Here is Ian with his tips for this week:

The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is hosted on three different courses, all being links. St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns are the venues of choice and the event usually suits players from Great Britain and Ireland. In fact, eight of the nine champions have come from Ireland, England and Scotland. Time for a Northern Irish or Welsh winner perhaps? The only other winner was Robert Karlsson from Sweden. In terms of the weather, it will clearly suit players from colder, wetter climates and the more experience they have of links golf the better. For the first three rounds, there will be a pro-am event and the cut is then brought in after the third round. A star studded field grace the tournament, with nine out of the twelve of Europe’s Ryder Cup team taking part as well as some other big names. I have gone over my options and after much consideration, these are my selections.

Francesco Molinari each way @ 33/1
Despite being the lowest scoring player on the European Ryder Cup side, Francesco played quite well and I feel that the he was the reason why Edoardo and he got half a point against Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar. He ran into some really tough opponents and he played a Tiger Woods that we have not seen for ages. All in all, I was quite pleased with Francesco’s Ryder Cup because, if he could putt, he would have come away with more than what he did. From tee to green he was superb, but his putting let him down. So this week there will be less pressure, he will be on a high, he’s in good form and the crowds will be behind him. That makes him a pretty tempting bet to me. If Molinari can get his putting right and he’s not too tired after his Ryder Cup experience, he has a great chance at going close here.

Damien Mcgrane each way @ 66/1
It’s tough to look past the top players in this field but I’m going to have a try with Damien Mcgrane. For those of you who don’t know Damien, he is a short but accurate player with plenty experience of playing in bad weather. In fact, his only win on tour happened at the Volvo China Open where the weather was brutal and he won by nine clear shots. The reason I bring this up is that it is possible for the weather to turn nasty, especially since this event is being played in Scotland. Mcgrane will struggle with length this week but he has a golfing brain and should be able to overcome that with a sharp short game. At 66/1 Mcgrane is worth it.

Lee Westwood each way @ 10/1
There is only one reason for Westwood to be so far down in my tips and that is because of his odds. Basically, Westwood is the new world number two and it seems more likely that he, instead of Mickleson will take top spot off Tiger. After a steady Ryder Cup, Westwood will really look to make a charge at Tiger number one spot with a win here.
I would also like to mention one more player and that is Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie. Monty has done nothing this year, absolutely nothing except, captaining a team that would win the Ryder Cup. Now he returns to singles action with thousands of his home fans cheering him on. Trust me, they will be cheering. This could really give him a lift and with such an experienced links and bad weather player how can you say no to him at 250/1.

James’ Opinion

I think it is very difficult to pick a winner this week more than most because so many top players are coming off such a high that was the Ryder Cup and yet so many are in such great form. The fact it was a week that ran into Monday and due to the undoubtedly, extensive celebrations that followed, Im hesitant to put too much faith into the Ryder Cup stars and yet Im finding it difficult to ignore them.

Lee Westwood was in such startling form last week, he is an obvious choice but Im going to overlook him due to the tight odds. Rory McIlroy has an incredible record at St. Andrews and I expect that to continue. However, I would be concerned that if it is a wet and windy day when he plays Carnoustie, he could get beaten up. Im not willing to take the risk for a meagre 11/1. Therefore, Im going to go with Reteif Goosen. His form is quite good and he is coming into the tournament fresh. Regardless of weather conditions, his demeanor is pretty much the same always and he tends to just get on with things. At 18/1, I think he represents value. Elsewhere, Im going to go for two slight outsiders. Oliver Wilson is finding some form again and you feel its only a matter of time before the confidence starts flowing through the veins once more. I still think he is a winner in waiting and after coming second here last year, his odds of 45/1 appeals and he is worthy of an each way bet. He can also be backed at 7/2 for a top 10 which provides a bit more of a cushion. My final man was involved in the Ryder Cup, not as a player but as a vice captain. Darren Clarke has impressed me hugely in the second half of this year. His long game has always been solid but it is his short game which looks sharper and above else, his attitude on the course looks so much better. His lack of golf over the past few weeks as well as the strain last week may have inflicted is, I will admit, a large concern but at 66/1, he represents enough value for me to have a gamble. He can also be had at a very impressive 11/2 for a top 10 finish and something that warrants serious consideration. Two further people who I considered but who just missed out on my top 3 were Ross Fisher and Peter Hanson. Hanson in particular is 40/1 and despite being a rookie last week, he showed enough flashes to justify his place on that team. His odds are incredibly generous this week but again, its difficult to know how he will perform on the back of a long tiring week. Hence, he was left out in favor of Clarke.

