Fresh off a record-breaking triumph in last month's US Open, sportsbooks have listed Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy as a solid 9/2 favorite to capture the third Major of the season, the British Open at the Royal St. George Golf Club, in Sandwich, Kent, England, July 14-17. McIlroy, who also had the lead with nine holes remaining in The Masters before faltering and finishing 15th, won the US Open by eight strokes while finishing a record 16 under par.
A pair of Brits, Luke Donald and Lee Westwood, the respective No. 1 and No. 2 ranked golfers in the world, will be keen to challenge McIlroy on their home turf. Although neither player has won a Major, of the two, Westwood, the 10/1 second choice in futures, has been the more consistent in the four events, finishing second in The Masters in 2010; third in this year's US Open; second in last year's British Open; and third in the 2009 PGA Championship.
Donald, the 12/1 third choice, was fourth in this year's Masters but just 45th at the US Open. After finishing no higher than 35th at the three previous British Open Championships he played, Donald has been in contention recently, coming home 11th last year and fifth in 2009.
Three-time British Open winner Tiger Woods is offered at odds of 14/1, the highest odds on the 14-time Major winner in 15 years. And even that may be an underlay. There is no guarantee that Woods, who has not won a Major since the 2008 US Open and has not played a competitive round of golf since limping off the course at the Players Championship with two leg injuries, May 12, will even compete in this year's British Open. Woods, who from 2000 through 2007 notched three wins, plus fourth, ninth and 12th place finishes at the British Open, has been no better than 23rd the last three years.
With Woods battling injuries and McIlroy, Westwood and Donald owning just one Major amongst them, any number of other golfers could contend for the title, including Martin Kaymer, 16/1; Sergio Garcia, 20/1; Graeme McDowell, 22/1; Phil Mickelson, 28/1; Charl Schwartzel, 28/1; and Jason Day, 33/1.
Kaymer, a former No. 1, won the PGA Championship in 2010 and finished seventh at last year's British Open, just his third start in the event. Garcia still is without a Major, having finished the runner-up at the 2007 British Open. McDowell won the US Open in 2010 but hasn't been closer than 19th place in the last five British Open Championships. With four Major victories, Mickelson is the most accomplished of the group but he has just one top 10 finish in 17 appearances at the British Open. Schwartzel won the Masters and was ninth in this year's US Open so he's definitely a factor. With runner-up finishes in both The Masters and British Open, you could argue that no golfer is in better form than Day.
In addition to straight win wagering, many sportsbooks also are offering a handful of proposition wagers on the sport's third Major event. One of the more popular props regards the margin of victory. It's 12/5 that the 2011 British Open is won in a playoff; 5/2 that the winner succeeds by one stroke after 72 holes; 7/2 that the margin is exactly two shots; 9/2 that it's three strokes; and 10/3 that the margin of victory is four or more shots.
You also can take 12/5 that there will be a playoff or lay 3/10 that the Major will be decided without any extra holes.
As stellar as the British Open field is, the real star of the event could be the Royal St. George golf course, which author Ian Fleming renamed "Royal St. Marks" in his 1959 James Bond novel, Goldfinger. The course is a long (7,211 yards) par 70 with several challenging par 4 holes apt to decide the outcome.
At 495 yards, the fourth, which boasts the deepest bunker in championship golf, is intimidating. Ditto the 13th, a 459-yard par 4 that has a narrow fairway protected by seven bunkers.
The 15th is a 496-yard par 4 with a small green guarded by a trio of bunkers.
The finishing hole, a 459-yard par 4, has been remodeled and will test the players' nerve and accuracy.
The golf classic returns to Royal St. George for the fist time since 2003, when Ben Curtis won here at odds of 250/1. It's a reminder to gamblers that British Open betting is a challenge worth taking.
