British Open Betting - Garcia, Els Favored
Posted on 7/16/2008 10:33:46 AM
By Marco Sussman
PGA British Open Odds and Analysis
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Can Sergio Garcia finally win his first major?
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Which Ernie Els will show up?
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Lee Westwood looks to win major in home country
The third major championship in the PGA Tour is the British Open (or the Open Championship, outside of America), and the 137th edition of the prestigious tournament takes place beginning Thursday at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England.
Irishman Padraig Harrington is looking to defend his title, but the man he defeated in a four-hole playoff last year, Spain's Sergio Garcia, is being listed as the odds-on favorite to finally capture his first major championship.
Garcia is favored at +800, but he'd had an inconsitent season to date. The 28-year old has only two top-ten finishes on the tour this season, but one was a victory at the Players' Championship, and he was a decent 18th at the U.S. Open last month. Garcia is one of the most creative players on the tour, and if he can get hot with the putter - which has been his downfall for much of his career (including last year at the British Open) - the fiery Spaniard should finally break his major title duck. Garcia has finished in the top-ten of the British Open in six of the last seven years.
South Africa's Ernie Els is next at +1200, and the “Big Easy” is another player who fares well on the Open's rotation of links course, which American players rarely compete on. Els won the Open in 2002, and has nine top-10s in this event since 1992, including a tie for fourth last season. Els has been up-and-down this season, with a victory back in February at the Honda Classic, but he's also missed four cuts. Honestly, Els could either blow away the competition or miss the cut, and it would surprise no one.
An intriguing trio of contenders are listed at +1600, including American Phil Mickelson, England's Lee Westwood, and the defending champion, Harrington. Mickelson has only one top-10 here since 2000, and he missed the cut last year. Harrington won the Irish Open in preparation for the British Open, but he injured his wrist and may not even make it to the tournament. So the smart money could be on Westwood, who is trying to become the first Englishman to win the Open since Nick Faldo at Muirfield in 1992. With the crowd behind him and a solid third-place finish at the U.S. Open, it could be time for Westwood to break through.
Marco Sussman isn't too bad on the links, reportedly a
five handicap. But, he's great in the sports betting game. He'll watch just about
anything you put in front of him, but golf is what really gets his juices
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