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Irish Open Betting Tips
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McIlroy and Lowry finish in top 5 8.84/1 Bet365
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Robert MacIntyre will be the first round leader at 33/1 (also available EW) BoyleSports
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The margin of victory will be 1 shot 12/5 William Hill
The Irish Open begins on Thursday at Royal County Down, with former winners Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry among the 156 entrants.
McIlroy won the tournament in 2016 while Lowry won in 2009 as an amateur and both will be keen to do well this time around, but the competition is tough.
Nevertheless, betting sites have McIlroy as the 13/2 favourite, with Lowry second in the winners market at 11/1.
Defending champion Vincent Norrman will be hoping to defend the title he secured with a one-shot victory at the K Club last year.
Other names to watch in the field include Tom McKibbin, who last year became Northern Ireland’s youngest winner on the DP World Tour since McIlroy when he claimed the Porsche European Open title.
Robert MacIntyre will be looking to add to his Scottish Open success, while Nicolai Hojgaard will be looking to finish the season strongly and defend his DP World Tour title in November.
Irish Open betting preview: McIlroy, Lowry make it 1-2
It is the first time since 2015 that the tournament has been held in Newcastle, less than an hour from where McIlroy grew up in Hollywood, meaning it has an added advantage for the four-time major winner.
“Since my first appearance at the Irish Open almost 20 years ago, it has been a very special tournament to play in, but that will be doubly so for me this time around,” said McIlroy.
“I am really pleased to have the opportunity to compete in this year’s Irish Open at a venue so close to home. Royal County Down is a fantastic venue and I still have fond memories of the 2007 Walker Cup.
“The crowd always supports the Irish golfers who take part in this tournament and the atmosphere is second to none at any golf tournament.”
The winner of the tournament will take home £780,000 plus 5,000 Race to Dubai points and 1,500 European Ryder Cup points, if applicable.
McIlroy may be the fan favourite, but Lowry is more suited to the golf course, so why not bet on both of them? Bet365 have increased the odds on both players to finish in the top five.
Irish Open Prediction 1: McIlroy and Lowry to finish in top 5 (including ties) 8.84/1 Bet365
Irish Open Prediction: MacIntyre to Take Early Lead
After winning his national Open in July, Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre is attempting to achieve something no one else has managed: winning the Scottish Open and the Irish Open in the same season.
It’s been an eventful year for the 28-year-old, who earned his first PGA Tour victory in June when he shot a final-round 68 to win the Canadian Open by one stroke.
A month later, he won the Scottish Open with a birdie on the final hole to win again by one stroke, becoming only the second Scot to win twice in one PGA Tour season, the other being Sandy Lyle in 1988.
It currently sits at 16th in the world rankings and he has all the assets for links golf as demonstrated in previous Scottish Opens, the 2019 Open at Portrush, where he finished sixth and more recently at Royal St George’s where he came eighth.
You can get 18/1 on him to win and 4/1 to finish in the top five with Betfred, but we prefer the 33/1 offered by BoyleSports for MacIntyre to lead at the end of the first round.
Irish Open Prediction 2: Robert MacIntyre to lead first round 33/1 (also available live) BoyleSports
Irish Open Prediction: Expect a Tight Encounter
The changeable weather, coupled with the difficult course, means that it is unlikely that any one player will stand out over the four days, so this one could come down to the wire.
Newcastle is located at the foot of the Mourne Mountains on the east coast of Northern Ireland, which means that despite relatively good weather forecasts, anything can happen.
Last year, the championship was won by just one shot from Sweden’s Norrman and he could experience a similar result.
Golf Digest ranked Royal County Down as one of the best courses in the world, with Royal Dornoch, St Andrews and another great Northern Ireland course, Royal Portrush, in the top four.
“On a beautiful spring day, with Dundrum Bay to the east, the Mourne Mountains to the south and dunes covered in golden gorse, there is no more delightful place to play golf,” he said.
“Although the greens are surprisingly flat, as if to compensate for the uneven terrain and the many blind shots, the bunkers are a definite highlight, most with arched brows of dense marram grass and impenetrable clumps of heather.”
We’re expecting another close win this year and William Hill are offering a special price of 12/5 on the winning margin to be just one shot away. In the meantime, you might want to check out the latest free bet offers if you’re planning on betting on golf this week.
Irish Open Prediction 3: Margin of victory will be one shot 12/5 William Hill
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