Irish Open 2014 – Golf Betting Tips & Preview

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Irish Open : G-Mac all the rage in Ireland

This will be the 59th Edition of the Irish open which was first staged back in 1927.

Course : The Deerpark Course, Fota Island Golf Club, Co.Cork, Ireland – Par 71 at 7,043 Yards –
The first Irish Open was staged in 1927 and it's been a European Tour event since 1975,  The Irish Open is a well supported tournament on the European Tour and many of the world elite have turned up to show there support to the event.  The Deerpark Course at Fota Island, designed by Christy O'Connor Jr. and twice English Amateur Champion Peter McEvoy, opened in 1993.  The course has undergone a multi-million Euro redevelopment as it was upgraded to European Tour standard by Jeff Howes.  The par 71 has five par 3s, there are some very reachable par 5s and all bar one of the par 4s measures over 400 yards.  The rough here is also very penal so driving accuracy looks the key round the Deerpark Course.

Inside The Field : 
A total of 27 Irish players will this week join an international field of Major winners and European Tour champions for the 59th edition of the Irish Open.

Ireland’s quartet of Major Champions – Darren Clarke, Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy – will lead the home challenge at Cork’s stunning Fota Island Resort, which is hosting the €2million tournament for the first time in 12 years.

That stellar cast will be ably supported by their compatriots Michael Hoey, Peter Lawrie, Shane Lowry, Ireland’s first Ryder Cup Captain Paul McGinley, Damien McGrane and Simon Thornton, all of whom have previously entered the winners’ circle on The European Tour.

In addition, eight places in the elite field have been assigned to the leading players in the PGA of Ireland’s Order or Merit, whilst a further four places were given to some of the country’s brightest young amateurs.

Lowry was the last Irishman – and the first amateur – to win his national Open, at Baltray in 2009, and after a runner-up finish behind McIlroy in last month’s BMW PGA Championship, the Clara native will be confident of succeeding England’s Paul Casey as champion.

Casey and Lowry will be joined in Ireland’s second city by their fellow former champions Simon Dyson (2011), Ross Fisher (2010), Richard Finch (2008), Harrington (2007), Stephen Dodd (2005), Brett Rumford (2004), Søren Hansen (2002), Patrick Sjöland (2000) and José María Olazábal (1900).

Hansen won the tournament the last time it was played at Fota Island Resort, in 2002, since when a number of changes have been made to the par 71 course, including a new tee on the sixth hole which demands a 205-yard carry over the water from the back tees. The quartet of par fives have also been lengthened by a combined 128 yards, taking the total length to 7,043 yards.

Other notable names in the field include World Number 36 Stephen Gallacher of Scotland, former European Number One Robert Karlsson of Sweden, big-hitting Spaniard Alvaro Quiros and former BMW PGA Champion Matteo Manassero of Italy.

England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick, who last week became the first player since Bobby Jones in 1930 to finish as the leading amateur in both the US Open Championship and The Open Championship, will be making his professional debut after being offered a sponsor’s invitation.

His compatriot Garrick Porteous, who won the Amateur Championship last year, will also continue his golfing education with a debut appearance in the tournament.

Past Winners

2013 – Paul Casey

2012 – Jamie Donaldson 

2011 – Simon Dyson 

2010 – Ross Fisher 

2009 – Shane Lowry

Selections

Course form should not really be a big factor here this week at the Irish Open, the last time the event was played here was back in 2002 and the players that did well were more plodders than the big hitting guys on tour.  I think what we can take from the last event here is that general good play from the tee is very important at the Deerpark course.  There are also plenty of water hazards lurking around the venue which will catch any poor play.  It certainly looks like a course that is not all about length of the tee which will suit some my selections below. 

Graeme McDowell  16/1 Win – Open a new William Hill account by clicking this link and get a free £25 bet.

G-Mac will be eager to get a win here in Ireland and to be totally honest he has been playing some lovely golf this year without really reaping the rewards, he has only played on five events sanctioned by the European Tour which have either been Majors or World Golf Championships but the Ulsterman has acquitted himself very well, his best performance to date on the big stage was at the Accenture Match Play event where he was beaten in the Quarter finals after some heroic escapes.  At last weeks US Open McDowell looked to be in the hunt after a good first round of 68 but after rounds of 74 on the Friday and 75 on moving day his challenge fizzled out.  Graeme is a top class golfer who would love to win his tenth European title on home soil and I see no reason why he cannot bring the title home.

Eddie Pepperell 66/1 Each Way – Open a new Betfred account by clicking this link and get a free £25 bet.

I really feel that Eddie will become a very good player on Tour and this week I am tipping the Englishman to have a good run at the title here at the Deerpark course.  Pepperell has played on thirteen events on the European Tour this campaign, the Englishman did have a struggle at the start of the year in his first nine events on tour he made only two cuts which must have hurt Pepperell, since then Eddie has performed better each week, starting at the Volvo China Open back in April he has finished higher each week which is very encouraging coming into this weeks event.  Last time out at the Nordea Masters Eddie finished in 6th position which was just three strokes short of eventually winner Thongchai Jaidee who won the event after a sudden death playoff, which is currently his best placed finish this season.

David Horsey   66/1 Each Way- Open a new SkyBET account by clicking this link and get a ‘Risk Free’ £30 bet.

Englishman Horsey has played in eleven events on the European Tour to date this campaign, he has had a decent start to the season with four top 10 finishes which shows he has had some success with his game this year.  His last start was at the Lyoness Open where he finished the event just inside the top 10, his best performance to date though was at the Africa Open back in February where he finished in third place after a brilliant final round of 65 which left him just one shot shy of a playoff which was eventually won by South African Thomas Aiken.  David has only won twice on tour since he turned pro back in 2007 so his strike rate is not the best by any terms but I feel the course will suit the straight driving Englishman and at odds of around 80/1 he must be on the each way shortlist this week in Ireland.

Tommy Fleetwood  80/1 Each Way – Open a new Bet365 account and receive a 100% deposit bonus up to £200!

Tommy has played in twelve events so far this campaign with some success which shows that the man raised in Southport certainly has some ability, his recent form has not been great at all which is a bit worrying coming into this event this week, his form has certainly dipped since the start of the year, in his last three events he has missed the cut but I do feel it is only a matter of time until Fleetwood is back on the top page of the leaderboard over the weekend period.  23 year old Tommy has won four times as a pro, one of these wins was at the highly rated event held at Gleneagles the Johnnie Walker Championship which was held back in August 2013.  Fleetwood is very good from tee to green but does struggle with the putter at times which in the future which he will need to improve on if he is to become a top player.

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Andy Clark

Andy Clark

Founder and Editor at Thatsbettingtips.com
Thatsbettingtips.com editor and founder of Thatsagoal Media Limited. The home of free football betting tips.
Andy Clark

Andy Clark

Thatsbettingtips.com editor and founder of Thatsagoal Media Limited. The home of free football betting tips.