Northern Trust Open Odds – Mickelson favored to repeat at Riviera
Northern Trust Open odds: Mickelson struggling to find his swing
- WHAT: The Northern Trust Open
- WHEN: Thursday, February 19 to Sunday, February 22
- WHERE: Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, CA
- KEY STATS: Phil Mickelson is the defending champion
- PICK: Luke Donald
Online betting players will prepare to tee off one of the PGA’s oldest tournaments, the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club. This tournament has been a staple of the PGA since 1926, and online sportsbook odds are favoring Phil Mickelson to repeat as champion here. However, due to Mickelson’s struggles, the sports betting lines for this event are very close.
Mickelson is favored this weekend with Northern Trust Open odds of +1400, but “Lefty” has yet to get into the swing of things. In his first two starts he missed the cut and earched a 42nd-place finish, while he could only muster a 55th–place showing at Pebble Beach last.
If Mickelson can get it going anywhere, though, it’s at Riviera. In his last two starts at Riviera, Mickelson has finished first and second. However, Mickelson has already played at familiar courses this year to no success.
Mike Weir has won this tournament twice, in ‘03 and ‘04, and with Northern Trust Open odds of +1600, the Canadian has a great shot to win this weekend. In three events so far, Weir has a missed-cut, along with a third-place finish and a runner-up at last week’s rain-shortened event at Pebble Beach.
Ernie Els is another former winner in the field this weekend, as the “Big Easy” was victorious in 1999, and Els finished third in his last visit to Riviera in 2007. Els is rated at +2500, while fellow South African Retief Goosen isn’t far behind at +2800.
Goosen was third last week at Pebble Beach, but he has a sketchy history at Riviera. Rory Sabbatini (who won here in ’06) and Trevor Immelman round out the South African contingent as longshots at +4000.
MARCO’S PICK: International players had won this event four years in a row before Charles Howell III and Mickelson reclaimed it for the USA in 2007 and 2008. But Luke Donald is my pick this weekend, as the Englishman looks to be fully healed from a hand injury that he suffered at last year’s U.S. Open.
Donald opened the season with a 23rd and 25th-place finishes before coming in seventh at the Buick Invitational, and he appears to be ready to fulfill the vast potential everyone thought he had back in 2006. With great Northern Trust Open odds of +2500, bet on Luke Donald this weekend at Riviera.
For Northern Trust Open odds and sports information, bookmark the betonline.com Sportsbook.
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 flowing. Thoughts or questions?