Big hitting Bubba Watson stormed to an early lead at the 2010 USPGA Championship at Whistling Straits with a four under par 68 but was soon joined in the clubhouse at the top by Italian, Francesco Molinari. Meanwhile, Nick Watney, Matt Kuchar and Ernie Els are also on -4 but with the three hour fog delay we saw yesterday, that trio will return this morning early to complete their first rounds.

For those who may not have seen Bubba Watson on a course before, I encourage you to tune in because in my opinion, it is one of the most unorthodox swings on tour. There is so much action going on with his feet it seriously looks like he is doing a little dance as he plays. The buttoned up shirt, the enormous length, the extreme shape he hits his shots and his emotional manner all combine to create what is an intriguing golfer. There is something unique about this guy. I would almost go so far as to say he borders on “odd” but that might be an injustice to what seems like a really affable guy off the course. He is not known for his straight hitting so to see him up there leading the way on what is a course which is renowned for its demand to hit fairways, is a surprise to many. It will be fascinating to see if he can maintain his form over the next few days. One thing can be certain though, if the course stays soft, he will make birdies. The big question is whether it will be enough to offset the inevitable bogeys.

Francesco Molinari on the other hand is a model of consistency and we all know at this stage if he putts well, he generally gives himself the opportunity to win. He is a guy you always feel confident can rack up an high number of top 10 finishes but as of yet, he has not been able to finish the job off more often than not. Perhaps that may change this week.

Elsewhere, Tiger Woods returned to some sort of form. His putting was much better than it has been and being honest, he was unlucky that a few more did not drop for him. Off the tee, he was better but still missed quite a few, including one horrible hook on the second. For most of the day, he was gripping down the grip slightly on the tee shots and as a result was sacrificing some length for accuracy. If Woods is to maintain a challenge this week, it is imperative he continues with this strategy because when he open the shoulder for a big one, his head drops significantly, everything seems out of sync and invariably he end up with a wild push or vicious hook. Nevertheless, a one under par 71 was just what Woods would have wanted and wouldn’t it be something to see him win it after the trials and tribulations of last week.

Moving on, Sergio Garcia had an incredible outburst during yesterdays round. After getting a poor lie by one of the bunkers, Garcia semi-duffed the chip and all of a sudden, he began swinging the club viciously into the face of the bank. It was as though years of frustration on the golf course were being released by the man once touted as being the great challenger to Tiger Woods. Watching him bashing the club into the bank, losing his balance as he did so and then coming back and doing it all over again was rather pathetic and embarrassing. There is no room in golf for these moronic overreactions and the Tour should for once stand up to it and impose fines on such behavior. For years the PGA Tour has acted liked cowards in the manner they have turned a blind eye to some of the on-course antics of Tiger Woods but perhaps they will make an example of Garcia now. Despite my reservations about Garcia’s behavior, above all else, I found it sad to see such a talent reduced to such a mess on the course. Spaniards are known for their fiery character and Garcia is no exception. For a man with so much talent though, I take no joy in watching him getting beaten up on the course though. The fight, desire, hunger and will to win has been missing for some time now and his love for the game no longer seems apparent. Hopefully Garcia can take a step back now from the game for a few months, evaluate his attitude and love for the game and come back a better player. Unless he does so, I cannot see how a disgruntled Garcia can ever grace the game again with the talents which he so richly has in abundance.

Finally, it was a mixed start for the Irish boys. Padraig Harrington struggled again and slumped to a three over par 75 which means already, he is in desperate trouble to avoid missing the cut in a second successive major. Watching him and those that are in contention with him for the Ryder CUp spots, I now have great fears that unless Harrington qualifies automatically for the team, he may not be selected. When you look at the erratic nature of his game, Monty must immediately come to the conclusion that playing him in the foursomes would be a huge risk. Add to that the fact his record in the past couple of Ryder Cups has been appalling and the worrying signs are there that he may be overlooked.

