Kaymer commands favouritism but McIlroy looms large

There’s a long way to go yet but bookmakers up and down the country are celebrating following the cut at the Open.

The liabilities for the bookmakers on Lee Westwood and Luke Donald were huge, but both the world number one and two failed to make the cut at Royal St Georges leaving Rory McIlroy as the only man that can hurt the bookies.

McIlroy currently sits four shots off the lead and is the 8/1 second favourite to win, but Martin Kaymer finds himself just one shot off the lead and the US PGA champion is the 6/1 favourite to win.

However there are a number of real dangers to both McIlroy and Kaymer, and Lucas Glover, a former US Open champion currently sits atop the leaderboard alongside Darren Clarke at four-under-par.

Both players are available at 14/1 to win at the halfway stage of the Open, but one man to really watch is Charl Schwartzel after his brilliant round of 67 yesterday.

The South African is the third favourite to win at 12/1 and the Masters champion certainly knows what it takes to win a Major.

At two-under-par Schwartzel is right in contention with 36 holes left to play and we’re in for a competitive weekend with Royal St George’s providing such a stiff test for the golfers.

There are a lot of Major winners in contention at the top of the leaderboard and so there is plenty of value to be found in the Open betting, but we still fancy McIlroy to make it two Major wins in a row.