Romero is top Troon wager

Eduardo Romero rates an attractive bet at 14-1 with Coral to win a strongly contested renewal of the Senior British Open at Royal Troon, starting Thursday.

Much of the media interest will centre on Greg Norman, joint-third to Padraig Harrington in The Open at Birkdale on Sunday, yet it is Romero, at 54 one year older than the Aussie, who can take centre stage.

Unlike Norman, whose exertions in testing conditions last week may have left a mark, Romero arrives fresh having concentrated his preparations on this event since winning the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open at the start of the month, his second victory on the US senior golf tour.

The Argentine was not winning out of turn, having notched ten top-25s in 11 earlier appearances on the senior circuit this season, while his past record in the Senior British Open stands inspection.

Romero finished tied-second at Royal Portrush in 2004, joint-ninth to Tom Watson at Royal Aberdeen in 2005, lost a play-off to Loren Roberts at Turnberry in 2006, and finished tied-fourth to Tom Watson at Muirfield last year.

Watson, whose victory 12 months ago was his third in five years, and who also won The Open five times, is a general 8-1 to enhance his remarkable links record. His failure to make the cut at Birkdale last week is likely to prove a blessing and he should again play a leading role.

Norman will have his backers at 8-1 with VC Bet and Ladbrokes, and so too Bernard Langer, who starts a top-priced 13-2 with Betfred.

Langer did everything but win an Open, twice finishing runner-up and four times third, and is already a two-time winner on the Champions Tour this year.