Irish Open Betting Tips: Rory McIlroy Headlines 5 Selections From K Club

The Irish Open has attracted a strong field with the PGA Championship taking place at Wentworth next week and the Ryder Cup at the end of the month.

The tournament is back at the K Club’s North Course where Rory McIlroy and Vincent Norrman were champions in 2016 and 2023 respectively.

Ryder Cup star McIlroy is the 4/1 favourite on betting sites to make amends for last year’s dramatic renewal at Royal County Down where he lost by one shot after Rasmus Hojgaard birdied four of the final five holes.

Tyrrell Hatton (12/1), Marco Penge (16/1) and Shane Lowry (17/1) are viewed as his nearest challengers at this long par-72 course in County Kildare, where LIV golfers Brooks Koepka (45/1) and Patrick Reed (25/1) are also competing.

This Arnold Palmer-designed parkland venue, which hosted the 2006 Ryder Cup, has tree-lined fairways, plenty of bunkers and water on 13 holes – and at a stretching 7,440 yards it should suit some of the longer hitters.

We hit the crossbar last week when overnight leader Matt Wallace finished runner-up at the European Masters as an each-way selection at 25/1, while Nacho Elvira was just one shot outside the first-round leader places at 180/1.

With the tee-times yet to be published and afternoon wind giving a bias to the early starters, we have picked out four outright Irish Open betting tips and one top 30 this week.

Irish Open Betting Tips: McIlroy To Produce Special K Display

McIlroy had a disappointing week at the Tour Championship where he finished 23rd out of a field of 30, but there were some positives from the climax to the PGA Tour season at East Lake.

The Northern Irishman was in the top 10 for Strokes Gained: Tee-To-Green and was also second in a category which should stand him in good stead this week.

He said: "I hit it better. The things that I wanted to improve on this week, I did. Off the tee was much better. I'm probably leading strokes gained off the tee (he was squeezed out by Chris Gotterup).

"I just couldn't get the speed of the greens all week, and I struggled to see lines and to feel the speed. That was really the story of the week. My putting was so good last week at Caves and then my off-the-tee play wasn't good and it sort of just inverted."

No-one hits the ball further than McIlroy from this field and only a handful of players have better Strokes Gained: Off-The-Tee figures this season, so he has an advantage this week.

McIlroy is 4/1 on golf betting sites to repeat his 2016 success, which isn’t a bad price considering he is the only player inside the world’s top 20 competing in Straffan.

Good greens in regulation numbers were one of the key factors in the successes of McIlroy and Norrman, and that is an area where the former has excelled on the DP World Tour this year.

McIlroy was runner-up at the Scottish Open and seventh at Royal Portrush, so his form on these shores remains strong and so he kicks off the Irish Open betting tips on a win-only basis.

Irish Open Tips 1: Rory McIlroy (Win Only) - 4/1 With Bet365

(Odds correct at time of publication - 5pm 02/09/25)

Amgen Irish Open Betting Tips:

• Rory McIlroy (Win Only) - 4/1 With Bet365
• Jordan Smith (Each-Way) - 33/1 With Bet365 (Five Places)
• Grant Forrest (Each-Way) - 80/1 With Betfred (Five Places)
• Mikael Lindberg (Each-Way) - 100/1 With BoyleSports (10 Places)
• Adrian Otaegui Top 30 - 9/2 With Bet365

(Odds correct at time of publication - 5pm 02/09/25)

Irish Open Predictions: Second Chance For Smith

Jordan Smith was another of last week’s outright tips from at 28/1 and he was going well inside the top five at the halfway stage only for a flat weekend 70-68 to scupper his hopes.

That proved enough for a top-20 finish, though, and we are willing to give the 32-year-old from Bath another crack of the whip.

Smith has an excellent record at the Irish Open in the last five years and he was joint-leader at the halfway stage when the K Club last staged the event two years ago.

Again, he was let down by his performance at the weekend, but he has the skills to tame a course like the K Club.

Inside the top 20 for SG: Off-The-Tee and just outside the top 50 for distance, Smith is ninth in the Greens in Regulation standings.

It has been almost three years since Smith last won on the tour, but he has been runner-up twice this season and he was sixth at the Nexo Championship in Scotland.

Smith is 33/1 which is what you would expect with McIlroy, Lowry and Hatton in the field, but he looks worth another punt.

Irish Open Tips 2: Jordan Smith (Each-Way) - 33/1 With Bet365 (Five Places)

Irish Open Betting Odds: In-Form Forrest Fired Up

We are siding with a couple of big-price outsiders for their next two Irish Open betting tips, starting with Grant Forrest, who ended a four-year title drought by winning at Trump International Golf Links a few weeks ago.

The Scot was not in such exalted company as this week, but his four-stroke victory in windy conditions over the weekend was impressive.

Wind could be a factor this week, especially on Saturday when an 18mph breeze is expected to accompany light rain.

Forrest’s record at the Irish Open is spectacular, with three top fives in his last four appearances and he tied for third at this course in 2023, just two shots behind Norrman.

The Scot is a fairly long hitter and although his GIR numbers could be better, we are expecting another strong week from Forrest at a tournament he enjoys.

After his third round two years ago, he said: “I love The Irish Open. It's probably got the best crowds all year, I would say, here and Wentworth.”

With another win under his belt and memories of a decent showing the last time he visited the K Club, Forrest catches the eye at 80/1 with Betfred.

Irish Open Tips 3: Grant Forrest (Each-Way) - 80/1 With Betfred (Five Places)

Irish Open Golf Tips: Swede Dreams For Lindberg

The 300/1 on Mikael Lindberg is no longer available, but the in-form Swede still looks worth a whirl at 125/1 with several betting apps. 

The world number 421 has had an excellent three weeks which saw him finish fourth at the Danish Golf Championship, 27th at the British Masters and 13th at Crans-sur-Sierre.

That run of form came out of nowhere after a miserable first seven months of the year which saw him miss the cut in 12 of his 18 outings.

Lindberg is playing in only his second Irish Open and fortunately his first came at the K Club two years ago when a closing bogey-free three-under-par 69 ensured a top-25 finish.

Hopefully, those memories will come flooding back when he tees off on Thursday.

Although there are bigger prices available, we are taking the 100/1 with BoyleSports, which is offering 10 each-way places.

Irish Open Tips 4: Mikael Lindberg (Each-Way) - 100/1 With BoyleSports (10 Places)

Irish Open Top-30 Tips: Otaegui Has Tournament Form

Adrian Otaegui is unlikely to lift the trophy in Ireland, but his record at this championship makes him a lively outsider at 400/1.

Otaegui, who changed his sporting nationality from Spain to the United Arab Emirates last November, has finished inside the top 30 in five of his seven Irish Open appearances.

Although he was 45th here in 2023, Otaegui finished 16th when McIlroy prevailed nine years ago.

True, his form has been woeful lately and his last top-30 came at Mission Hills in China back in April.

Nine missed cuts in his previous 11 appearances is hardly a ringing endorsement, but he made the weekend in Switzerland last week where he shot three sub-70 rounds.

Otaegui to make the top 30 at 9/2 with Bet365 is the last of this week’s Irish Open betting tips.

Irish Open Tips 5: Adrian Otaegui Top 30 - 9/2 With Bet365

(Odds correct at time of publication - 5pm 02/09/25)