The Irish Open has been one by a long list of the game’s greats from Bobby Locke and Ben Crenshaw to Seve and Langer and Faldo all the way through to Rory and Rahm. With The K Club hosting this year, another quality Irish Open is on the cards.
Key Stats/Skill Set Required
- GIR
- Strokes Gained: Approach
- Par 5 Scoring
- Bogey Avoidance
- Birdie or Better
The Irish Open is a nomadic event but returns to a course used previously with The K Club hosting the event in 2016 and 2023. A relatively new course opened in 2005, it is very much a course that prizes finding greens. It is a pure second shot course. Taking advantage of the Par 5s is key.
Key Correlation Tournaments
- Nil
One of the game’s truly elite players, Tyrell Hatton has twice finished Top 5 at the Irish Open including in 2016 at The K Club. While his LIV form was mixed this season, he finished Top 16 in three of the four majors and has won two of his last four DP World Tour starts. He leads the DP World Tour in GIR and Strokes Gained: Approach while he ranks 4th in Par 5 Scoring.
Rising Danish star Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen looks a huge runner this week. He ranks Top 14 in Birdie or Better, GIR, Par 5 Scoring and Bogey Avoidance. He is in sublime form with five Top 16 finishes in his last six events including the US Open. Expecting another impressive showing here.
Haotong Li is in superb form with Top 10 finishes in six of his last 13 starts including a T-4 at the Open Championship. He ranks 2nd in Bogey Avoidance, 3rd inBirdies, 3rd in Strokes Gained: Approach and 10th in GIR. He is playing far too well to leave out.
It has been seven years since Joost Luiten has lifted a trophy but he looks a great hope to Top 5/10. Luiten has really performed of late with Top 5s in the Turkish Open and BMW International Open. He has long loved the Irish Open with four Top 12s in 11 cracks including a T-12 here in 2023. Ranks 4th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 12th in GIR.
South African Brandon Stone has been back to his best with 13 Top 25s since October in 2024 and has made the cut in his last three DP World Tour events. He ranks 12th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th in GIR with his iron game the strongest element. Made the cut in four of the last five Irish Opens.
Shane Lowry looks the pick of the locals given the patchy form we have seen from Rory McIlroy since The Masters. Lowry has finished Top 12 in his last three Irish Opens.
Haotong Li is a great bet to win it all but the best way to play him is to bet him to finish the top of the eight Asians teeing off.