Playing over a layout he clearly loves, Tiger Woods opened as a 5/2 golf betting favorite to win the 2010 British Open on the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland, July 15-18. Woods dominated play each of the last two times the Claret Jug was hoisted at St. Andrews; in 2000 when his 19 under set a record for the lowest score to par in any Major, and again in 2005, when Woods finished 14 under par, winning by five strokes. Woods also won the 2006 British Open at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club.
Those golf betting fans looking for reasons not to back Woods can point out that the world's No. 1 ranked player has not won a Major in more than two years and, despite fourth place finishes at both this year's Masters and US Open, hasn't yet regained the form that has helped him win 14 majors.
Of course, choosing not to wager on Woods is not a bet; you still have to find someone to back. That's where the value comes, with quality golfers such as Lee Westwood, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and Padraig Harrington all offered at double digits.
Except for a 16th place finish at this year's US Open, Westwood, 12/1, hasn't been worse than third in any of the last four Major events, including a runner-up finish at the Masters and third place finishes at both the PGA Championship and British Open last year.
Mickelson, 14/1, who could take over the world's top ranking from Woods with a victory at St. Andrews and a mediocre finish by Tiger, has been less than stellar at the British Open, finishing in the top 10 just once in the last decade, in 2004 when he came in third. "Lefty" skipped the event last year, finished tied for 19th in 2008 and missed the cut the year before that. But, with a win in the Masters and a fourth place finish in the US Open, Mickelson has been playing well this year.
Els and Harrington each are held at future book odds of 16/1. Els, a two-time US Open champion who finished third in that event this year, won the British Open in 2002 and has been close many other times, finishing in the top five on five other occasions and in the top 10 in eight of the last 10 years. Obviously, the "Big Easy" merits golf betting consideration.
Harrington won back-to-back British Open titles in 2007-08 but was 65th last year and missed the cut in both 2006 and 2004. Those who bet on the Irishman will need a dramatic return to form to justify their wager.
Graeme McDowell, the recent winner of the 2010 US Open, is 20/1 to win consecutive majors while Stewart Cink, the event's defending champion, is a robust 80/1 to repeat.
Other quality golfers offered at long odds include Jim Furyk, Anthony Kim and Steve Stricker, each at 40/1; and Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose and Geoff Ogilvy, each at 50/1;
The British Open also has produced a couple of boxcar payoffs in the last decade, offering hope to longshot players. Todd Hamilton, 250/1, and Ben Curtis, 200/1, would have been quite the parlay in 2004, 2003, respectively. Golfers such as Mike Weir, Vijay Singh, Zach Johnson, Lucas Glover, David Toms and Trevor Immelman—Major champions all--are offered at odds of 100/1 or more. Interestingly, this year, among those golfers offered at bookie buster odds of 500/1 are a pair of former British Open champions, Hamilton (2004) and Tom Lehman (1996).
In addition to straight wagering, some books also are offering future book odds without Tiger. In this scenario, Tiger's score simply does not count. For this prop, Mickelson, Westwood and Rory McIlroy each are 13/1 to "win." Sergio Garcia is offered at odds of 16/1 while Els, Furyk and Paul Casey each can be had at 22/1.
There's also a prop on whether the 2010 British Open is won by a European player. "Yes" is the favorite at -120 (bet $120 to win $100) while "no" is even money (bet $100 to win $100).
St. Andrews, which many believe is the oldest golf course in the world, is not very long but it can be tricky. Of particular concern is the famed Road Hole at No. 17 where the second shot requires a precise iron into a shallow green set at 45 degree angle to the fairway.
Cashing a winning ducat on the 2010 British Open should be a welcome challenge for golf betting fans.
