British Open betting: Golf’s big guns head to Liverpool
by Shawn Sillinger
Mickelson, of course, cost himself the U.S. Open by picking up a double bogey on the tournament’s final hole. That collapse has been perhaps the biggest story in golf this season, eclipsing even Lefty’s victory at The Masters earlier in the year. A win at the U.S. Open would have given Mickelson three consecutive major tournament victories.
Woods, though, had even more trouble at the U.S. Open, shockingly missing the cut in a tournament that he had won twice in the past, and finished second in last season. The death of Woods’ father prior to the event had golf observers questioning whether his head would be in the tournament, and his result seems to have provided that answer.
However, Woods did come back to finish in second place at the Cialis Western Open two weeks ago, shooting a 72 in the first round but recovering over the weekend to end up at -11. Mickelson did just the opposite in that tournament, starting with an opening-round 67 but following up with subsequent scores of 74, 75, and 71 over the weekend.
And Mickelson has never fared particularly well at the British Open, other than a third-place finish in 2004. He ended up tied for 60th last season, was 59th in 2003, 66th in 2002, 30th in 2001, 11th in 2000, and missed the cut in 1999. In 13 trips to the British Open Mickelson has one Top-10 result, three Top-25 results, and has missed two cuts.
In contrast, Woods is the defending British Open champion, and he also won that major tournament back in 2000. Overall, Woods has played in 11 British Opens, has finished in the Top 10 six times, and in the Top 25 nine times. His only two finishes outside of the Top 25 came in 2002 (28th) and in his first trip to the tourney back in 1995 (68th).
As a result of those past results, Woods is listed as the clear favorite to win the 2006 British Open. Oddsmakers have Woods pegged at +400 this weekend, while Mickelson is farther back in second place on the list at +1000. Over the course of his career Woods has won 10 major tournaments, while Mickelson has a modest three major wins.
Of course there are other golfers in the field this weekend besides the two listed favorites. Vijay Singh, listed third in the World Golf Rankings, is pegged at +1400 to win his first British Open. Singh’s best two results in this tournament came in 2003, when he ended up tied for second place, and also in 2005, when he ended up tied for fifth place.
Ernie Els, the 2002 British Open winner, is also listed at +1400 odds. Other past winners and their posted odds include Ben Curtis (+12500), Paul Lawrie (+15000), Tom Lehman (+12500), John Daly (+15000), Mark Calcavecchia (+20000), and Tom Watson (+40000). None of those wins came at this weekend’s venue; Royal Liverpool hasn’t played host to The Open Championship since it did so for the tenth time back in 1967.
