It doesn’t really seem to be registering much interest after all the hype around the Presidents Cup last week, but there is Golf World Cup betting to take a look at this week. We have 28 nations battling it our for the honours at Mission Hills Haikou in China this week. There is a bit of complicated qualification process, as the top 18 players from the Official World Golf Ranking from back in July qualified, and those eighteen picked a team mate to pair up with for the World Cup. Some nations also made it into the event through qualifiers, which is a stroke play event. There are no singles to look at in your 2011 Golf World Cup betting, because day one and day three has fourball matches, and the second day and the fourth and final have foursomes. So what are we looking at for our Golf World Cup betting odds this time around? Well, this is the first event since 2009 when the tournament switched to a biannual affair, but it is the 54th running of the event, which sort of falls under the radar at the end of a long season. Still, there is some great golf to look forward to, and leading the pack out front in the betting, is the formidable looking pairing from Northern Ireland of Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell. With the pairing of two Major Champions, they are going to take some stopping. McIlroy is just in such good shape at the moment, and Graeme McDowell has steadily played his way back into form after a bit of a disappointing season all round. But the Irish pair really are expected to set the pace, especially after finishing second in 2009 and McIlroy is the highest ranked player going in to this renewal of the event. Not only is the incentive of winning the World Cup on the cards, but the winners will collect a cool $1.2 million each. The Blackstone Course on Hainan Island will host the tournament for the first time, and it is a long one at 7,800 yards over a par of 72. There will be an advantage for the longer drivers here, so you are looking for that perfect blend of length and greens in regulation in a partnership.
But there are also good options down the field beyond the Irish duo. South Africa have sent out a very strong pairing of Masters winner Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen. The pair must really, really fancy their chances here because they missed the South African Open to come and take part in this. Schwartzel is the big gun here, one of the best all round players on the PGA Tour. The defending Golf World Cup champions are Italy, with brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari. They triumphed a couple of years ago by just one shot but they neither of them have really put together too impressive of a year to be honest. With the brother connection tempting a lot of people to have a punt on them, don’t see them coming out and defending their title. We think that the rest of the field in terms of quality amongst the leading pack, is just going to be too strong for them to rise up this year. Still, Italy are good value in Golf World Cup betting, but not sure they are the best route to go down. England however have a fair chance of this. We have Ian Poulter and Justin Rose pairing up to represent their country here and England have a good track record at the event, winning it in 2004. Ian Poulter is a little hit and miss in his form, but the steadying hand of Justin Rose, who is just so good and getting from tee to green will be the influential back bone of the team. Can see them being a good combination actually, because Poulter will go for things bravely when necessary, and Rose will know how to play the percentages of when to go for it.
We are also going to have to mention the USA in all this, because they have the super consistent Matt Kuchar fresh of his Presidents Cup exploits, pairing of with Gary Woodland. Woodland is a monster hitter off the tee and with Kuchar’s accuracy and consistency they make for a dangerous outsider pair in your 2011 Golf World Cup betting. One other Nation pairing that we think is really going to be worth looking at, and that is Sweden who have Robert Karlsson and Alexander Noren going off for them. This looks a very solid partnership and would really fancy a great bet on them to come from deep in the market and be a real threat, and potentially big profit for your Golf World Cup betting. But for now, the outright favourites are justifiably Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell. Scotland line up with Martin Laird and Stephen Gallacher, while Wales go with Jamie Donaldson and Rhys Davies.
Omega Mission Hills Golf World Cup Betting
Ireland: 4/1 at Bet365
South Africa: 11/2 at Victor Chandler
England: 7/1 at SportingBet
USA: 9/1 at Bet365
Italy: 11/1 at Totesport
Sweden: 12/1 at SkyBet
Germany: 16/1 at Bet365
Spain: 16/1 at BetFred
Netherlands: 33/1 at Unibet
Scotland: 33/1 at Unibet
Wales: 33/1 at William Hill
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