Golf Odds to Win: Mickelson and Stricker are Back in the WGC-CA

Phil Mickelson and Steve Stricker are both back for the WGC-CA. Mickelson will be using a new pitching wedge as Ping has settled with the PGA Tour in regards to their Ping Eye 2. The Ping Eye 2 went against the new grooves rule but, because Ping had taken the PGA Tour to court, using the wedge was possible.

Mickelson, and some others on the Tour, had done so in a few tournaments already this year. This week, Mickelson won’t be able too. It might actually help his game not having to worry about whether or not the PGA will be taking his wedge away.

For Steve Stricker a return to straight-play, Stricker played horribly in the WGC-CA Accenture Match Play, should put him into the thick of things.

Do Stricker or Mickelson have a shot to win the WGC-CA? Who is this week’s underdog going off at nice golf odds to win the tournament? Let’s take a look.

PGA Tour: WGC-CA

Where: TPC Blue Monster Doral Golf Resort and Spa, Miami, Florida
When: 1st Round March 11th
TV: 1st & 2nd Rounds – The Golf Channel
3rd & 4th Rounds – NBC

Best Bet: Camilo Villegas +1600

Villegas finished tied for 5th at -13 in 2009 at TPC Blue Monster. That alone would make him a contender in this. The facts that he murdered the field in the Honda Classic last week by finishing 1st with an 11 under, 3rd in the WGC-Accenture and tied for 8th in the Phoenix Open, make him an underlay at 16 to 1 to win this. He’s ranked 1st on the Tour in all-around, scoring average and earnings.

Second Best Bet: Paul Casey +1600

The golf odds on Casey are just as good as Villegas’ and Casey has just as much of a chance of winning this as Villegas. I can’t separate the two which is why Casey is my co-choice to win this week. Paul hasn’t finished out of the Top 10 this year with a 10th place finish in the SBS Championship, a 2nd place finish in the WGC-Accenture and a tied for 4th place finish in the Honda Classic. On the Tour he’s currently ranked 6th in greens hit. Casey finished at -6 and tied for 31st place in last year’s WGC-CA but he was battling injuries in 2009. He’s healthy this year.

Stay Away From: Phil Mickelson +700 and Steve Stricker +1200

Both guys have a shot to win this, obviously, but the knocks on both guys tell me that they aren’t worth a wager at the odds. Lefty only has one Top 10 finish this season, an 8th in the AT&T National Pro-Am, and Stricker was terrible in the WGC-Accenture. I don’t believe either guy is all that great at playing with the favorite’s role hanging over their heads. So, I’m going to pass on both of them to win this week.

Best +2000 to +3000 Bet: Jim Furyk +2200

The Fury, which is a funny nickname for him because he’s so calm and cool on the golf course, finished 3rd in the 2009 WGC- CA. That was his second Top 3 finish in the last 2 years at TPC Blue Monster. Jim led the field in birdies with 24 in 2008 and was 2nd in the category with 23 in 2009 at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa. He knows the course.

Best +3000 to +5000 Bet: Nick Watney +4000