With Darren Clarke’s win at the Open Championship cementing Ireland’s status as a golfing superpower, Paddy Power are betting 5/1 for a hat-trick of Irish Major wins in 2011.
Of the Irish contingent US Open Champ Rory McIlroy leads the way at 4/7 to be the island’s next Major winner with Graeme ‘G-Mac’ McDowell at 3/1 and Clarke at 14/1 to repeat his recent major success.
Another reflection of the success of Northern Ireland’s golfers is that this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year award now looks to be a straight shoot-out between McIlroy and Clarke. Clarke yesterday ousted McIlroy as the favourite and is now 1/2 to take home the prize with early front-runner McIlroy being pushed out to 7/4.
Sunday’s win for Clarke was another great day for his agent Chubby Chandler of International Sports Management Ltd who represents all three of this year’s major winners. With talk growing of a possible ‘Chubby Slam’ Paddy Power are offering odds of 3/1 on the winner of the PGA Championship coming from Chubby’s stable which also houses the likes of Lee Westwood and Ernie Els.
Paddy Power said: “Rory and Darren and flying the flag for Ireland on the world stage but will this rising tide lift all boats? We’re betting it will!”
Total Irish Major Wins in 2011
- 1/10 Exactly Two
- 5/1 Exactly Three
Next Irishman to win a Major
- 4/7 Rory McIlroy
- 3/1 Graeme McDowell
- 6/1 Padraig Harrington
- 14/1 Darren Clarke
- 20/1 Shane Lowry
The ‘Chubby Slam’ 3/1
(All prices remain subject to fluctuation)
Paddy Power www.paddypowerplc.com
International Sports Management Ltd www.golfism.net