Faldo - loves playing at Muirfield (Allsport)

By Grant Williams

Betting Box Tipping Guide

BETTING BOX
FIXED ODDS
	2pts win Padraig Harrington at 8/1 (Bet365)	In good form at the moment and played well in first two majors of the year.
	1pt each way Nick Faldo at 18/1 (Bet365 1/4 1,2,3,4,5)	Loves Muirfield and playing some of his best golf for ages.
	1pt each way Ian Woosnam at 40/1 (Sportingbet 1/4 1,2,3,4,5)	Has solid course form and game in good order.

Ireland's Padraig Harrington looks a good bet at 8/1 to be Top European at this week's 131st Open Championship at Muirfield.

Harrington has been in fine form this season and continues to establish himself as one of the leading players in world golf.

The Dubliner has come on leaps and bounds in the last couple of seasons and is really starting to make his mark.

He was the early leader in the US Masters back in April and although never threatening to win he did well to hold on for fifth place.

In last month's US Open he was again at the right end of the leaderboard, coming home in eight place.

Harrington now has four top ten finishes in the majors, although he's suffered huge frustration by finishing runner-up in regular European Tour events on no less than 15 occasions.

His best ever finish in the Open was back in 1997 at Troon when he was fifth, and he heads to Muirfield with his game in good order.

He was tied sixth at the Murphy's Irish Open at the end of June and on his last outing was second in the Smurfit European Open.

His inability to turn high finishes into wins probably means he won't win this week, but in this particular market there is every chance he can land the spoils.

Two veteran Europeans who should also be supported are Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam.

Faldo has finished in the top 15 in the first two majors of this year, along with having a string of high finishes on the European Tour.

And when it comes to playing at Muirfield - Faldo is the man to follow.

In the last two Open Championships to be held there in 1987 and 1992 Faldo won them both, and he has commented in the build-up of his obvious love for the course.

Woosie also goes well at Muirfield, finishing tied eighth in 1987 and fifth five years later.

And who can forget last year's hard-luck story, when he suffered a two-shot penalty after his caddie left an extra club, when in with a real shout at Royal Lytham.

The Welshman has been in decent form in the last couple of weeks and he could once again delight his loyal fans by launching another bid for the title.