Irish Open Tips & Predictions: Three strong plays at Galgorm Castle
After a week off the European Tour returns on Thursday with the Irish Open, where golf tipster Russell Palmer has three confident tips and predictions...
- Ryan Fox - 1pt each-way @ odds of 22/1 with Paddy Power (8 places)
- Laurie Canter - 1pt each-way @ odds of 33/1 with William Hill (6 places)
- John Catlin - 1pt each-way @ odds of 40/1 with Paddy Power (8 places)
The European Tour is back this week in the shape of the Irish Open and I have three strong plays.
Galgorm Castle Golf Club in Ballymena, Northern Ireland plays host to this week's event which gives us an interesting line in course form given its been hosting events on the Challenge Tour for the last seven years, including as recently as three weeks ago.
Shane Lowry is the clear favourite at 8/1 this week but he hasn't shown enough for me since lockdown to be considered backing at single digits, even in this field.
Same can be said for George Coetzee who is a best price 11/1 second favourite. The South African is running hot for sure, winning the Portugal Masters a fortnight ago, but he failed to seal the deal on the Challenge Tour last week, beaten down the stretch by compatriot Garrick Higgo, who also carded a top ten finish here three weeks ago.
First up this week is New Zealander Ryan Fox who is available to back at 22/1 with Paddy Power who are paying 8 places.
Fox has been solid if not spectacular since the restart, making all of his cuts but recording just one top ten finish.
However it's his stats that I'm most interested in this week and they stack up well. This tree-lined parklands course will require a good week of ball striking and Fox ranks 12th for shots gained off the tee on the European Tour this season and 14th for greens in regulation.
The son of All Blacks Grant Fox also has a win to his name at this course back in 2016 and I like him to be in the mix this week.
Further down the betting is a personal favourite of mine, Laurie Canter.
Regular readers will know I'm just waiting for Canter to fall over the line and he's been consistently putting himself into position to do that since lockdown.
The Englishman has recorded three top tens in his last six tournaments on the European Tour and was second on his last start in the Portugal Masters.
Finishing 14th here twelve months ago on the Challenge Tour he has some course experience and brings with him some really solid stats this week, ranking 3rd on the European Tour for shots gained off the tee and 20th for GIR, I'm hopeful he's going to put himself into contention again here at 33/1 with William Hill paying six places.
My last selection this week looks to have gone under the radar and represents some sneaky value, 40/1 poke John Catlin.
Looking at the key stats of shots gained off the tee where he ranks 17th, whilst he's ranking 6th for driving accuracy.
The American ranks 1st for scrambling and 13th on Tour for putting and looks a really solid each-way play at 40/1 this week.
There's no course form to pull from but Catlin won the Andalucia Masters at Valderrama three weeks ago before following that up with a top ten last time out. That was his fourth top ten in his last eight tournaments and I just can't work out why he isn't shorter in the betting.
Best of the rest
It was with a heavy heart that I left Connor Syme off my shortlist this week, who I see is very much in the same bracket as Canter when it comes to winning on Tour very soon. However, he's as short as 25/1 with some books which looks a little too skinny this week and I'm unsure how he'll react to the trip to Winged Foot and back where he missed the cut.
At bigger prices, Jason Scrivener (28/1) and Aaron Rai (40/1) made my long list whilst if you're looking for an outsider or two at long odds or a cheap DFS pick up, Northern Irishman Cormac Sharvin (100/1) has a bag of course experience whilst Ashley Chesters (125/1) has enough game to go well if he can keep the ball in play at a big price.
As ever, if you're following good luck with your bets and always gamble responsibly.
Follow me on twitter @rustyboy75.
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