Bjorn will miss this week due to injury,but no need to be childish about it Tommy. Calm down, have a cigarette. 

It is the week after the US Open. Most people are possibly feeling a little dejected after Pinehurst 2 failed to produce any real dramatics. Kaymer just strolled to a comfortable 8 stroke victory in what was a snoozefest of a tournament from start to finish. So where is the place to be this week to revive our passion for the game and enjoy a much more entertaining golf tournament? Ireland of course! Tá failte romhat…

OK, lets get the weather covered first of all. It is always the main topic of conversation across the country! Amazingly, it is looking very likely that this week could produce nothing but blue skies and beautiful sunshine for the tournament. If this is the case, Ireland will look like absolute paradise on TV; that is until they zoom in on some red faced Cork langer with his belly hanging out, possibly snoring by one of the greens…This aerial image of Ireland was taken on Monday…you can actually see the country from the sky for a change!Lets hope the weather continues for at least another week!

Now onto this weeks likely challengers. A Koepka top 10 finish at the US Open was enough to produce a wee profit for anyone silly enough to think my tips have any real substance…A last minute withdrawal by Dubuisson, sees the top tip quickly convert from Victor to victorious. The latter being fellow Frenchman Julien Quesne (40/1). Why? Because he Quesne. He’s been enjoying a very consistent season and another win is due for Julien.

That’s the winner sorted so now for some non Victor picks. First up, and possibly the safest tip ever made is German Marcel Siem (8/1 for Top 5 finish). The fiery tirty tree (as us Irish would say) year old will more than likely spend most of the tournament close to the summit of the leader board. However, he is still possibly a few weeks off picking up another European Tour victory, so this week it Siems that Marcel may come close, but not close enough.

Now for two top ten outside possibilities. First up, is Korean/American Daniel Im (20/1 for Top 10). It looks like he is not expecting the weather to continue in Ireland; put down that fecken umbrella Danny Boy…Im has been showing more and more promise as the season has progressed and in his most recent tournament,the Lyoness Open, he shot a course record 64 in his final round, to finish in a tie for seventh. Definitely keep an eye on Im this week and expect Im to be there or thereabouts.(Lame!)

The final tip for the week, and another for a top ten finish, was originally going to be Ireland’s Prodigal Son; the big man himself- Mr John Daly (30/1 for a Top 10). However, Big JD was another late withdrawal, which will put a major dent in the reasoning behind ‘Wacky Trousers Day’ set for Friday…

Since Big John is not playing, a first round leader tip is worth investing the spare JD cash on.How about Richie Ramsay (66/1)? Sure why not?? He has as good a chance as any to get off to a fast start and he may just be challenging for the title on Sunday afternoon. However, for now get on him as FRL. Ramsay may just make you a little richier…(terrible, apologies…).

Over the years, the Irish Open has produced a string of notorious winners such as legends like Monty, Seve, Faldo, Langer as well as providing a 12-year-old (well he looks it…) Sergio with his maiden professional victory last century; 1999 to be precise.

This year sees a very strong field competing with local hopes on McIlroy, McDowell, Lowry and Harrington amongst others. One local that may upstage them all is Donegal native Ruaidhri McGee (250/1). He produced a fine performance on his European Tour debut at the Lyoness Open to finish in a tie for 25th. No reason why he cannot better that result in front of a home crowd this week.

There is no doubt that a home victory is what the crowds will be looking for this week.Who could forget the celebrations five years ago, after Shane Lowry,then still an amateur, eventually won in a rain soaked play-off against Robert Rock at Baltray The smile on his face was one that Colgate would be proud of or maybe not…

Whatever happens this week, everyone at Fold Island Resort is guaranteed to be highly entertained both on and off the golf course. The animals in the nearby wildlife sanctuary may not be too impressed with all the commotion going on in and around the golf course, but hopefully they are not giraffeen to crazy (terrible way to conclude this article, but hey, nobody is paying to read this so as the Irish would say (and it is not a bad word; feck off!)