Northern Trust Open Odds – Howell wins in familiar surroundings
Golf Odds: Pick Charles Howell III +3300 |
Online betting players will get to see the best field of the year to date as many veterans will make their 2010 debut at the Northern Trust Open at venerable Riviera, one of the great golf courses in the United States. Someone will be trying to step up and stop Phil Mickelson’s attempt at a three-peat, and his biggest challenger will be the last person to win before “Lefty”.
| WHAT: Golf betting |
| WHEN: Thursday, February 4-Sunday, February 7 |
| WHERE: Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, CA |
| DEFENDING CHAMPION:Phil Mickelson won this event in 2008 and 2009 |
Phil Mickelson is the favorite this week at +600 as the two-time defending champion, and he fared well at Torrey Pines in his debut with a 19th-place finish. Mickelson was called a “cheater” by some for using older wedges with now-illegal grooves, but he seemed to not be bothered by it. Mickelson has finished in the top two in three straight years at this event.
Robert Allenby is next at +1200, while Steve Stricker is next at +1400, and both have played well to start the season, racking up top-10s in each of their first two events. Allenby won here in 2001, while Stricker was second to Mickelson last year. Both are very good putters, but Allenby gets the nod due to five top-20s in this event.
Ernie Els comes in +2200, just in front of Jim Furyk and Rory Sabattini at +2500, and out of this group, Els won at Riviera in 1999, while Sabattini took the victory in 2006. Sabattini finished T-6 here last year, while Furyk was T-41 and using the event this year as his 2010 debut. Els finished T-5 at the Farmers Insurance Open last week, and finished T-3 here in 2007, so take a look at him in your sportsbook.
Adam Scott (2005), Mike Weir (2003-04), Charles Howell III (2007), K.J. Choi and Tim Clark is an expansive group at +3300, and the first four golfers in this group have won this event. Choi had the best finish in last year’s event with a T-3, and he’s coming off a solid T-15 at the Farmers Insurance Open. Weir finished sixth in the Bob Hope Classic two weeks ago, but Howell could be the x-factor with two top-10s in his first three starts in 2010, and in addition to his 2007 win, he came in second to Weir in a 2003 playoff in this event.
If you’re looking for a darkhorse to back in your sportsbook, check out Brandt Snedeker at +5000, and he is coming off a T-2 last week at Torrey Pines. Snedeker is 10th on the Tour in putting, which is needed to get around Riviera, and even though he’s missed the cut here in the past two years, you have to give him a look with how he’s playing right now.
Marco’s Pick: It’s not a very long course, so Riviera will be all about plodding around the course, keeping the ball in play, and it may even be a bit softer because of recent rain. You have to have experience to win here, and there’s been a few multiple winners. Look for Charles Howell III to join that list this weekend. Howell usually plays his best golf of the year on the West Coast Swing of the PGA Tour, and he’s been on fire so far. He’d love a win this weekend to ensure his place in The Masters, which is extra special to Howell, who is an Augusta native. Bet on Charles Howell III.
For more golf tips and analysis before you make your sports betting picks, check out Todd in the Betting Edge at BetOnline.