At the other end of the scale is Darren Clarke though. He is -3 through his first 13 holes and I am now in the camp calling for Clarke to be selected for the Ryder Cup. His form is excellent and provided Lee Westwood is fit, I would have no hesitation in sending the two of those out together to lead the European charge. Clarke is a fine match-player and Monty will some serious consideration ahead of him.

Of the others, Rory McIlroy was +3 after only 5 holes but managed to turn it around and is now -1 in the early stages of his back nine. Shane Lowry deserves great credit as he currently sits on -2 after 9 holes. Hopefully Shane can keep it going and at least make the cut. Playing the weekend at Major tournaments will prove invaluable experience for the young man from Louth. Last but by no means least, it has been a rather subdued start for US Open Champion, Graeme McDowell. No birdies, 2 bogeys and the rest pars sees him at +2 mid-way through his back nine.

Okay, perhaps I’m being just a wee bit nationalistic here by claiming The Irish Open is the 5th Major but for every Irish golfer, it certainly is one they would like to get their hands on. The Irish golfing public has been fortunate enough to witness 2 Irish winners in recent year with Padraig Harrington doing the business in a play off against Bradley Dredge at Adare Manor and who could forget Shane Lowry’s monumentuous win last year in a play off against Robert Rock at rain drenched Baltray.

Thats was then and this is now though. Fortunately, the cream of Irish golf have turned up for this weeks event. Boasting 4 major wins out of the past 13, McDowell and Harrington will be sure to have their fair share of followers. However, in this golden generation of Irish golf, we also have one of the worlds greatest talent in Rory McIlroy, backed up by such talents as Clarke, Lowry, Lawrie, McGrane, Hoey and Thornton.

The venue is Killarney Golf Club, one of my absolute favorite places to spend a weekend and play golf. The course is not long but the scenery is sublime, especially on a beautiful summers day. throw into the mix that it is a bank holiday over here and we are hoping for fine weather and record breaking crowds. the only thing that may draw from it is the fact the Galway Races are on this week also……and of course the fact that the Recession is alive and kicking on these shores.

So, with the introductions over, its time to turn to out tipster Ian who’s form over the past few weeks reminds has been far from impressive. Having reminded him of such this week, he has been grinding through the history and statistic books more than ever to provide you with his first winner since his appearance here (in fairness, its only been a couple of weeks but there are standards to be met here). Without further procrastination, here are Ian’s selections:

“Our National Professional Golf Open returns once again to Killarney Golf and Fishing Club. The last two times it was played at this course, in 1991 and 1992, Sir Nick Faldo walked away with the title both times. A lot has changed since then however, both on the course and in terms of players. The greens have been remodelled to USGA specifications and some work has been done with the tees as well. The course should offer low scoring, with the risk of it turning into a ‘birdie fest’ if the conditions are right. Heavy rain has plagued the Killarney area over the last couple of weeks, but the weatherman tells us that conditions will be pretty good for the Irish Open. With some big names in golf arriving in Ireland, it should make for some exciting viewing. Marcel Siem, Graeme McDowell and Damien McGrane were all vying hard to make my final 3 but each just came up short for various reasons. Now for the final 3:”

Rory Mcilroy each way @ 8/1
The odds aren’t great for the young Northern Irishman and it takes a pretty special player to get me to back them at such short odds but Mcilroy is that special player. Two words spring to mind when people mention Mcilroy’s name to me and that’s ‘Quail Hollow’. The quality of his final two rounds there showed just how good a player he is and showed why there is no doubt that he will be world number one someday. But back to stats; Mcilroy booms the ball off the tee at nearly a 294 yard average. Granted that his accuracy isn’t fantastic but he is driving the ball better presently than he did at the start of the season so his stats don’t tell the full story of his present game. The good thing about his accuracy is that he doesn’t seem to have one of these Phil or Tiger shots that will go a country mile off line. He hits nearly 78 percent of green and that with improved putting make him almost the ultimate player. In fact, he has managed to improve his putting by an average of nearly one putt per round. Irish fans will be cheering him on this week and he will want to do well for all his fans. Even at these short odds, Mcilroy seems well worth a bet.

