Back McDowell over McIlroy to be top Ryder Cup Irishman

Assuming that Graeme McDowell will be paired with Rory McIlroy for both the fourballs and foursomes at the Ryder Cup, the former looks the better bet at 11/8 and take home the accolade of top Irishman.

The pair joined forces for two matches of foursomes at the last Ryder Cup and then one game of fourballs, taking 1.5 points from a possible three in the process.

However, McDowell was triumphed in the final singles encounter with Hunter Mahan to hand Europe overall victory by one point, as McIlroy played his part by halving his singles tie with Stewart Cink.

Given that the two Irishmen get on so well, they are likely to be pitted together in the team events again, meaning that it will obviously be impossible for one to outscore the other.

Therefore, it will again come down to the singles for one to accrue more points to help Europe than the other.

In his two Ryder Cup appearances, McDowell has won in the singles on each occasion, with his grit and determination a valuable asset in the event.

This makes him hard to oppose, while McIlroy will have to live with the billing of being Europe’s most targeted player.

Everyone will be up for facing McIlroy more than any other European player and there is a growing possibility that the order of the singles can be slightly pre-determined so that he faces Tiger Woods.

Woods beat Stephen Ames 9&8 in the singles of his last Presidents Cup, while brushing aside Francesco Molinari 4&3 in the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor.

The only logical problem for punters backing McDowell to be top Irishman is if Jose Maria Olazabal decides to split the partnership with McIlroy.

Given that McIlroy is world number one, it is possible that he will play in all five possible games, with McDowell perhaps only making three or four appearances as he is rotated with other team members.

McIlroy is 8/15 to be the top-scoring Irishman at the Ryder Cup.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing