US Open: Top Irish and Top UK and Ireland

Padraig Harrington, bidding to win his fourth major this week

The Punter's backed Graeme McDowell to win the 2013 US Open so surely he's the selection in the Top Irish and Top UK and Ireland's markets? Or maybe not...

I'm quite keen on this market for a number reasons. Firstly, the favourite, Rory McIlroy, appears to be out of form again and looks like he might be worth taking on. Secondly, it's only a small market, with just five runners and finally, two of the five don't look to have much chance at all.

Darren Clarke hasn't got close to the form that saw him win the Open Championship almost two years ago since and it's almost impossible to imagine that 22 year-old amateur, Kevin Phelan, who qualified for the event at one of the US sectional qualifiers, finishing in front of all four major champions, so I'm dismissing that pair immediately.

My first instinct was to play Graeme McDowell at anything above 2.56/4, given he's my strongest fancy to win the whole event. He finished Top-Irish and Top UK and Irish twelve months ago when he finished tied second, having come into the event under something of a cloud. With two wins in his last four starts and with all the right stats boxes ticked he looks the strongest candidate but in such a small field, the value may well lie with Padraig Harrington.

With three majors to his name, Pod is the most successful Irishman in the field to date and he shouldn't be overlooked. Having finished inside the top-ten at the St Jude Classic on Sunday and having finished tied fourth in this event last year, his credentials are clear and with a shrewd judge like Ian at Sportsbettingindex making an excellent case for him in the outright market, at 6.611/2 or above in this market, he represents the value.

It's hard to turn my back on G-Mac here having backed him in the outright but I won't moan about losing on this market if he does win the event and should he bomb-out, picking up on Pod would be sweet compensation.

If you fancy Mcdowell's chances this week but you missed the bigger prices in the outright, you missed the crazy 2.8815/8 put up on the Fixed Odds Top-20 Market about him last night, and you think 2.56/4 is too short here, then why not look to get him onside in the Fixed Odds Top UK and Ireland Market where he's an industry best price of 6.5n/a.

Suggested Wagers
Back Padraig Harrington in the Top Irish Market @ 6.611/2
Back Graeme McDowell in the Top UK and Ireland Fixed Odds Market @ 6.5n/a

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