Bradley Dredge each way @ 45/1
The Welshman has been in great form this year and had it not been for his inability to close off tournaments, he would have one or two in the bag already. He hasn’t won in four years which of course is a worry but his play suggests another might be just around the corner. Long off the tee, albeit not always the most accurate, he hits over 67 percent of greens in regulation and a lot of players would kill for his putting. Also he should have good memories from Ireland after coming second in 2007, losing to our own Padraig Harrington, and from finishing tied eighth in 2008. Another thing was that he commented that he wanted to make Monty’s Ryder Cup team. With valuable Ryder Cup points on offer, Dredge is eager to put on a good show. Hopefully that added pressure will prove a boost for Dredge as opposed to a burden, but I am confident he has the mentality to cope. Clearly the bookies are coy on Dredge’s chances but that gives us the opportunity to snap up what appears to be a great value bet, with Dredge priced at 45/1

Alejandro Canizares each way @ 50/1
Canizares is another man who is in the form of his life. He has done all but win this year and coming out the wrong end of two playoffs has only spurred the twenty seven year old Spaniard on. On paper, his game seems suited to all golf courses and there are no glaringly apparent weakness. He averages nearly 287 yards in driving distance and couples that with both driving accuracy and greens in regulation percentages of nearly 69 percent. Moving on to the flat stick and he aint half bad either with an average of 28.21 putts per round and 1.7 putts for greens in regulation. The more I look at these stats, the more appealing this bet becomes. His odds of 50/1 are ridiculously high and should be taken advantage of. His past results in the Irish Open are quite poor but don’t let this put you off as the old Canizares wasn’t a patch on the one that showed up this year.

It only seems like yesterday I was watching the great Tom Watson battling it out down the stretch of the British Open with Stewart Cink, Lee Westwood and Retief Goosen. However it wasn’t yesterday and one year on, this great championship is upon us again, even more special this year in that it returns to the home of golf at St Andrews. Jack Nicklaus famously said you cannot claim to have reached the pinnacle until such time as you have won the Open at St Andrews. Tiger Woods reiterated those sentiments this week by claiming that “this is the one they all want to win”

Tom Watson again returns to have another crack at the whip and with the form he is in, he must be quietly confident, even if his odds would suggest otherwise. Scrolling through the list of names, I see the likes of Nick Faldo, Peter Senior, Sandy Lyle and Mark O’Meara gracing us without their presence but the bigger story for me is the omission of the former European maestro Seve Ballesteros. Although due to compete this week, Seve has been advised by doctors not to compete and not to travel to the famous old links. As a result, the golfing public misses out on what was sure to be an extraordinary and emotional return. If Norman, Watson et all have taught us anything in the recent past, it’s that “there is fight in the old dog yet”. No one could epitomize this phrase more so though than Severiano Ballesteros over the past few years in his battle with cancer. Our best wishes go out to Seve in his recovery and we remain hopeful that we will still see him back at a future British Open.

With that being said, it’s no down to the task of picking a winner of the Claret Jug. My brother Ian and I are have quite a competitive battle when it comes to picking the winners of majors this year. We both had McDowell at the US Open but Im one up on him since I had Phil Mickelson in Augusta. Initially, we were going to come together with our top 5 for this week, but to add a bit of spice into the mix, we have gone our separate ways and each come up with our top 5 tips. Surprisingly, we only have one man in common so you will have an array of stats and reasons thrown at you for the remainder of this post. SO, without further haste, lets begin with Ian.

Ian’s Top 5 (in no particular order)

1. Francesco Molinari each way @ 70/1
I tipped Francesco last week and I will tip him again this week. It is quite obvious that if Francesco Molinari could putt well, he would climb rapidly up the world rankings. He has been tied second and tied fourth in his last two outings and last year he finished tied thirteenth in the Open Championship. There is no doubt that Molinari will be in the top ten at the weekend in terms of ball striking and perhaps it might just make up for his putting woes. His odds came tumbling down in the last two weeks but the odds of 70/1 are still generous. If Molinari can putt well, he will go very close.

