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Havret threatens trio's chances in Ryder Cup battle

Gregory Havret won the 2008 Johnnie Walker Championship © Getty Images

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It's now or never for Europe's Ryder Cup hopefuls as they prepare to compete at the final qualifying event - the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, which begins on Thursday.

There are three players - Simon Dyson, Alvaro Quiros and Ross McGowan - vying to knock Francesco Molinari, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Peter Hanson out of the automatic qualification spots that are still up for grabs.

It is a high-stakes battle that promises to capture the attention of the world, as European captain Colin Montgomerie has readily acknowledged in the build-up. "There are a lot of players in the mix for the team who all have a very real chance of claiming one of the nine qualifying spots," he said. "This will make for an extremely exciting week."

With the Ryder Cup sub-plot heaping the pressure on the highest-ranked players, the opportunity is there for less celebrated talents to sneak under the radar and snatch an unlikely success. There is precedent for this; the last three winners - Marc Warren, Gregory Havret and Peter Hedblom - have all been unheralded competitors.

So who can we pluck from that category this time out? It is hard to knock the credentials of 2008 victor Havret (33/1), who seems to save his best golf for courses north of the border - he finished third at Gleneagles last year, while he can also boast a triumph at the 2007 Scottish Open.

True, it hasn't been the best year for Havret - with the notable exception of his remarkable second-place finish at the US Open - but then he had only one top-ten to his name going into the 2008 iteration of this tournament. Here is a player who can cast off the shackles of mediocrity at the most unexpected times - and where better to do so than at a course where he has excelled in the past? The Frenchman is well worth a look.

Raphael Jacquelin loves playing in Scotland © Getty Images

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The same is true of his countryman Raphael Jacquelin (40/1), another who seems to raise his game when crossing the Channel. He finished third at this year's Scottish Open, putting as well as anyone over the final two rounds, while he has the lowest first-round score (an eight-under 64) in the history of the Johnnie Walker - and, tantalisingly, he has posted five top-12 finishes in his most recent seven visits to Gleneagles.

Elsewhere, Denmark's Soren Hansen (28/1) has found his way into the top ten in each of his last four starts at the tournament - but beware his recent form, which has been erratic.

Of those looking to supplant Jimenez and Hanson in the European points list, McGowan has seen his game implode in recent weeks as the Ryder race nears its finish line, while it is hard to envisage Spain's Quiros excelling in the inclement conditions that have been forecast.

Dyson looks to have the strongest chance of causing a late alteration to the European team - but, having never threatened to win the Johnnie Walker during previous attempts, it's hard to find him particularly tempting at 28/1.

The fight for a Ryder Cup spot is also raging Stateside as Padraig Harrington, Justin Rose, Luke Donald and Paul Casey - all of whom will require a wildcard - bid to catch Montgomerie's attention with their efforts at the Barclays Tournament at Ridgewood Country Club, which tees off on Thursday.

The last time that the event was held at Ridgewood, in 2008, Kevin Sutherland came agonisingly close to sealing a first Tour triumph before losing out in a three-way play-off to Vijay Singh. That near-miss alone is probably enough to justify a small look each way at 125/1, but the allure is increased when you consider that he tops the rankings for greens in regulation - and this is a course that will reward precision and calculated plotting.

Will Tim Clark be celebrating again? © Getty Images

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"You can't play an attacking game - or you'll start making bogeys," Todd Jones, the head instructor at the TOUR Academy at TPC Sawgrass, said. "You've got to be patient. Patient golf means playing to your strengths and taking advantage of opportunities."

Tim Clark (80/1), one of the most skilled navigators of a course on Tour, is therefore highly enticing. It has been a tumultuous year for the South African, but he has a win to his name in 2010 and there are signs that his game is returning to life after a disappointing period.

Luke Donald (66/1) is another likely to push for the title - he is famed for his unerring accuracy, while he will be fiercely determined to succeed after hearing Sam Torrance doubt his Ryder Cup credentials on the eve of the competition.

"First of all, I would put Rose in [to the European team]," Torrance told BBC Scotland. "He has won twice in America this year. Then I would put Harrington in and you have to decide between Casey and Donald. I would probably pick Casey."

With that subtle rebuke ringing in his ears, don't be surprised if Donald storms to his first win in America since the 2006 Honda Classic. A win would be too much for Montgomerie, or Torrance, to ignore.

All odds, correct at time of going to press, courtesy of Stan James. Click here to open an account and receive a £25 free bet

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