Irish Open

Odds to Win Tournament

Some of the world’s top golfers will be competing on the European Tour this week, as Rory McIlroy and Portstewart Golf Club host the Irish Open. McIlroy has been considered the host of this event since 2015, and it has certainly been a successful one. This is one of the top tournaments on the European Tour, and the turnout amongst some of the world’s top golfers certainly helps prove that. McIlroy is not just a host in this thing, though. He is a legitimate contender to win whenever he is out there. He won this tournament a year ago, shooting a 12-under to beat the runners-up by three strokes apiece. Joining defending champion McIlory in the field will be Hideki Matsuyama, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm, Justin Rose, and Thomas Pieters. There is plenty of star power here, which is why this is the rare week where it’ll be more fun to check out the action outside of the PGA TOUR:

Rory McIlroy (13-to-2) - As previously mentioned, Rory McIlroy is the host of this event and also happens to have won the Irish Open a year ago. He also happens to benefit from being more of a mainstay on the European Tour. It’s obviously the same sport, but he is not just traveling overseas for this event like a lot of the other big names in this one. Anyway, look for McIlroy to come out and play extremely well here. His game perfectly suits this golf course, and he would still pay out pretty nicely at 13-to-2.

Justin Rose (15-to-1) - It has been a struggle for Rose since losing in a playoff to Sergio Garcia at The Masters, as he has missed cuts in two of his past three tournaments. Rose had injured himself late in that Masters, and it’s likely that he is still finding ways to get himself healthy. Being that it has been a few months now, Rose should be able to start playing at a high level again. Look for him to come out and play a great tournament here, and don’t be afraid to back him at 15-to-1. Despite his recent struggles, he is still one of the more talented golfers in the world.

Lee Westwood (35-to-1) - Westwood might be best known for being the best golfer to have never won a major, but it does take a lot of talent to earn that distinction. Westwood is still one of the more impressive talents on the TOUR, even at the age of 44. He has a big shot off the tee, and he can certainly roll in some big putts when he is on his game. Expect a big performance from him starting Thursday, as this is a big tournament and does not have the most intimidating of fields. At 35-to-1, you can do a lot worse than taking a shot on Westwood.

Danny Willett (100-to-1) - It has been a season to forget for Danny Willett, who has withdrawn from each of the past two PGA tournaments he’s played in. And while that’s an awful sign for the 29-year-old, it’s still hard to advise not playing him at 100-to-1. Willett might be struggling right now, but he is far too good of a golfer to not figure things out soon. He is a former Masters champion, and he is worth taking a shot on. Even a quarter-unit would make for a nice payday if he pulled it off.