2. Steve Stricker each way @ 40/1
Now to tip quite possibly the best putter golf has ever seen. Steve Stricker won last week in the John Deere classic and his odds have stayed at 40/1, which seem very generous for the former world number two. He is a good ball striker, but it’s when he gets the flat stick in his hand that the magic starts to happen. He turns into some Harry Potter like character and the putter is his magic wand. His win last week was his second of the year and he has put a third place in with that record to make it look all the more impressive. He has done well in the Open Championship in recent years, finishing tied eighth in 2007 and tied seventh in 2008.

3. Jim Furyk each way @ 40/1
Jim Furyk is another player who has a chance at taking the title home with him. The tall American seems to have the perfect game for St Andrews. On the PGA Tour he hits seventy percent of the fairways he goes for and his greens in regulation stats aren’t too shabby either. He also has a good short game and is a strong putter, which are two things you need for links golf, especially if the wind is up. The world number five has only won one major in his career but has amassed four top five finishes in the Open Championship, two of which came in the last four years. He has won twice on the PGA Tour already this year and who’s to say he won’t win again.

4. Shane Lowry Top Irishman @ 13/1
Okay, now for a somewhat unlikely tip. Shane Lowry is playing in his first Open Championship and there’s no doubt that he’ll be excited and eager to make an impression. Can he handle this potential weight on his shoulders? I suspect so. The young Irishman is no stranger to links golf after winning the Irish Open last year as an amateur on a links course. He recorded a seventh place last week and despite having only one top five this year, he should feel extremely comfortable on links golf, regardless of the weather. He is 125/1 for the championship but the bet that appeals to me is that he’s 13/1 to be the top Irishman in the field.

5. Alejandro Canizares – Top Spaniard @ 6/1
As my last tip, I think that Alejandro Canizares might be a worth a punt to be the top Spanish player at the end of the tournament. Ultimately he is in good form and a lot of his fellow Spanish aren’t. Like Shane Lowry, it is his first Open Campionship but he has the game to succeed. He was tied second in France two weeks ago and despite making the cut last week in Loch Lomond last week he was disappointing, but he is only twenty seven and I would expect to see him bounce back in the Open. As I said his fellow Spanish aren’t looking too hot to do well this week. Garcia’s game is in the doldrums, Jimenez seemed to suffer severe burnout from his win in France and was very disappointing in Loch Lomond, Quiros has been known to spray one or two balls a bit wide of the mark which won’t serve him well for St Andrews, Castano is in very poor form, Garrido missed the cut last week and Lara is also in poor form. With odds of 6/1 Canizares stands out for me.

James Top 5 (in no particular order)

1. Rory McIlroy each way @16/1
If there is one man who everyone should consider backing it has to be the young Irishman, Rory McIlroy. I backed him two months ago at 25/1 for this championship and I have never been happier with one of my selections heading into a major championship. McIlroy is quite fond of St Andrews you know. His worst score on this course is 69, not too shabby one would have to agree. Furthermore, the Alfred Dunhill Links is played in St Andrews every year and in the last three years, Rory has finished 3rd, Tied 8th and Tied 2nd last year. He is on record as saying that the course is probably his favorite of all and add into the mix that he has publicly stated the confidence boost he has received from his best mate McDowell’s win in the US Open, and everything seems to fall into place nicely. His putting is the only concern I have but with the weather set to be extremely punishing over the next 4 days, the fact McIlroy has grown up on links golf further boosts the credentials. We all know he is the potential World number 1 in waiting such is the quality of his golf. This week the sun, moon and stars have all aligned in perfect position and they are screaming McIlroys name. While 16/1 is pretty low, with Paddy Power paying out on top 7, you cannot ignore this bet.

2. Padraig Harrington each way @ 22/1
I have gone through the lists and the records and I weighed up who would be my second selection from the big names to back up my selection of Rory McIlroy. Woods, Els, Mickelson and Rose figured strongly in my reckoning but in the end, it came down to one of two between Westwood and Harrington. Westwoods form over the past year has been scintillating and his record in the Dunhill is equally impressive. Harrington also has some fine form in the Dunhill Links. His last 5 years at the event has seen him finish T3, 1, T8. T13 and T26 last year. Having won 2 Opens in the past 3 years, he also should have the confidence to finish the job should he be in contention coming down the stretch. I still do not think Harringtons game is where he would ideally like it to be but considering the weather conditions expected this week, winning the Open could come down to a real dog fight and a battle of the wills. There are not too many in Harrington’s league when it comes to the mental side of the game. His exquisite short game, mixed in with his discipline and patience, means he has a real each way chance. I do think it is imperative he gets off to a good start this week though to get his confidence up.

