Rory McIlroy the Red Hot Betting Favorite for the British Open!

Frank Doyle makes his picks for the 140^th British Open!

Rory McIlroy is the man everybody in golf is talking about after he mowed down Congressional to win his first US Open. Sports Interaction has made him 6/1 golf betting favorite, a very short price, for the British Open.

We had no choice, really. McIlroy is the most thrilling player in golf right now and if we priced him any higher the book just wouldn’t balance.

And for all that, I’m not sure he’s a good bet to win The Open at Royal St George’s this weekend. If he wins, he’ll deserve it. There’s no question he’s got more majors in him. But not many win two majors in a row and Rory, for all his talent, just isn’t good value at the price.

If not Rory, who? Links courses are different from parkland of course, but not all the links courses are alike. Of the fourteen venues that have hosted the British Open Carnoustie is surely the most challenging for those not used to link golf.

No-one is going to mistake Royal St George’s for Augusta National but the course at Sandwich not as unforgiving as other links courses. Length off the tee is important and you have to be able to scramble to win the British Open, but Royal St George’s will be no more cruel than it has to be for this year’s British Open. So, with all that in mind, here are Sports Interaction’s

Fore! to Follow

Jason Day (+3300). The Australian was second at the Masters and second at the US Open. He’s fourth on the PGA tour in scrambling and he won’t be that far away on Sunday.

Pádraig Harrington (+3500). The genial Irishman has played terribly for the past two years, in part because he’s one of these guys who insists on fixing what isn’t broken. But Harrington’s won back to back Opens and he played well at Inverness in the Scottish Open last week.

Matt Kuchar (+4000). The consistent Kuchar’s performance at Inverness suggests he can handle the conditions. Worth it at the price.

Retief Goosen (+4500). The veteran is a consistent performer at the majors. He’s in good recent form and the Goose can scramble with the best of them. He’s a good value for the British Open.

World Golf Rankings, July 11th, 2011