Our golf guru has a five-star attack for the Irish Open this week.
Living an hour or so from this course you'd think I'd have some inside info of how this course will play at Portstewart but I've always favoured to head to Portrush (a stones throw away) when travelling to this part of the country. Not as spectacular as Portrush or even Royal County Down, Portstewart has elevated itself onto the highest level this week with some of the worlds best coming over for what is now one of the biggest events of the season. The Irish crowd will no doubt contribute to the week and if it's anything like the recent renewals on this event in the north, we are in for a treat.
This is a traditional links layout but with only the weather to defend itself I believe it will succumb to the prowess of these steel wielding demons. Portrush was torn apart by plenty and although there is an element of guessing in the scores here I'd imagine low to mid teens under par will be needed to contend here on Sunday. Rory McIlroy heads the market in a tournament he is very much involved with away from the course. The Rory Foundation takes up a lot of his time and as I write he is appearing in a local arena for some riveting (ahem!) chat with Pep Guardiola in Belfast. He managed to get the job done last year at the K Club but when he is in the North he is demanded to do a lot more work. His work of the course impresses me. His long game two weeks ago in the States was outstanding. His putter held him back though, or should I say, putters. He finally holed plenty on the final day there and it looked a shade ominous. He has been playing some links golf ever since and is preparing well for the Open Championship. This week might be a bit beyond him though with all his work off the course and after finally landing the win last year I wonder if a shade of motivation will diminish to win it again. Either way I'm prepared to let him pass around the 13/2 mark.
Looking at the breakdown of winners here over the years we have to look at certain areas. Since 1990 GB&Ire have notched 17 wins. Scandinavia 5. Spain 2. Others 3. Be it the climate or the golf they are used to playing it certainly looks as if Scandinavians and GB&Ire players hold they key to lifting this trophy. With the nature of the links course and climate this is the area I'm looking to for potential winners. We'll start in the colder climate with Thorbjorn Olesen looking primed to contend once again on a links venue. With a top 20 to his name at the nearby Portrush and a win at the Alfred Dunhill links Olesen is somewhat of an obvious choice but I think he must be backed on these venues, especially after last week. He came with a wet sail on Sunday in Paris only to come up short due to the brilliance of Fleetwood. He certainly looked like a man hitting the top of his form and he should be brimming with confidence coming to play at the courses which he loves the most. Links golf is made for Olesen and at 33/1 he is certainly worth chancing.
Rafa Cabrera-Bello certainly doesn't find it easy to get over the line but this is a week where he must be played. The course is tight in places and wide in others so should suit Bello's ability off the tee. The par 5s are all reachable as well which means the Spaniard can make hay with some loftier faced irons. In 2012 he was the only man who gave Jamie Donaldson a fright down the back nine. He was right in the thick of it upon bogeying the par 5 17th which finally put pay to his chances and left the door open for the Welshman. Plenty of small mountains guard fairways and Bello can really give it a rip off the tee in the knowledge he can gain a bit of luck off the slopes also. Overall I think the favourites have plenty to do to win this week. The pressure is on and there will be a lot of attention on these guys. Their goal really is the Open in a few weeks time. Bello deserves a title like this with some consistent golf this year. His short game has improved and off the tee there is little doubt either as his top 5 at the St Jude pointed to last month. His price isn't anything to write home about but we'll have a bet on the big hitting Spaniard.
Andy Sullivan played some lovely golf last week and was a bit unlucky on the second hole of the final day last week in Paris. He hit it into the back bunker and with a wet lie in the sand bladed his bunker shot a little and ended up in the lake. A long trip to the other side of the lake ensued and his challenge was over before it barely started. He played decent stuff the rest of the round to take a tie for 13th in the end. The weather is sure to play a factor over a couple of the days and even though it will be nowhere near as extreme, I was impressed by how he handled conditions in Portugal when he won back in 2015. Those conditions were horrendous and he battled through to become a comfortable champion that week and with the golf he displayed last week I think the 40/1 on offer is an ounce of value.
Kristoffer Broberg showed form last week from nowhere and at massive prices must be backed to play well again this week. A top 20 in Paris came somewhat out of the blue but when this lad is in form it is important to take note, especially on venues upon which Scandinavians play well. His win at Lake Malaren in 2015 was highly impressive fending off Patrick Reed in a shoot out. Things haven't exactly gone to plan since but last week was a big positive on a very tough course. What makes him even more of a bet was his form previous to that win. Runner up at the linksy Himmerland in Denmark that Summer coupled with a runner up spot in the Scottish Open and a 3rd placed finish in Cork the previous Summer makes Broberg an interesting proposition. Goes well around these parts and the 300/1 must be snapped up.
Finally, one worth backing at triple figures is Bradley Dredge. I watched him play in Portugal a number of weeks ago and was mightily impressed by how far and straight he was hitting the ball. That was a highlighted by a solid top 30 finish on one of the toughest venues of the year to date last week in Paris. Dredge likes these types of tests and seems to play better closer to home. He still remains a shade inconsistent which renders this a smaller bet than I'd have hoped but he holds every chance of playing well at this venue.