3. Francesco Molinari each way at 70/1
I wont go into further detail than what Ian has said above about this man. Having watched him more closely this year and especially last week at Loch Lomond where his ball striking was sensational, there is no doubt the Italian has the game to a major. As Ian eluded to, if he puts well, he contends, if not, he doesn’t. I believe it is as simple as that but at 70/1, Im willing to take that bet.

4. Robert Allenby each way @ 100/1
After the first few months of this season, I decided that Robert Allenby would be one to watch out for at the Open Championship. His ball strinking is excellent, his putting has improved no end and he is a solid driver of a golf ball. However, when he gets around the greens, he’s not exactly Harrington-esque! Truth be told, he has in my opinion one of the most ordinary short games among the professionals on tour. As we all know though, at St Andrews, the preferred choice is often the texas wedge…i.e. the putter. The open Championship should suit Allenby in that he is tough as old boots and the set up of links golf means he wont be forced to nip too many wedge shots off those oh so tight lies. Taking all this into consideration, I struggled to figure out why he was priced at 100/1. The reason may have to do with a recent niggling injury he has been carrying. Perhaps it has not cleared to the full extent that I had believed, in which case, odds of 100/1 may be justified. Im quietly confident that a fit Allenby can hang around the top of the leaderboard should he make his way up there.

5. Soren Hansen each way @ 150/1
As I searched for a big priced name I could recommend I came across the likes of Darren Clarke, Tom Watson and John Daly, each of whom appealed for various reasons. The more I searched though, the more the name Soren Hansen appealed to me. Over the past 3 years, Hansen has finished T8 twice in the Alfred Dunhill at St Andrews. He also finished T8 at the British Open last year, in addition to T6 at the US Open. This further highlights the credentials of Hansen as a big player on tough course in testing conditions. His form over the past months however has been anything but inspiring with 3 missed cuts in his last 7 tournaments. But hey, that’s why he is 150/1 and thats why he possibly presents great value. His overall game is solid, he is a gritty competitor and once he gets the bit between his teeth, he has a habit of hanging around leaderboards. Im hoping he might be able to squeeze somewhere into the top 7 although I admit, it’s a bit of a longshot. 150/1 seems too generous to refuse though.

Summary
So there you have, our top tips for the Open. Im happy with my selections but would cast doubt on Ians selection of Lowry. The likes of McIlroy, Harrington, McDowell will make it extremely tough to top that illustrious list. One quick thing I should point out as an Irishman, we have now won 4 of the past 14 majors, thats an incredible 29% strike rate. Plastered all over Sky Sports and Sky Sports News are interviews with what they refer to as their top British selections, headed by McDowell and McIlroy. Lets get this straight, both men played for Ireland at the latest World Cup so lay off the British tag. They are Irish. You boys can gloat when one of your English boys finally wins a major. Here in Ireland we know it’s been a long time since Nick Faldo gave you reason to toast success at a major back in 1996 (yes, that long!!!!) but trust me, it will happen again. Until then, sit tight, relax and enjoy the Irish show.

P.S – On Betfair there was a blog entitled Top 10 Brits for the Open and as well as including McIlroy and McDowell, he actually included Harrington. Unless you guys are planning an evasion to overcome the recent recession, surely we can still claim Harrington as Irish??? Out of respect, I wont mention the author but c’mon, a little respect please!

P.P.S – One of my mates just text me there saying Luke Donald equalled the course record at the Old Head of Kinsale yesterday in strong winds. No doubt a big confidence boost for Donald and perhaps something for you betting folk to consider. Doing it the week before the British Open and doing it the weak of the British Open are two different things though. Im sticking with my selections!

