The Horizon Irish Open returns to the K Club this week, but who will take victory in one of the DP World Tour’s oldest events?
The first edition of this tournament was held back in 1927, when George Duncan won by a stroke from Henry Cotton at Portmarnock.
Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, and Colin Montgomerie have all won this event on three occasions and Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy also have their names on the trophy. Adrian Meronk comes in as the defending champion having won 12 months ago at Mount Juliet.
Who will win this time round at the K Club? Matt Coles looks at some of this week’s contenders…
Horizon Irish Open betting tips and preview
Venue: The K Club, Straffan, Co. Kildare, Ireland
Date: September 7-10, 2023
Course stats: Par 72, 7,350 yards
Course summary: The Palmer North Course, designed by the great Arnold Palmer, has hosted several major events including the 2006 Ryder Cup. This was the venue for Rory McIlroy’s European Tour Shot of the Year on his way to winning this tournament in 2016. The course itself is one of Ireland’s best parkland courses, with challenges all around that bring out the best in whoever takes victory.
Defending champion: Adrian Meronk (-20, Mount Juliet)
Horizon Irish Open betting tips
Tyrrell Hatton @ 10/1 with William Hill
This will be Tyrrell Hatton’s first tournament since the PGA Tour’s season finale at East Lake and it will also be his first appearance in the Irish Open since 2019.
He missed the cut four years ago but, when the tournament was last held on the Palmer North Course at the K Club, Hatton came inside the top five.
The Englishman has nine top-20s in his last 12 starts on the PGA Tour, including three top five finishes. His last appearance came at the Tour Championship, where he finished T16 but had the 9th best 72-hole score.
Two of those top-20s came in the majors as well, with a T20 result at the Open Championship to end the major season. Hatton has now gone 32 months without a victory worldwide, could this be his time to get back into the winners’ circle?
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Ryan Fox @ 35/1 with William Hill
Last year’s Irish Open runner-up, Ryan Fox, could well be one to look out for this week at the K Club. The Kiwi was also second in 2018, losing out in a play-off to Russell Knox.
He was in great form at the start of the year, with five top-20s in six events across both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, including a T14 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard.
Since then, it hasn’t been great. A T12 result at the Genesis Scottish Open has been his only top-20 finish since March. However, he has not played since the end of July, taking a break to go back to his native New Zealand.
After some rest and some time off we could see a fresh Ryan Fox this week on the Palmer North – in a country that he loves playing in.
Eddie Pepperell @ 70/1 each way with William Hill
It has been a rough few years for Eddie Pepperell. He didn’t make a single cut in 2021, but he is looking like he is getting back to his best form.
The Englishman finished 3rd at the ISPS Handa World Invitational in Northern Ireland a few weeks back, and on the same isle, he could be rejuvenated once again.
That result was one of four top-10 finishes for Pepperell in 2023, with another of those coming last week. He came home T8 at the Omega European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre in Switzerland.
It has been almost five years since Pepperell won the British Masters, his last professional victory. Could we see the Eddie resurgence continue in Straffan on Sunday?
Best of the rest…
Rory McIlroy: This might not be a surprise. Rory McIlroy is by far the favourite this week, at the venue where he won this title seven years ago.
His odds are low, at just 10/3, but playing on home soil seems to bring out the best in the World No.2. Rory is always worth a punt.
Adrian Meronk: The defending Irish Open champion, Adrian Meronk is a good bet to go back-to-back on the Emerald Isle.
After being snubbed for the Ryder Cup, when many thought he should have been in Luke Donald’s European team, Meronk will be looking to prove why he should be on that flight to Rome. At 25/1, the Pole could bring you some good money this week.
Alex Fitzpatrick: In the form of his life, this could be the week for Alex Fitzpatrick to secure his maiden DP World Tour victory.
The Englishman won on the European Challenge Tour at the start of last month and has since finished second, T14 and T5 in his last three starts on the DP World Tour. Fitzpatrick is currently 55/1, and well worth a shout for glory in Straffan.
Fancy a punt on this week’s action? Take a look at the latest odds with William Hill.
What do you think about our betting tips for the Horizon Irish Open? Who is going to do well at the K Club this week? Let me know with a Tweet!
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