In-form Argentina may weather well

Changed times. It'll be a far cry from the fast fairways and hard greens that players' encountered in this year's British Open…

Changed times. It'll be a far cry from the fast fairways and hard greens that players' encountered in this year's British Open when St Andrews plays host to the Alfred Dunhill Cup over the old course, starting on Thursday.

Not only will conditions be vastly different, so too will the personnel on view. No Tiger Woods for starters. And no Darren Clarke or Lee Westwood for that matter. In truth, this is the most wide-open Dunhill Cup we've had for years.

The weather forecast predicts a need for plenty of weather proofs, umbrellas and woolly hats . . . conditions which may not agree entirely with the 7 to 2 favourites, and number one seeds, South Africa who feature Ernie Els, David Frost - who doesn't particular like this kind of weather, despite his name - and Retief Goosen.

Westwood's absence has hit England considerably harder than Clarke's absence has hit Ireland. Indeed, with in-form players Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley in the side (Des Smyth, who loves this venue, makes up the team), and the format of two wins from three to count, Ireland at 14 to 1 are not a bad bet at all.

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However, if they can conquer the cold, the tough (and inform) trio of Eduardo Romero, Jose Coceres (right) and Angel Cabrera could make it a memorable week for Argentina, who are on offer at odds of 6 to 1.

7-2 - South Africa. 5-1 - Spain. 6-1 - Argentina, Scotland. 8-1 - New Zealand. 12-1 - Sweden. 14-1 - Ireland, USA, Zimbabwe. 16-1 - Australia. 20-1 - Wales. 33-1 - Germany. 40-1 - England, France. 100-1 - Japan. 150-1 - China.