Oh how I wish we hadn’t stated which Molinari would win at Loch Lomond and instead just simply claimed, “Mr Molinari” was our tip here at We Get Golf. Ian will be quietly content to have had an early placed finish at 28/1 with Francesco Molinari, which more than makes up for the other calls of Kaymer and Ferrie (who both missed the cut) and McDowell (who I suggested might tire as the weak wore on).

However it was his brother, Edoardo Molinari who claimed the spoils at Loch Lomond this week. The first 3 days were majestic from Edoardo and the final day was a lesson in conservative, do-enough-to-win, style golf. When his nearest challenger Darren Clarke dropped 3 shots in the first 3 holes, Edoardo never looked back. One poor tee shot on the 15th cost him a double bogey but his tee shot into the par 3, 17th and his drive down the 18th took a lot of nerve and for me, it really epitomized the fact that Edoardo is one serious golfer who we should expect to see a lot more of.

Darren Clarke was impressive too and will be comforted by the fact his second place finish gets him into the British Open this week. At odds of 80/1 and sure to feel right at home on the links of St.Andrews, many people will be having a flutter on Darren next week. You will have to wait and see if we are one of those people by checking in with us on Wednesday/Thursday in our preview to the Open.

Although our man Francesco only finished tied 3rd in the end, his long game was probably the best of anyone throughout the week. Time after time, he split the middle of fairways and gave himself birdie putts within 20 feet. However, that old saying “drive for show, putt for dough” certainly must have rang through in his ears. Francesco changed from the long putter back to the short putter a few weeks ago and as such can be forgiven for missing a few. Hopefully though, he can begin holing more putts because if he does, he will challenge for top honors. His form is scintillating right now so he remains on our radar and for as long as the bookies keep offering him at 28/1 in regular tour events, we will have to keep taking that each way value.

Finally, I was personally delighted to see our man, Shane Lowry claiming a top 10 finish. After a poor first nine holes, Shane rallied in the back nine and will be quietly content as he heads to his first ever major as a professional this week. I heard recently that Shane was down playing in my local club, Carton House. Should he return, I will have to dust off the microphone and bring you that interview……now where exactly did I leave that damn thing?….8 months is a long time!

Fresh off his victory in Adare Manor at the 2 day J.P McManus Pro-Am event, Ulsterman Darren Clarke was at it again, this time in Scotland. Shooting a blistering 6 under par, 65, Clarke leads by one from Graeme Storm, Edoardo Molinari and in form Damien McGrane.

What was notable in Clarke’s win last week was his second round of -4 in what were incredibly difficult conditions on a long testing golf course. There is no question he has always had the talent to compete with the very best but an inconsistent putter and quick (very quick) temper has all too often seen him slip down leaderboards in recent seasons. We don’t doubt his credentials to win but there’s a lot of golf left yet.

As for our tips, it was a steady opening round rather than spectacular. Francesco Molinari was only one shot off the lead playing the 17th but two bogeys dropped him back to -3 and nicely in contention. Elsewhere, Graeme McDowell birdied his final two holes to finish on level par. As usual, Graeme mixed his fare share of birdies with bogeys. However, McDowell is probably one of the best iron players in the world right now and if he can get on a hot streak in any part of his round, birdie blitzes usually follow. We remain hopeful he will catch fire at some stage but acknowledge that fatigue could of course be an issue come the weekend.

Martin Kaymer still doesn’t look himself and although he shot level par, it is somewhat worrying that his form is average at best. It is encouraging that he is still there or thereabouts but we are hoping something clicks over the next few days. It is only a matter of time before it does so why not this week? We shall see!

Finally, Kenneth Ferrie was our outside 100/1 shot and at level par, he hasn’t had a bad start. Looking through his stats, everything in his game seems to be in order except for perhaps his putting. When you see the professionals having 30+ putts, you know they feel they are conceding ground to their fellow peers. If Ferrie can get the putter working, he has to game to move up that leaderboard.

Elsewhere, I am delighted to see Shane Lowry playing well. Having had an early double bogey he had 5 birdies to finish on -3. With his love for links golf and his game looking very solid, Shane will be quietly confident about his chances in St.Andrews next week.

Of the rest, how great is it to see John Daly at -4? For him to win, or at least compete again would be marvelous…..golf cannot replace aggressive golfers like him or Phil Mickelson easily. Long may they grace our TV screens!