Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Preview: TV Times, Betting Tips
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The European Tour heads to Lahinch Golf Club this week for the Irish Open: Find out how to watch and who to back this week
A strong contingent of top European Tour players that include Jon Rahm and Tommy Fleetwood head to Lahinch Golf Club as it hosts the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open for the first time this week.
Paul McGinley takes on hosting duties this week at Lahinch, which is described as ‘The St Andrews of Ireland’, while Russell Knox will bid to become the first person since Colin Montgomerie in 1996-97 to successfully defend his Irish Open title on the links course.
For players this week the Irish Open not only offers up one of the biggest purses of the European Tour season as a Rolex event, but also gives an opportunity to those not already qualified for the Open Championship to do so. In total, three places are up for grabs to the leading three players (not otherwise exempt) who finish in the top 10 and ties.
So who should you back this week?
Course: Lahinch GC
Prize Fund: $7,000,000
Race to Dubai Points: 7,000
Defending Champion: Russell Knox
TV Times
Thursday: Sky Sports Golf (10:30)
Friday: Sky Sports Golf (10:30)
Saturday: Sky Sports Golf (12:00)
Sunday: Sky Sports Golf (12:00)
Betting Tips
Jon Rahm: 7/1
Rahm finished as one of five players in a share of joint second place last week at Valderrrama, posting his ninth top 10 of the year – and second in a row. He’s on excellent form, won the Irish Open in 2017 and finished T4 last year. Ranks 5th SG: Off the tee and inside the top 15 for scoring average, birdie average and SG: Tee to green on the PGA Tour this year (hasn’t got enough scores for European Tour stats).
Tommy Fleetwood: 11/1
After a few top 10s earlier in the year and a T8 at the British Masters Fleetwood struggled for a couple of weeks, but he was T13 in his last start at the Travelers so we’re expecting him to contend this week. Last played in the Irish Open in 2017 and finished T10. Ranks 15th for scoring average on European Tour and 17th SG: Tee to green.
Louis Oosthuizen: 16/1
Impressed at the U.S. Open on his way to a T7 – his fourth top 10 of the year, and followed it with a T36 at the Travelers. A bit of a gamble given that he’s playing his first Irish Open in a decade, but he is an Open champion around St Andrews and has performed well on this side of the world before. Ranks 1st SG: Off the tee, 8th birdie average and inside the top 10 on the European Tour for SG: Putting, SG: Around the green, Scoring average and SG: Tee to green.
Shane Lowry: 16/1
Lowry heads in to the Irish Open this year on the back of three top 10s and a T28 at the U.S. Open, and claimed the Abu Dhabi International earlier this year. He won this event as an amateur back in 2009. Ranks 2nd for scoring average, 4th for birdie average and SG: approach and 6th for SG: Tee to green.
Matt Wallace: 16/1
Wallace may have come under fire for his behaviour a couple of weeks ago, but he’s very much in form: Including a runner-up finish at the Betfred British Masters and T3’s at both the PGA Championship and BMW International Open. The only drawback, is he is yet to make a cut at the Irish Open. Ranks 6th for birdie average, 7th for scoring average, 18th for SG: Tee to green and 19th for SG: Around the green.
Tyrrell Hatton: 22/1
Finished T8 (his second top 10 of the year) at the Charles Schwab Challenge in May before a T33 at Memorial and T21 at the U.S. Open. Best finish at the Irish Open was T4 in 2015, and he is also a two-time Alfred Dunhill Links champion. Ranks 9th SG: Around the green.
Danny Willet: 33/1
Willet earned his first title since the Masters at the DP World Tour finale in Dubai last year, and although he had a tough start to 2019, he heads to Ireland after a top 10 in Canada and a T12 at the U.S Open. He’s also got a great track record at the Irish Open: Excluding a WD in 2017, he has four top 10s in his last five starts in this event.
Jordan Smith: 40/1
Four top 10s in his last four starts sees Smith as one of the most consistent players heading in – and one of those includes a T6 at Southport for the Betfred British Masters – which could indicate a turnaround after a career that boasts little success on links courses. Ranks 1st for GIR, 13th for scoring average and 14th for SG: Tee to green.
Bernd Wiesberger: 50/1
After a long spell away from injury Wiesberger completed his comeback with victory at the Made in Denmark, and followed it up with an 8th place in Belgium, a 76th place finish at the U.S. Open and a T16 at the BMW International. He was also runner-up at the Irish Open in 2015. Ranks 11th for GIR and 22nd SG: Approach on the European Tour this season.
