* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
With our main team bets all nailed down for the Open Championship, it is time to turn our attention to the raft of speciality markets that Paddy have priced up for us and, as always, we’ll begin by taking a look at the First Round Leader market.
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While, as we know, there is never anything certain with the weather, looking at Thursday’s forecast it would seem that we are not in for any kind of huge draw bias and if the forecast is to be believed it looks like the wind will cause problems all day with consistent gusts of 25mph.
1st Round Leader: Richard Bland
With that in mind I’ll take one player from each half of the draw and I will begin with a man who tees off in the very first group of the day at 6.35am, Richard Bland. Bland arrives at Royal St George’s still riding the crest of a wave following landing his maiden European Tour title in fairy-tale style at the British Masters in May.
Bland followed that win with a third-place finish in his next start before jetting off to Torrey Pines for the US Open, where he featured prominently for the first two days before fading over the weekend. Since returning to European soil the Englishman has shown no signs of his bubble bursting as he has posted two further top 15 finishes in Ireland and Scotland.
Taking this all in to account it would be no surprise at all to see ‘Blandy’ right in the hunt this week again, particularly as his accurate tee to green game should be perfect for the track. Rather than backing Bland in the outright market though my preference is to side with him for a fast start on Thursday from his early tee time, particularly as on his last Open appearance at Birkdale in 2017 he started strongly to sit in the frame after day one.
With Paddy paying to eight places, Richard Bland to be the 1st Round Leader each way at 100/1 makes plenty of appeal.
1st Round Leader: Robert MacIntyre
For my second selection in the First Round Leader market I am going to side with another man who’s name is on many people’s lips this week, Robert MacIntyre. The Scot, who tees off at 2.59pm, is a master of links golf and similarly to Bland it would be no surprise to see him in and around the lead over the week.
MacIntyre sat in a tie for third place after day one at Royal Portrush two years ago and, having played nicely in Scotland last week, I can see the talented youngster getting off to a quick start again this time around.
Top Asian Player: Takumi Kanaya
Moving on, and next up I will take my chances on Takumi Kanaya in the top Asian market. With Hideki Matsuyama being forced to withdraw due to Covid and Sungjae Im and Si Woo Kim choosing to skip the event to focus on their Olympic preparations, this market is marginally headed up by the out of form CT Pan.
In Kanaya though, we have a former world amateur number one who arrives here after two decent performances in Germany and Ireland and, with his trajectory clearly on the up, I am happy to side with him at the odds to come out on top in this market.
To Miss The Cut: Bryson DeChambeau
When looking over the speciality markets one player I am happy to take on this week is Bryson DeChambeau and therefore with Paddy having priced up a ‘to miss the cut’ market I am happy to take my chances here that the American gets the weekend off. It has clearly been a difficult a difficult month or so for the US Open Champion with his ‘Twitter spat’ with Brooks Koepka and his rather public split with his long time caddie both proving to be unwanted distractions.
I have no doubt that the hugely talented US Open Champion will bounce back stronger in due course however blooding a new caddie at an event, which his record of two missed cuts and a 51st in three starts shows he is clearly yet to get to grips with, is hardly ideal and I can see it being a struggle for him again this week.
Top 40 finish: Lucas Glover
Finally I am expecting Lucas Glover to have a strong week on the back of his win last weekend at the John Deere Classic. The former US Open Champion finished 12th here in 2011 and the 11/4 for him to finish in the Top 40 makes plenty of appeal and seems well within his grasp.
Open Championship Tips
1st Round Leader: Richard Bland
1st Round Leader: Robert MacIntyre
Top Asian Player: Takumi Kanaya
To Miss The Cut: Bryson DeChambeau
Top 40 finish: Lucas Glover
* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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