This year’s World Match Play tournament looks to be a tight tussle with 15 of the 24 players having a reasonable chance of taking the title. Golf betting ranges from 7/1 for the favourites to 33/1 for the top 15 players – and some of those odds are well worth taking. Nearly all of the online bookmakers are offering each way for a top four finish at 1/4 the odds.

Five of the top six golfers in the world are present, including Lee Westwood, Luke Donald and Martin Kaymer – the top three. Donald and Kaymer are both in a position to go to number one should they win this tournament. The player who could upset all three is Rory McIlroy. He had the Masters in the bag until he lost his way on the last day. If he can find the form from the first three days he will be hard to beat.

Golf betting has Donald and Westwood equal favourites at 7/1 ahead of McIlroy and Kaymer at 8/1. Charl Swartzel is next best at 12/1. Of the rest, Graeme McDowell at 16/1 and Aaron Baddeley at 20/1 appear to be good value, especially on the each way markets. Y E Yang can also be specked at 33/1.

Bookmakers have certainly got it right when it comes to form. However, they seem to have ignored the strong showing made by Baddeley over the last month – and he has proven to be a strong match play contestant in the past. Donald beat Kaymer in the Accenture Match Play tournament back in February, and Donald has proven himself in this type of event in the Ryder Cup.

Our tips – Donald in outright betting and Baddeley on the each way boards – you can back both and still come out a winner if either one gets up.