McDowell, Donald can be Euro stars

SPORTS BETTING: FOR golf enthusiasts, it simply doesn’t get any better than the Ryder Cup.

Golf’s majors are great – the Masters and Open Championship in particular – but no event provides the passion and atmosphere which the biennial clash between Europe and America can generate.

If, like me, you tend to be glued to your seat watching the event unfold on Sky, then you might like to have a flutter or two on the outcome.

And there is no shortage of options provided by those generous bookie-chappies.

From Monty’s Boobs to Crazy Pavin (disappointments for the two captains), Hole-In-Ones to Tiger Woods failing to pick up a point, if it moves you can have a wager.

I have had a long look at the various markets and have come up with a few suggestions which I consider to be of value.

The most obvious place to start is the identity of the winning team and here the odds-layers are unanimous in expecting a European triumph at Celtic Manor.

Paddy Power are offering the best price of 7-10 for a Europe victory, while you can back the Yanks at a general 7-4 and it’s 12-1 for a tie.

A few weeks ago, I thought a European triumph was a certainty, but now I am not so sure.

Several of the American youngsters such as Dustin Johnson, Matt Kuchar and Bubba Watson have stepped up to the plate in recent weeks and will not lack confidence.

That said, the Welsh course will be far removed from the kind of tracks they have been tearing up in the States.

Tight fairways and punishing rough will test these long hitters and it’s likely to be the side which drives the ball straightest and keeps it in play which will prevail.

The three aforementioned American rookies are joined by Jeff Overton and Ricky Fowler, while representing Europe for the first time are Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer, the Molinari brothers, Edoardo and Francesco, Ross Fisher and Peter Hanson.

You just don’t know how these guys are going to react in the heat of team battle and for that reason I advise a little caution in predicting the result.

In any case, Europe are hardly value any more at odds-on even if the course is sure to suit them better than America and they are likely to respond to an inspirational skipper in Colin Montgomerie.

My main interest will lie in the top points-scorer markets as, in both the European and American lists, I believe there to be false favourites.

Starting with our boys, McIlroy and Kaymer head the betting at 6-1 with Lee Westwood at 7-1.

Each are readily passed over, the two rookies because of my doubts over how they will react to this competition and Westwood because of his injury-enforced lay-off.

Ian Poulter (10-1), winner of this year’s Accenture Matchplay, was Europe’s star performer at Valhalla last time and is sure to raise his game for this competition.

However, the animosity which has existed between Poults and Monty is a slight worry so I am going to swerve him in favour of two rock-solid performers in Graeme McDowell and Luke Donald.

McDowell (8-1) has no fear of the Yanks after winning the US Open this year, while the ultra-consistent Donald (9-1) has five and a half points from a possible seven to his credit in Ryder Cup competition and is bang in form after his second place across the pond at the weekend.

As for the American market, the troubled Tiger Woods is a stupid price at 11-2 and, as he is likely to be partnered by Steve Stricker (6-1), that rules out the latter at the odds, too.

Steadiness is what you want for this course - which counts against the erratic, but brilliant Phil Mickelson (7-1) - so weekend winner Jim Furyk (8-1) and the experienced Stewart Cink (14-1) represent much better value.

In the top rookie markets, I like the solid Kaymer (3-1) for the Euros and bang-in-form Kuchar (3-1) for the Yanks.

And, bearing in mind my reservations over Woods, it would be foolish not to have a wager on Boylesports’ offer of 11-10 about Tiger failing to play in all five matches.

If he makes a stuttering start – and he has done so in almost all of the recent tournaments he has played in – don’t be surprised if Pavin were to take him out of the firing line.