With the PGA Tour about to embark on its ‘Fall’ season, this is the time of the year where the DP World Tour really comes alive. With the ‘Race to Dubai’ firmly on, several of Europe’s biggest stars who spend most of their time on the PGA Tour are back on European shores and are preparing to tee it up for one of the most prestigious European events of the season, the Irish Open.
Having first been played in 1927, the great and the good of European golf have been able to get their hands on this famous trophy and the likes of Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Padraig Harrington, Colin Montgomerie, Bernhard Langer, Nick Faldo and Seve Ballesteros have all emerged victorious.
Rotating around some of Ireland’s best courses, the Irish Open doesn’t have a permanent home, but this year’s tournament is likely to be extra special. Set to be played at the stunning Royal County Down Golf Course, the course has often been rated as the best golf course in the world numerous times and is one of the best places to play golf in the world.
With a top quality golf course and an absolutely loaded field, here is everything you need to know about this year’s Irish Open.
The Course
Set in the heart of the Dundrum Bay, Royal County Down sits in the middle of a rugged landscape. With some holes greeted by the bay on one side, other holes are surrounded by rolling dunes, hills and mountains.
A surprisingly flat course, the course was originally designed by some of the greatest historical names in the game with Old Tom Harris and Harry Vardon playing a leading role in the course design and architecture.
Measuring just over 7,100 yards the course isn’t the longest, but if the wind is whipping off the bay the course can play far longer. The most iconic hole on the course is the ninth, a reasonably short par 4, the hole is surrounded by superb visual optics with the bay and mountains lining either side of the fairway. It’s definitely a hole to keep an eye out for this week.
Who are this week’s leading contenders?
With £780,000 and 1,500 Race to Dubai points up for grabs this week, it isn’t surprising that there are several big names who will hope to land this year’s tournament.
At the top of the betting is Rory McIlroy. Having one his home open once back in 2016, it's been a frustrating season for the four time major winner. Despite winning three times across both the European and PGA Tours, McIlroy’s season lost all sense of momentum following his final round blow up at the US Open.
His wait for a fifth career major has continued and the fact he was a non-factor in the FedEx Playoffs would have been a source of real disappointment. Now back on familiar shores, McIlroy will be hoping to use this week to boost his lead at the top of the overall Race to Dubai standings. The class angle of the field, McIlroy has played this course hundreds of times throughout his career and will hope to put all of that course experience to good use today.
Another Irishman comes next in the betting with Shane Lowry. Lowry has enjoyed a brilliant season on the PGA Tour, a winner with McIlroy at the Zurich Classic, Lowry finished in the top ten in the final FedEx Standings and finished the year with a flurry.
A hugely talented player, Lowry made waves across the golfing world when winning this tournament back in 2009 as an amateur player, becoming the first amateur player to ever win this famous old tournament.
If that wasn’t enough, Lowry’s legacy in Ireland grew even further when he won the Open back in 2019 at Royal Portrush. With conditions set to suit and having accrued a bundle of experience around Royal County Down, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Lowry in the mix for a second Irish Open crown.
Completing the top three in the betting is Aaron Rai. Unheralded at this time last year, the Englishman has ground out a successful career on the PGA Tour but his form went up a level this season.
Qualifying for the season ending Tour Championships for the very first time, Rai also picked up his first PGA Tour title when winning the Wyndham Championship just over a month ago. Now ranked 22 in the world, Rai will want to leave a similar mark now he is back on European soil.
Although links golf may not play to his strengths, Rai is usually super consistent and could be one of the best value angles of the week.
Who else should we be keeping an eye on?
Much of the betting focus will be on McIlroy and Lowry, but one player who looks to be a great price is recent Scottish Open Champion, Robert MacIntyre. It’s been a year to savour for MacIntyre, who despite getting off to a slow start over in America, ended the season as one of the PGA Tour’s most consistent players.
Firmly believing that he is one of the game’s best players, MacIntyre’s win at the Renaissance Club in Edinburgh just a few months ago should set him up beautifully for a real challenge this week. Viewed as the fourth favourite heading into this week, his starting price could look hugely overpriced by the time that Sunday afternoon rolls around.
Thriston Lawrence doesn’t boast the star power of any of the men that we have mentioned above, but he is another player who deserves serious consideration this week. Having finished fourth at the 2024 Open, links golf seems to be to the burly South African’s liking. A winner back on the Sunshine Tour a few weeks ago, Lawrence warmed up for this event with a respectable top 30 finish at last week’s European Masters. Arriving having played more recently than all of his rivals at the top of the betting market and wanting to ensure he stays in the hunt for Race to Dubai glory, a big week could be in store.
Irish Open Betting
If you fancy placing a bet this week, this is how the top ten in the betting currently looks.
Rory McIlroy - 6/1
Shane Lowry - 11/1
Aaron Rai - 14/1
Robert MacIntyre - 18/1
Rasmus Hojgaard - 22/1
Thomas Detry - 22/1
Bernd Wiesberger - 22/1
Seamus Power - 25/1
Thriston Lawrence - 28/1
Ryan Fox - 28/1
Jack Hartman
A keen golfer and huge fan of the game, Jack has been covering golf for the last five years. Bringing you all the latest coverage and news from the PGA, LIV, LPGA and DP World Tours, never before has golf been so popular and Jack can’t wait to bring all the excitement to his readers.
