Searching for a diamond in the rough

Ryder Cup Odds: Paul Gallagher studies the betting market and picks out some value gambles ahead of next week's jamboree at the K Club

What better time to dust off the wallet and have a punt before settling  in front of the box for the weekend to watch all the Ryder Cup action unfold at the K Club.

There is little to choose between the two sides in the outright betting and it's the first time in the event's history that Europe will start as slight favourites - they are 5/6 with Paddy Power, compared to 6/5 available for the Americans. For the match to finish all-square, the Irish firm is offering 10/1.

Europe's favourite tag is justified given that they have won four of the last five encounters - Brookline in 1999 is the only exception - and seven out of the last 10 in this biennial event.

Don't be fooled though, Tom Lehman has galvanized this American side with his two-day reconnaissance mission to Co Kildare last month, plus he has the top three players in the world to choose from in Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk and Phil Mickelson. On the flip side, Lehman's four rookies in Zach Johnson, Brett Wetterich, Vaughn Taylor and JJ Henry are easy targets as points of weakness.

Woosman will surely be glad to simply get the week started and let the golf do the talking after the controversy which surrounded his wild card picks. In Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke, though, he has introduced a wealth of experience to back up his 10 automatic qualifiers. The pair are set for their fifth consecutive Ryder Cup and have been on the winning side on three out of four occasions.

If looking for value in the top individual points scorer market, Westwood looks good value at 18/1 (each way pays ¼ odds for the top four). He picked up four-and-a-half points out of five last time around and is sure to feature prominently in the fourball and foursomes ties. In fact Europe's leading light in modern times, Colin Montgomerie, also represents value at 14/1.

Padraig Harrington is a shorter price (10/1) while Darren Clarke matches Westwood at (18/1) and Paul McGinley is 50/1. The problem with the last two is it depends on how much game time is offered to them by Woosnam.

As you might expect Woods heads the market at 5/1 and is followed by Sergio Garcia at 9/1. However, Woods' relatively poor record in matchplay situations would suggest there is no point in rushing onto this one, there is surely better value elsewhere.

Given a number of Irishmen have played key roles in Ryder Cups down the years, it's not entirely surprising to see Harrington favourite to hole the winning putt at 12/1. He could follow in the footsteps of Eamonn Darcy, Philip Walton and McGinley, who is priced at 25/1 to repeat his feat of 2002 at the Belfry.

Odds courtesy of Paddy Power