Betting tips: Who wins the Dunhill Links?

The winner: Martin Kaymer

You’re going to have to trust me on this one.

The German looked utterly out of sorts for two days at the Ryder Cup and was in danger of being rendered pointless at Hazeltine.

But he recovered from three down to beat Matt Kuchar in his Sunday singles game.

Say what you want about that, it was only a dead rubber right at the end.

I’m banking on Kaymer being able to carry on where he left off as the European Tour comes to Scotland for the Dunhill.

Kaymer already has this trophy in the locker – he won it six years ago – and he also finished tied runner-up in 2008.

Last year, he opened with successive 68s before fading on the weekend and was also 7^th in 2013.

It’s a tournament he likes and, if you take away the Ryder Cup mishaps, he rides into the event on the back of a 6^th placed showing at the European Open and a tied 6^th in the Made In Denmark.

Kaymer is notoriously streaky and you’ve got to catch him as he’s on the upgrade. This might be the time to cash in at 22/1.

If the German proves too big a leap of faith for you, the credentials of Thomas Pieters – the in-form man in world golf at the moment – and Louis Oosthuizen (no one plays the Old Course better than the South African) are obvious.

The each-way play: Alex Noren

People rave about Thomas Pieters’ recent form but Alex Noren has been shooting some serious numbers in the past couple of months – and on links courses to boot.

The Swede has certainly liked his trips north of the border this year, winning the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart and finishing runner-up in the Paul Lawrie Matchplay at Archerfields.

He’s also added the European Open title to his mantelpiece and will fancy a big week in the cash-laden Dunhill pro-am.

Noren could have performed better here in the past, and he hasn’t played in the event since 2013, but a tied 3^rd display the year before gives us hope and, at 22/1, another top five finish is hardly out of the question.

The dark horse: Padraig Harrington

It’s the price – a potentially wallet-stretching 150/1 – that’s leading me in as much as the Irishman’s recent performances on the course.

But, on the upside, they are not bad thanks to a top 15 finish in the PGA Championship and a spot just outside the top 20 in the Olympics.

Padraig can throw in a decent display when you least expect it and he boasts some serious form in this competition.

Twice a winner of the Dunhill (back in 2002 and 2006), he also has six top 10s in 15 visits – the last of those in 2011.

With 9 top 20s, his price of 11/2 in that market seems very attractive indeed.

Fresh from vice-captaincy duties in Hazeltine, the pick of some to be the skipper at Le Golf National in 2018 can put together a fine week if he’s in the mood.