Goosen Looks to Be Surging Right Now – PGA Golf Betting

Golf bettors often like to latch on to a hot player in order to bolster their wagering formula, and one guy who looks to be surging right now is Retief Goosen, who has come back with a vengeance after a couple of lean years. He is determined to close out the year by joining countryman Louis Oosthuizen as a major championship winner, which would give him three for his career. First things first, though, and this week it's the Canadian Open, where he is matched up with many of the game's stars, including American Sean O'Hair in a special tournament betting matchup. In that one, Goosen is an ever-so-slight favorite at -120, with O'Hair at -110. The tournament takes place at St. George's Golf & Country Club in Etobicoke, Ontario, and will be covered by Golf Channel on Thursday and Friday, with CBS doing the honors on Saturday and Sunday. Paul Casey is the betting favorite to win the tournament, at +1000. Goosen and O'Hair are both listed at +1400.

PGA Golf Betting
Canadian Open
July 22-25
St. George's Golf & Country Club
Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada

TV Schedule
(all times Eastern)
Thursday -- Golf Channel: 3-6 PM, 8:30-11:30 PM
Friday -- Golf Channel: 3-6 PM, 8:30-11:30 PM
Saturday -- CBS: 3-6 PM
Sunday -- CBS:  3-6 PM

Tournament Betting Matchup
RETIEF GOOSEN  -120
SEAN O'HAIR  -110

You can bet that there are few golfers in this week's field in Toronto who have the career credentials of Retief Goosen. The 41-year-old South African has won the U.S. Open in 2001 and 2004, finished in the top three four times in the Masters, and compiled nine other top ten finishes in major championships. He spent a period of almost five years in the top ten of the world rankings as well, and has won 43 tournaments around the world.

Another thing you can pretty much bet on is the proposition that Goosen is going to be there on the weekend. Over this year and last, he had made 30 cuts and missed only two. Before that things were not so certain for him. Goosen finished 72nd on the money list in 2008, and looked to be sliding. He also dipped to 40th in the Official World Golf Rankings, and didn't seem a good bet to do anything significant. But he came back relatively strongly, winning the Transitions Championship and placing in a tie for fifth at the British Open. This year he has continued with the upswing. Goosen hasn't won yet this year, but he has been in the top ten in seven of the 12 events he has played, and is coming off a tie for fifth place at the Travelers Championship, then a sixth place finish, all by himself, in the British Open. He's also climbing the rankings, and is one of four competitors this week who is in the world's top 20 (currently 15th). You can say he is on a roll, and there are plenty of PGA golf bettors who are looking at him for possible value, with a +1400 price tag attached.

Sean O'Hair certainly can't be counted out as a guy with momentum. he has been in the top dozen in five of his last six tournaments, and that includes the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, and a British Open at St. Andrews where he finished not far behind behind Goosen, tied for seventh position. he had nine top ten finishes last year, but only two this year, and there has to be concern as to whether he's going to there with the leaders at the end or play well enough just to cash a nice paycheck. O'Hair (+1400 in the betting odds to win this week) missed the cut last year at the Canadian Open, but tied for third in 2008 and won third place outright in 2006. Yes, this is one of the "young guns" you hear about, as he's just turned 28. There is no question he came to this tournament to win it, but this course isn't one he's tried before. With a ranking of 38th in Total Driving, and a pretty good approach game, he can handle St. George's, but he's only 180th in Par-3 Birdies, and he may miss some chances to score.

JAY'S BETTING PLAY: GOOSEN (-120) **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)