 2000 Irish Open and an 8th place finish in 1998 at Druids Glen and has been in great form. This looks a big price against this fairly weak field with some notable players bound to suffer from being in the final groups on Sunday.
Luke Donald to win 50/1 e.w. @ Bet365, Victor Chandler, Paddy Power and BlueSq
Donald didn't make it to the weekend let alone the final groups, but having been paired with Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia for the first two rounds, it would have been a very difficult task anyway. He has no professional experience of links golf other than the British Open in the last four years, but he has shown himself to be an extremely able player in the United States and should certainly be able to compete against this field. Would be at far lower odds on a tight parkland course, but 50/1 is still too high.
