Rafa Cabrera Bello has the game to flourish at Ballyliffin

Sky Sports Golf, 10.30am Thursday
Tournament starts 7am

There was a titanic struggle in the French Open last week and the European Tour will be delighted if the battle for the Irish Open, another of their Rolex Series prizes, reaches a similar climax.

Rory McIlroy will be the focus of most attention and heads the market while champion Jon Rahm, who stormed to a six-shot success at Portstewart last year, should be spurred on for a decent week after a top-five finish in Paris.

With just two weeks to go until the Open at Carnoustie, a links test at Ballyliffin should provide the perfect preparation for the third Major of the year.

It remains to be seen whether the wind will cause problems or if conditions will be still enough for Europe's top players to post some impressive scores.

Wilkerson's top tip
Rafa Cabrera Bello 20-1
With the battle for the Claret Jug on the horizon, golf demands change from the need to smash a ball the best part of 330 yards down a wide fairway into a test of mental agility.

It's a time when the game's thinkers and improvisers come to the fore and a new test at Ballyliffin for this week's Irish Open looks an intriguing one.

The tournament is hosted by McIlroy's foundation, so there will be off-course demands on the world number eight and while he claimed victory in his home tournament two years ago, he will be mindful that he has missed the cut in four of his last five Irish Opens.

Rahm looks on the top of his game and should put up a bold defence but both players are predictably chalked up at single-figure prices.

Course form hardly exists this week, even though the top Irish players are familiar with a track they have played on their ascent up the ranks, but it seems logical that another Spaniard, Rafa Cabrera Bello, could enjoy a successful week.

The reigning Scottish Open champion tends to flourish on this sort of set-up and has claimed top-ten finishes in four of his last six appearances in this event.

He heads to Ireland in decent form, even though he missed the cut in France last week by a single shot after two bad holes - he had a double bogey on the 18th in his first round and a triple-bogey seven on the seventh on Friday.

He was ranked 11th in finding greens in regulation during those two rounds and that suggests his ball-striking has not been too bad.

Cabrera Bello struggled in the third round of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills like virtually everyone else, but 36th spot was not a bad effort and eighth place at Wentworth and fourth in the Italian Open suggest his game is in fine fettle.

He was fourth at Royal Birkdale in the Open last year and a fourth European Tour title may not be far away.

Next best
Russell Knox 28-1
While Cabrera Bello had the weekend off, Russell Knox was in the thick of the battle for the French Open that was won by Alex Noren and he can build on his second spot.

The Scot, who plays most of his golf in America, has posted some decent results lately including a 12th at the US Open which should have given his confidence a timely boost.

He has Irish Open experience, having finished second to McIlroy at the K Club in 2016, when he recovered from an opening 75, and has finished in the top ten at the Scottish Open twice in the last three years, so while he lives on the other side of the pond, he plainly enjoys a links challenge.

Other selections
Chris Wood 40-1
Matthew Southgate 90-1
Eddie Pepperell 110-1

Three Englishmen also look capable of threatening the final leaderboard in Donegal.

Like Knox, Chris Wood was tied for second in Paris and has three top-ten finishes in his seven appearances at the Irish Open - a third in 2010 was his best performance.

The 2016 BMW PGA Champion burst on to the scene with consecutive top-five finishes at The Open in 2008 and 2009, which earned him the reputation as a links specialist and this looks like a course where he can flourish.

Expect a bold show as well from Matthew Southgate, who finished with an excellent 65 in Paris to claim a top-five placing.

The 29-year-old from Southend has yet to claim a European Tour victory, but he has fond memories of the Irish Open having finished second at Portstewart last year and fourth the year before.

Eddie Pepperell was disqualified from the BMW International a fortnight ago after incorrectly filling in his scorecard, but he could prove to be a big price this week.

The Qatar Masters champion has finished second and eighth in his last two attempts at the Irish Open - he lost in a playoff in a tough 2015 championship that was won by Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen at Royal County Down - and has top-ten finishes in the Scottish Open and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Others to note
Rory McIlroy
This week's tournament host is predictably favourite but his form has been up and down and he has missed four of his last five Irish Open cuts. He is still getting to grips with putting issues.

Jon Rahm
The Spaniard romped to victory last year and put up a decent show in France last week. He is now a regular contender in events of this stature and is likely to go well again.

Graeme McDowell
There have been signs of life from the former US Open champion and he could be a factor if the wind picks up. However, losing his clubs on the flight back from Paris caused him to miss Open qualifying on Tuesday and that's hardly the best preparation.

Haotong Li
The Dubai Desert Classic winner was third at the Open at Birkdale last year and his recent form figures of 19th at the Italian Open, 16th at the US Open and 21st in France deserve respect.

Shane Lowry
The 2009 champion will receive plenty of home support and his 16th in Paris was a solid performance.

Staking plan
R Cabrera Bello
2pts each-way 20-1 BoyleSports, Paddy Power
R Knox
1.5pts each-way 28-1 BoyleSports, Paddy Power
C Wood
1pt each-way 40-1 BoyleSports
M Southgate
0.5pt each-way 90-1 bet365
E Pepperell
0.5pt each-way 110-1 bet365

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The lowdown

Course Glashedy Links, Ballyliffin GC, County Donegal, Ireland
Prize money $7m ($1.166m to the winner)
Length 7,462 yards Par 72 Field 156

Course records – 72 holes 281 Adam Mednick (North West of Ireland Open, 2002)
18 holes 66 Andrew Coltart (North West of Ireland Open, 2002))

When to bet By 7am on Thursday
Where to watch Live on Sky Sports Golf from 10.30am

Last week – French Open 1 A Noren 16-1, T2 R Knox 60-1, J Suri 90-1, C Wood 90-1, T5 M Southgate 200-1, J Rahm 14-1, M Kinhult 200-1

Course overview The Irish Open breaks new ground this year as it heads to the far north west of Ireland to Ballyliffin. There are two courses at Ballyliffin GC, which was opened in 1948 but the Glashedy Links is the newer of the two and was opened in 1995, having been designed by Pat Ruddy and Tom Craddock.

The biggest tournament the course has hosted before this week was the 2002 North West of Ireland Open, which was sanctioned by the European and Challenge Tours.

Set in the Inishowen Peninsula, it is a scenic links set among natural sand dunes, although the fairways have been flattened so they should be relatively even. The greens are huge with big undulations and are well protected by bunkers, while the rough is the length that would be anticipated at a links venue.

Holes have been lengthened to provided a tough test for Europe's elite with more angled lines introduced on the second and the ninth. The par-five fourth has been extended by a whopping 117 yards to 594. The 394-yard tenth is the only par four under 400 yards and the signature hole is the seventh, a picturesque, elevated-tee par three.

The story of last year Spanish star Jon Rahm stormed to a six-shot victory at Portstewart with Richie Ramsay and Matthew Southgate putting up the strongest opposition.

Weather forecast Like most of Britain and Ireland, Ballyliffin has had a sustained period of dry weather and that should continue into the weekend, even though it is not expected to be blazing hot. The biggest factor to affect play would be wind, but gusts are not expected to be that strong.

Type of player suited to challenge Links golf always tests a player's ability to improvise and play unusual shots. Previous success in such examinations has to be a big plus and the ability to avoid the penal rough. The greens will be tough too, so a hot putter would be a benefit.

Key attribute Accuracy

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