Harrington peaking at the right time

Sports Betting Special

THE 2012 Open Championship, which gets under way at Royal Lytham tomorrow, could be one of the most brutal in living memory.

With unpredictable weather in prospect, making a tough course even harder, the world’s best golfers are going to have to earn their corn.

Some will not be up to it. You need gritty determination, imagination and a special kind of golfing skill to cope with links conditions, especially when the wind blows and the rain falls.

Certainly, the first two days of the championship promise to be subjected to some pretty severe elements. By the time of the cut on Friday night, many players from all over the world will know it is not to be their year.

As usual, Tiger Woods is the favourite, but he is out to 10-1 and still drifting. I am convinced we have seen the best of the Tiger and readily oppose him.

Lee Westwood (16-1) is the best tee-to-green player in the world, but his putting is not good enough to make the final stride from great player to major champion.

Luke Donald (20-1) continues to have a dreadful record in majors, while the amazingly-gifted Rory McIlroy (25-1) needs sunshine and stillness to produce his best despite his upbringing in Northern Ireland.

I would not be the slightest bit surprised were we to have a shock winner in the mould of 2011 champion Darren Clarke. All the ingredients are there.

This tight course with penal rough and tidal squalls promises to sort out the men from the boys.

So in trying to identify the winner, I have gone for a couple of players with mental toughness and an aptitude for seaside golf.

Step forward Padraig Harrington and Louis Oosthuzien, both past Open champions who know what it takes to get the job done.

Pod, winner in 2007 and 2008, is returning to his best form. Eighth in the Masters and fourth in the US Open this year, his is an upward curve and links golf is his forte.

At 20-1 generally and 18-1 with Paddy Power, who are offering each-way rewards for the first seven placings, he is hardly a snip, but you will need to scramble to make pars this week and this guy is as good as anyone.

As for Oosthuizen, I simply think he is too big a price at 45-1 with PP and 50-1 generally.

The South African won handsomely at St Andrews in 2010 and I was most impressed with his performance in finishing second at the Masters. His calmness under pressure is a priceless asset.

Both my selections have afternoon tee-times tomorrow, which is preferable, according to the weather forecasters, and I have also gone for Oosthuizen for the same reasons in the first-round leader market.

To back him up, I am going for another South African with a late tee-time, Retief Goosen.

The Goose is not the player of old, but he is as good as anyone over 18 holes and is just the type of character to make a flying start with conditions in his favour.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Padraig Harrington, each-way, 18-1 (Paddy Power, first seven places); Louis Oosthuizen, each-way, 45-1 (Paddy Power). First-round leader: Oosthuizen, each-way, first five places, 50-1 (general), Retief Goosen, 100-1, each-way (Blue Square).









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