US Open Betting Preview

The US Open is the second Major of the year and takes place this week, at Pinehurst Country Club, one of the most esteemed golf venues in America, and so the world. For all of its gentile elegance and country club magnificence, competitors can expect nothing of the comfortable to fall at their feet. The USGA prides itself in making the US Open courses uncompromising, a stance they describe as being fair, whilst others would put it closer to the category of cruel. Last year was a case in point where golf balls spent the week being guzzled up by thick rough, and the final day sliding off impossibly harsh Shinnecock Hills greens. The weather conspired against the players though, with wind dried and sun baked greens that would be more pertinently indisposed as roads than putting surfaces.Nobody doubts the pedigree of this event, and with an initial entry of around 8000 hopefuls, it is arguably the biggest of them all. An amazing statistic that only serves to get more so each and every year, is that no European has lifted the famous trophy since Tony Jacklin did so at Hazeltine in 1970.One man who must certainly fancy his chances of ending this famine is Sergio Garcia. The young Spaniard has always had class, and also always shown an ability to win in the States, something not well demonstrated by other leading Europeans. Six PGA Tour titles have gone his way, including the Booz Allen Classic just last week. His final round of 65 clinched the event by two shots, and was particularly warming after blowing a final round lead at the Wachovia Championship last month.The key to his low scoring at the Booz Allen was a rediscovered putting stroke, and there is no more critical skill at a Major Championship than this. El Nino himself said how he wished the US Open was a week earlier, but surely it is possible to carry his fluent ball rolling into another event. His previous record at US Opens is fair, with the cut being made in all five entries, including 4th place at the monstrous Bethpage State in 2002. Last year he was right in the mix until falling the way of many others with a final round of 80.His talent deserves Major success, and despite the obvious detraction from selecting Europeans this week, we feel that Garcia is a man capable of taking the glory in an event of this magnitude. 25/1 is a decent price for a player who has shown he can win in America, is clearly performing well at present and is a firm favourite of the crowds wheresoever he chooses to tee up his ball in the world.Only five men have ever won this title more than twice, but there is a strong posse currently sitting on two wins. Tiger Woods and Retief Goosen have shared a brace each within the last five years, whilst world number three Ernie Els has also won it on two occasions, in 1994 and 1997.Woods enters as a clear favourite, priced at a best of 5/1. His superb victory at the US Masters in April makes him the only man for who the Grand Slam remains a possibility. Having not won a Major in the ten leading up to that one though, we still reserve some scepticism to see the world number two at this price. Since Augusta (and the two wins previous to that one) his form has dwindled a touch, with a 3rd and an 11th pace sandwiching an unprecedented missed cut at the Byron Nelson Championship.Goosen relishes the uncompromising conditions of this tournament, and his all round talent and rock steady mentality have allowed him to stay the trip better than all comers on two occasions, including last year. He may not have the swash buckling gung ho approach of a Garcia, Mickelson or even a Woods, but purists adore his languid swing, and between the ears few are better quipped. Third place at the Masters was impressive but since then his two starts have seen the cut missed at the Byron Nelson and 59th claimed last week at the Booz Allen. The South African should never be discounted and 11th at the BMA Championship at Wentworth was typically solid, but we don't feel his play has been good enough of late to make 20/1 especially attractive.Els is the final of these players looking to win for the third time, and the best price to be had for Big Ernie is 11/1. He is yet to win in America this term however, and although he has a good record in the event overall, when playing at Pinehurst in the 1999 edition, the South African missed the cut.Although we have already taken Garcia we feel this selection has been reasonably justified, it would make sense to look for in form Americans to sit alongside him in the betting verdict. Phil Mickelson tops that list in our opinion. 9/1 is the best price to be had, but this is an event which the American is destined to have on his mantelpiece one day. Some may point out that there is no place for sentiment in golf betting, but one only has to look back to the last time this Championship was staged at Pinehurst to realise that fairytales can ring true.Payne Stewart won the day, draining a colossal putt on the final green having come agonisingly close the previous year at Olympia Fields. Stewart was the very personification of the American man, and the man stood with him on the final green was Phil Mickelson. Ever gracious in defeat, it would be fitting if Lefty was to hole the winning putt on that same surface on Sunday evening, with the statue of the now tragically deceased Stewart looking over him.You will be relieved to hear that there is more to our argument than this however. Firstly, his record in the US Open is outstanding. The cut has not been missed since 1992, and three times he has finished runner up. This includes twice in the last three years, and twelve months ago he was the only man other than Retief Goosen to end up with an under par score.Three titles have already gone his way this season, and he possesses the second lowest scoring average. The secret to his good play is not hard to work out. Ability on the greens is what it boils down to, with the 5th best putting average, but the most interesting stat is the one that puts the left-hander as the best scrambler. Missing the small rough lined greens is part and parcel of the US Open, and the skill to get the ball up and down from such positions is absolutely vital.There would be no more popular winner this week, and having taken the US Masters in 2004, there can no longer be any doubts over his mental strength. We feel that 9/1 is well worth taking in an outright fashion. Another point in his favour is that Mickelson has reportedly made several visits to Pinehurst already this year. A few of the top players have taken time to play a single round, but Mick has been meticulous in his preparations, with one round taking seven hours to complete so intent was he on making sure no stone is unturned for the tournament he craves to win over any other in the sport.With thick rough protruding the sides of narrow fairways, there is an obvious advantage to be had for those who can keep the ball straight, and there is no man more likely to do so than Fred Funk. Once again this season he tops the stats for driving accuracy, as he has done for the last four campaigns, with around 77 % being hit.His record at the event over the years is far from outstanding, although sixth place last year in hostile conditions was a commendable effort. Funk took a massive step earlier this year, when claiming the Players Championship, probably the only tournament in the world that boasts a stronger field than this one. Victory there was proof that there is space in today's game for the straight hitter over the power players, and as such the man who turned 49 on Tuesday should have the confidence in place to make a genuine challenge if the winning post is in sight. There is no longer any need to feel intimidated, and when perpetually striking his ball from the short grass, it is easy to grind opponents down.His form since the Players has been fair, with many predictably solid rounds, and a best finish of 3rd at the Fed-Ex in May. All in all, we feel there is a good case to be made and as such regard 150/1 as an extravagant price for the seven times PGA Tour winner. Our final selection is also an American, Chris DiMarco. The 2004 Ryder Cup player is certainly one of those with the fateful tag of being one of the best players not to have won a Major, but at 50/1 there is scope for an each way bet.His form this year has been good, with two second places at arguably the two biggest tournaments of the year, the US Masters and the WGC Accenture Matchplay. Sitting alongside these is a 3rd place in New Orleans, 4th at the Wachovia and last week a closing 67 lifted him to 13th at the Booz Allen Classic.All this amounts to over $2.2 Million and 7th place on the Money List. Results over the last four years of 16th, 24th, 35th and 9th last year at the US Open do not put us off in any way and DiMarco is arguably playing the best golf of his career. Nobody on the Tour has a better putting average either, with his claw like grip draining crucial putts on a regular basis.An ungainly swing is no reason to desert him either - one only need look at Jim Furyk who won this two years ago to realise this point. DiMarco has the respect of all the players and is fiercely determined to succeed. Fates (and Tiger Woods) conspired against him at Augusta but we would be surprised to see him anywhere but in the shake up on Sunday evening and 50/1 compels us to add his name to our betting verdict.Betting VerdictPhil Mickelson to win at 9/1 (Stan James)Sergio Garcia to win at 25/1 (Stan James)Chris DiMarco each way at 50/1 (Stan James)Fred Funk each way at 150/1 (Stan James)