Niall Lyons has five tips for the ISPS Handa World Invitational in Ballymena, Northern Ireland.
2023 ISPS Handa World Invitational winner
The DPWT as we know and love it returns after a five week break to the North of Ireland and we are in for a treat as attention turns to a new co-host venue here with Castlerock taking up joint duties for the Handa World Invitational. It's the first time a links track will form part of this event with the pros playing one round on Castlerock over the opening two days with the other three rounds taking place at Galgorm Castle.
ISPS Handa World Invitational Tips | Niall Lyons Golf Betting Tips
We've had plenty of action at Galgorm down the years so there is plenty to feast upon before narrowing down our search for a winner. Numerous courses have thrown up similar results to Galgorm so it's worth a glance at from from the Kenyan layout Muthaiga, as well as Valderrama, Crans and Mount Juliet. Numerous players have performed well on all these courses and they could provide a big clue to the contenders here at the weekend.
Marcus Armitage at 50/1 (Eight Places)
The last time the DPWT took a break it returned with the ISPS Handa event in Japan won by Lucas Herbert. Herbert was coming off a made cut at Harbour Town on the PGA Tour and having gotten out of his group previously in the Match Play. PGA tour form is always worth a glance and for that reason I'm happy to back Marcus Armitage. The Englishman's long game has been in good nick lately despite missed cuts in Denmark and Scotland.
On both those occasions it was his putter that produced the horror show and his solid ball striking was curtailed as a result. He then took a trip to the Barracuda where rounds of 67-70-69-68 saw him finish in the top 20 in a fine effort on only his second main tour event on US soil.
He ranked 7th in putts for GIR that week so it safe to say the putter turned a corner. A similar effort to that will see him go very close to winning this and anything of 50/1 or above looks very fair.
2pts each-way M.Armitage 50/1 (1/5 8) Bet386 8 Place market
Marcus Kinhult at 40/1 (Eight Places)
Niklas Lemke had made his last three cuts on this tour and his figures have improved four weeks on the trot. The Swede could play well here but my preference is for his fellow countryman Marcus Kinhult. Kinhult has made his last 10 cuts and most recently posted two hugely impressive top 20s at the Barbasol and Barracuda.
A repeat of any of these efforts would see him go close and he has the pedigree given the courses I mentioned in the introduction. He has two top 15 finishes in Crans, a 6th place at Valderrama and a top 10 at Muthaiga. Having only recently turned 27 Kinhult still has plenty of time to improve and he has a feather in his cap having won a much stronger event at Hillside back in 2019 when holding off the likes of Pepperell, Wallace and MacIntyre.
It remains to be seen whether he picks up where he left off at the Barracuda but if he does he has plenty in the locker to win an event of stature. With Calum Hill at 20s, and the likes of Forrest and Schaper around 25s, Kinhult looks a much better betting proposition around the 40/1 mark.
2pts each-way M.Kinhult 40/1 (1/5 8) Bet365 8 place market
David Ravetto at 70/1 (Eight Places)
Another worth sticking with to see if he can continue his fine form after an encouraging effort in the states is Frenchman David Ravetto. Ravetto went to college in Texas and a top 10 last time out at the Barbasol was a huge effort and will no doubt ease some financial and playing privileges worries. He was outside the top 118 in the Race to Dubai before that effort at Keene Trace and now sits 102nd with a big chance of retaining his card for next year.
His effort there followed a top 25 finish in Himmerland which means six of his last eight rounds include a 64, three 67s, a 68 and a 69. He may be riding a hot streak and long and straight off the tee helps a lot around Galgorm Castle.
1.5pts each-way D.Ravetto 70/1 (1/5 8) Bet365 8 place market
Brandon Robinson-Thompson at 55/1 (Eight Places)
Brandon Robinson-Thompson is a little too hard to ignore and a trip back to the Galgorm could just be the perfect brew to continue this run of success. Wins on the Euro Pro Tour and the Mena Tour were followed up a victory on the Pro Clutch Tour at Galgorm just over seven weeks ago. He opened up with a 7 under par 63 that week at Galgorm Castle and followed it with two 69s to comfortably win by three shots.
Having then qualified for the Open at Royal Porthcawl where he went on to make the cut he stepped up to the Challenge Tour and won on his first start at Headfort GC in County Meath. It has been a meteoric rise in the last couple of months and he can't be underestimated heading to a course that he has fond memories of only a matter of weeks ago.
1.5pts each-way B.Robinson-Thompson 55/1 (1/5 8) Bet365 8 place market
Julian Suri at 150/1 (Six Places)
At 150/1 Julian Suri looks worthy of a small bet. The American has struggled for the last couple of years but in his pomp often played well on the tougher driving golf courses. A win at Himmerland as well as 8th and 15th at Valderrama and a top 20 in Crans looks good on the CV for a test at the Galgorm. He has failed to deliver in recent years here but certainly looks to have turned a corner recently.
He led after day 1 at the Copenhagen Challenge in late May then finished 3rd at the Euram Bank Open having been in the top 5 all week long. Fair efforts have followed with the top 25s in the German and Irish Challenge events and there's every reason to believe the 150/1 is a shade too big for former tour winner beginning to find his game again.
0.75pt each-way J.Suri 150/1 (1/5 6) Skybet, Unibet
