Betting tips / Mike Norman / 30 November 2011 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

With the race to Dubai on, Mike Norman believes Rory McIlroy, with some great form behind him, looks a great chance for the UBS Hong Kong Open

The penultimate event of the season, the UBS Hong Kong Open, will see all eyes on tournament favourite Rory McIlroy , who needs to win here to retain a tiny chance of winning the season money list, aka the 2011 Race To Dubai.

That race finishes, not surprisingly, in Dubai next week and should McIlroy win in Hong Kong, he will need to win the end of season Dubai World Championship and hope that the current R2D leader Luke Donald finishes outside of the top 12.

So many times when a player needs to do something special - make birdie to reach a play-off, finish top-20 to secure his playing privileges, or as in this case, win to keep the money list alive - he does so.

McIlroy looks to have an outstanding chance this week, but I can't stop myself reading something I wrote in July of this year;

"It's hard to make a case for backing Rory McIlroy at single figure odds."

I said that after the Northern Irishman has flopped at both the Open Championship and the Irish Open, both times he'd started the tournament as a single-figure favourite.

But in defence of backing him at [5.8] to win here, McIlroy looks in fantastic form, is favourite in a pretty weak field and has played extremely well at this venue in the past. In fact, McIlroy has been quite brilliant at the Hong Kong Golf Club for three years running, finishing second, second and sixth and owning a staggering scoring average of 65.83. And he's arguably a better player now - having tucked a Major championship under his belt - than he was in any of the three previous years.

I really fancy McIlroy to win this week, especially when you see three relatively out-of-form players - Justin Rose [14.0], Ian Poulter [15.0], and Padraig Harrington [25.0] - being the next three in the Winner market, and I'll be backing him accordingly.

Not only will I be backing McIlroy on his own though, I'll be putting him in a nice little Betfair Multiple with Lee Westwood at the Nedbank Challenge. In-form Paul Krishnamurty fancies Westy this week, and so does The Punter who desperately needs the Englishman to win so that he can pay to get his electric back on.

Back to Hong Kong and my second selection is Alvaro Quiros, a player who should eat this course for breakfast if he has a decent few days with the driver.

Measuring just 6,700 yards, the Hong Kong Golf Club is at the mercy of Quiros with two par fives he'll be able to reach with his putter, and some par fours that he'll be able to kick his ball on to the green. Not quite admittedly, but you get my gist. The only worry is that this course is tree-lined, and when this loveable Spaniard is wayward then he can find rough that you never knew existed. Still, at [70.0] to back in the Winner market and at [12.5] for a Top Five Finish, I'm willing to take a chance.

Finally, as The Punter has already said, Robert-Jan Derksen looks to have solid claims this week. The Dutchman has good course form to his name and looked in good shape last week. He is worth a punt at [22.0] to also finish in the top five.

Recommended Bets

Back Rory McIlroy/Lee Westwood Betfair Multiple @ [28.0]

Back Rory McIlroy @ [5.8]
Back Alvaro Quiros @ [70.0]
Back Alvaro Quiros @ [12.5] (Top Five Finish)
Back Robert-Jan Derksen @ [22.0] (Top Five Finish)