PGA Golf Betting - Dunlop Phoenix Tournament
by Shawn Sillinger
Is this what a rusty Tiger Woods looks like? Woods played for the first time in five weeks at the HSBC Champions Tournament in Shanghai last week, and he shot a five-under-par 67 on Sunday to finish in second place at the event. Eventual winner Yong-Eun Yang of Korea ended up two strokes better than Woods, and took the first-place money.
So Woods will be looking to snap that lengthy (for him) losing streak this weekend when he arrives at the Phoenix Country Club in Miyazaki, Japan for the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament. And Woods is no stranger to winning at that tournament – not only is he the defending Dunlop Phoenix champion, but he’s won the tourney two straight years.
Last year, Woods needed four playoff holes to finally get past Kaname Yokoo and grab the title. Woods birdied that hole, salvaging a day in which he shot a two-over 72 and relinquished his 54-hole lead. Yokoo shot a one-under 69 in the tournament’s final round to force the extra holes, but eventually fell short. Jim Furyk was third at last year’s Dunlop Phoenix, followed by Katsumasa Miyamoto and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.
So oddsmakers clearly have to list Woods as the big favorite at this year’s Dunlop Phoenix, whose field includes a large number of Japanese players plus a scattering of international golfers. Woods is currently pegged as the -110 favorite to come out on top this weekend, with each of Padraig Harrington, 2000 champion Shingo Katayama, and Justin Rose tied for second on the list at +1200 odds. 2003 and 1999 champion Thomas Bjorn is listed at +3000, while 2002 champion Yokoo is currently pegged at +4500 odds.
Here are the current BetUS odds for the Top 20 golfers competing in this year’s tournament.
Odds to Win Dunlop Phoenix Tournament
Tiger Woods -110
Padraig Harrington +1200
Shingo Katayama +1200
Justin Rose +1200
David Howell +2000
Ian Poulter +2000
Toru Taniguchi +2000
Y E Yang +2600
Thomas Björn +3000
Daisuke Maruyama +3600
Hideto Tanihara +3600
Kaname Yokoo +4500
Keiichiro Fukabori +6000
Tetsuji Hiratsuka +6000
Yusaku Miyazato +6000
Gonzalo F-Castano +7200
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Shawn Sillinger is a freelance columnist and regular contributor to the BetUS.com Locker room.
