Weekly European Tour Tips

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Wil Besseling - 30/1 - 2pts each-way

Calum Hill - 35/1 - 1.5pts each-way

Richie Ramsay - 50/1 - 1pt each-way

Marcus Armitage - 80/1 - 1pt each-way

Matthew Southgate - 100/1 - 0.75pts each-way

Colm Moriarty - 300/1 - 0.5pts each-way

At the start of this year, we never expected to be playing the Irish Open at Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort. Then again, we thought we might not have any Irish Open back in the Spring. So, we are delighted that our national championship is going ahead this week at Galgorm, just outside Ballymena in Northern Ireland. The venue fulfils the requirements of the European Tour for maintaining a safe bubble for the players and allows those who competed at the US Open last week to not have to self-isolate for two weeks. One of those who falls into the latter category is favourite and former winner, Shane Lowry. It is great that Shane made the direct journey over from the States as this week's field is disappointingly weak compared with previous years. The fact that the Irish Open has lost its Rolex Series status this year means that prize money has been slashed. Still, this will be a highly sought-after title. The course has held the Northern Ireland Open on the Challenge tour every year since 2013 (including this year), so a lot of the players will be familiar with the challenge that awaits this week.

One of those who will know the course well is this week's headline selection, Wil Besseling. Both in 2017 and 2018, Besseling had top-10 finishes here at the Northern Ireland Open. Now that he has become a fully-fledged European Tour player, his game has improved appropriately. Since golf has returned after lockdown, he has had two top-3 finishes, most recently at Valderama. With course and recent form, he is a serious contender to the title.

Another who matches that bill is Calum Hill. This young Scottish prospect was the winner of the Northern Ireland Open here in 2018. Hill won with a 19-under par total, which is unlikely to be achieved this week as the weather should prove challenging. Nevertheless, he has shown that he can perform in the more temperate climate of Britain and Ireland with his recent top-10 finishes at the Belfry and Celtic Manor.

A man who relishes the Irish Open is another Scot, Richie Ramsay. Ramsay was runner-up to Jon Rahm at the 2017 Irish Open up the road at Portstewart and just loves playing in Ireland. He has been reasonably solid recently and should go well.

Marcus Armitage has been impressive both pre- and post-lockdown. He had a top-10 in the UK a couple of months ago and has a top-10 at Galgorm from his Challenge Tour days. He was a three-figure price earlier in the week, but that's been cut. Get on!

Matthew Southgate loves the Irish Open as he's won plenty of money here in the last few years. He was runner-up to Rahm in 2017 and was in the top-5 at the K Club in 2016. He has had patchy form so far this season but should feel inspired this week.

Finally, Colm Moriarty is our local outsider pick at a big price. He lost out in a playoff in tough conditions a the Irish PGA at Roganstown last month and he should face similar conditions this week. He has been a standout professional on the Irish PGA circuit and can easily compete at this level.