Local favourites for the Open golf

Tomorrow  sees the start of the Open Golf Championship at Royal St. George’s, and British and Irish gamblers on golf will have the rare opportunity to bet on their local favourites knowing that they are well in the running to win this, the oldest and most prestigious of the four golf majors. With all three of the world’s top golfers hailing from these islands for the first time in living memory, golf gamblers have a difficult choice. Not surprisingly, Rory McIlroy is the clear favourite with most bookmakers, including Paddy Power and Ladbrokes who are both offering online gamblers odds of 6/1 on McIlroy repeating his recent extraordinary success at the US Open. World number 2, Lee Westwood is second favourite at 11/1 with Paddy Power, followed by the current World number 1, Luke Donald at 16/1 with Ladbrokes. It is uncertain whether Tiger Woods will be at Royal St. George’s for the championship, but Ladbrokes currently have Tiger as fifth favourite at 20/1. For those gamblers on golf looking for a good outside bet, what about Graeme Mcdowell, the World number 9, at 33/1 or even Phil Mickleson, number 6 in the world and offered at both Paddy Power and Ladbrokes at 33/1. Sticking with golfers from the UK and Ireland, Ladbrokes have both Ian Poulter and Padraig Harrington at odds of 50/1. For gamblers on golf looking for a place bet, Paddy Power are also offering a special place bet on the Open which includes the first seven places at ¼ odds. Online sports gamblers will know how difficult it is to predict a winner of one of the golf majors, and McIlroy recently showed us at the Augusta Masters how difficult it can be for even the best golfers in the world to actually close out a major win. Perhaps a place bet is the safest option, but there are some enticing odds on some very good golfers, and the Open has been won by outsiders in the past so best of luck.