McIlroy Set To Tee Off Favourite In Portrush

Rory McIlroy is set to start as the favourite to win the Open Championship on home turf ahead of tee off on Thursday at Royal Portrush.

BoyleSports have chalked the Holywood man up as the 8/1 frontrunner to claim his second Claret Jug, with Brooks Koepka close behind at 10/1 as he seeks his second major championship of the year having won the PGA Championship in May.

With an American name on all three majors this year to date, there has been a significant gamble on Patrick Cantlay completing a stateside clean sweep after his odds tumbled in from 33/1 to 22/1, with the money continuing to pile in on the 27-year-old making his major breakthrough this week.

Offaly man Shane Lowry was also backed into 45/1 from 50/1 as the patriotic support increased, but Rory McIlroy is the 8/11 favourite to win the battle of the home contingent. Lowry is 7/2, with Portrush local Graeme McDowell 9/2. Two-time Open champion Padraig Harrington is 9/1 to be best of the Irish, while Cork amateur James Sugrue is attracting some local support at 20/1.

We could face some damaging payouts if the home stars oblige following several hefty bets on the Irish contingent, with 10 places on offer for each-way backers.

The patriotic support has been coming in steadily all week on the Irish stars

…and even young James Sugrue is being backed to make a mark >with a few sizeable bets from the Cork area backing him to win it at a massive 500/1.