Clarke can be an instant hit

SPORTS betting: SOME of us don’t like to wait four days for a result and a potential pay-out.

If you fall into that character, then the market for you is that of first-round leader.

To back a winner in this you have to think outside the box. It matters not if your selection flops for the rest of the tournament so long as he plays well on day one.

The bookies obviously know this, but this is a hard list for them to price up and there are one or two players with decent claims who might have slipped under the radar.

In trying to identify a possible first-round low-shooter, I have gone for those teeing off early.

Obviously, this plan could backfire if the wind blows in the morning, but those starting early tend to have an advantage because the greens are softer and more receptive, they are not covered in spike marks and there is no scoreboard pressure from other golfers.

My two selections could go low or implode, but in John Daly and Darren Clarke we have two men proven on links courses and in the heat of Open Championship combat.

Daly won at st Andrews in 1995 and played well for the first half of last week’s Scottish Open at Loch Lomond. He is as likely to shoot 83 as 66, but does have a low round in his locker given his extraordinary length and go-for-the-pin approach, so at 100-1 he is worth a small wager (each-way, first six, quarter-odds a place).

As for Clarke, I thought he looked back to something resembling his old self at Loch Lomond.

Back in a settled relationship following the tragic death of his wife a few years ago, Clarke looked at ease and is far too talented to be written off just yet.

He led after the first round of the Scottish Open after shooting 65 and can be backed at 66-1. That’s a pretty, sporting bet in my book.




RORY McIlroy may be second favourite for the Open at 16-1, but I reckon there are several other GB and Ireland contenders with a better chance and am happy to oppose the market leader for top golfer from these shores.



Having selected Justin Rose for the whole shebang at 22-1, it would seem logical to select him at 8-1, but I don’t like putting all my eggs in one basket and Ian Poulter at 12-1 is a pretty tempting wager.

Winner of the Accenture World Matchplay in Arizona earlier in the year and second to Padraig Harrington in the Open three years ago, Poults has sound credentials.

As usual, he has talked himself up, but he can normally be relied on to back up his words with action and an each-way punt at 12-1 (first four, quarter-odds) is pretty generous given his form in this year’s big events.




Recommendations



Outright:

T Woods, e.w., 6-1, first six places, third odds for place (Blue Square); J Rose, e.w., 22-1, first seven, quarter-odds (Boylesports); A Cabrera, e.w., 100-1, first seven, quarter-odds (Paddy Power).

First-round leader:

J Daly, e.w, 100-1, first six places, quarter odds (Skybet); D Clarke, e.w., 66-1 (Skybet).

Top GB and Ireland player: I Poulter, e.w, 12-1, first four places, quarter odds (totesport, Boylesports).




Latest odds



(Best Internet prices): 7-1 T Woods, 16-1 R McIlroy, 18-1 P Mickelson, 20-1 E Els, 22-1 Rose, L Westwood 25-1 P Harrington 33-1 G McDowell, I Poulter, 45-1 S Stricker, M Kaymer, L Donald, J Furyk, P Casey, 50-1 R Fisher, 60-1 bar.




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