Tiger Woods’ win at the British Open last weekend didn’t only put another major trophy on his mantle, but it also added over $1.3 million to his savings account. And that chunk of change also boosted Woods right to the top of the PGA TOUR money leaders list for 2006. In 10 PGA TOUR events this season Woods has managed to pick up $4,263,563.
That puts Woods about $100,000 up on both Jim Furyk and Phil Mickelson atop the 2006 money list. Woods had been in sixth place on that list prior to the British Open, while Furyk had been in third place, and Mickelson went overseas as the money leader.
As a result, Woods is now pegged as the -250 favorite to finish atop the 2006 PGA TOUR money list, with Mickelson at +350, Furyk at +400, Vijay Singh at +1000, and Geoff Ogilvy at +1200. One month ago, Mickelson was listed as the -175 favorite on this prop, with Woods at +200, Furyk at +500, and Singh at +600. Here are the current Top 10 money winners on the tour (rank, player, number of tournaments played, winnings):
01 --- Tiger Woods --- 10 --- $4,263,563
02 --- Jim Furyk --- 17 --- $4,174,516
03 --- Phil Mickelson --- 16 --- $4,123,005
04 --- Geoff Ogilvy --- 16 --- $4,003,049
05 --- Vijay Singh --- 17 --- $3,328,970
06 --- Trevor Immelman --- 17 --- $3,030,746
07 --- Stuart Appleby --- 16 --- $2,903,211
08 --- Adam Scott --- 13 --- $2,712,183
09 --- Chad Campbell --- 18 --- $2,424,507
10 --- Rory Sabbatini --- 17 --- $2,411,584
There’ll be plenty of chances for each of those listed golfers to move up the money list over the rest of the summer, but the event at which they’ll most want to earn a big paycheck is the 2006 PGA Championship. The season’s final major tournament gets underway on Thursday, August 17 at Medinah Country Club (Course No. 3) in Illinois.
Mickelson won the PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey last year, but once again Woods is currently listed as the favorite for that tournament. Woods is pegged at +250 odds right now, while Mickelson is farther back in second on the oddsmakers’ list at +500. Lefty was also second to Tiger on the list of favorites for the British Open, but of course he ended up well back of the champ in that tournament.
Ernie Els is third on the current oddsmakers’ list at +900, followed by 2004 PGA Championship winner Singh at +1200. Furyk and Retief Goosen are both pegged at +1500 right now, with Adam Scott at +2000, Sergio Garcia at +2300, and Luke Donald next at +2500. Here are the complete current odds to win the 2006 PGA Championship:
Odds To Win 2006 PGA Championship
Tiger Woods --- +250
Phil Mickelson --- +500
Ernie Els --- +900
Vijay Singh --- +1200
Jim Furyk --- +1500
Retief Goosen --- +1500
Adam Scott --- +2000
Sergio Garcia --- +2300
Luke Donald --- +2500
Padraig Harrington --- +3000
David Toms --- +3000
Chris DiMarco --- +3500
Stuart Appleby --- +4000
Chad Campbell --- +4000
David Howell --- +4000
Colin Montgomerie --- +4000
Mike Weir --- +4000
Tim Clark --- +5000
Darren Clarke --- +5000
Davis Love --- +5000
Angel Cabrera --- +5500
Jose Maria Olazabal --- +5500
Kenny Perry --- +7000
Scott Verplank --- +7000
Robert Allenby --- +8000
Thomas Bjorn --- +8000
Michael Campbell --- +8000
Stewart Cink --- +8000
Fred Couples --- +8000
John Daly --- +8000
Justin Leonard --- +8000
Lee Westwood --- +8000
The last time the PGA Championship was held at Medinah Country Club was back in 1999. The winner that year? Tiger Woods, who shot only a 72 in the final round but still held on for the victory at -11. When he won the tourney again in 2000, he ended up -18.
For Golf odds click here.
by Mark Rothstein 
