Masters Recap and U.S. Open Futures

Angel Cabrera took home the green jacket in the 2009 Masters last week as a huge +7000 long shot.

The favorites were no where to be found late Sunday with Phil Mickelson, the second choice in the BetUS online sportsbook at roughly +600, the closest to the -12 under Cabrera.

Cabrera’s competition in what amounted to a three player sudden death tournament was Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell.  Campbell was the first to bow out but then Perry, who looked like a winner on Saturday and Sunday, flat out choked.  Perry bogeyed on the final two holes to force the playoff and then bogeyed in the second hole of the playoff.  That left Cabrera standing alone.

What does it mean?  It might mean nothing or it might mean everything.  Cabrera is a good enough golfer to win a Major, the Masters was his second as he won the U.S. Open in 2007, but he didn’t really beat the best in the world in order to do it.  Tiger Woods, the +180 favorite in the sportsbook to take home his fifth green jacket, is still feeling his way around the golf course after the devastating knee injury that occurred in the 2008 U.S. Open.  Padraig Harrington looked to be in contention after Friday, but failed miserably on both Saturday and Sunday.  Sergio Garcia just doesn’t do very well in the Masters and Mickelson made a huge run to get within a stroke of the leaders on Sunday before shooting pars and a bogey on the back nine at Augusta.

Cabrera won but most gamblers feel that he won’t carry that over into the U.S. Open, the second Major of the year, on June 18th.

Let’s take a look at some of the key contenders for the U.S. Open

Tiger Woods +275 - - Woods is the favorite again and this time bettors should really think about betting him.  At +180 in the Masters, Tiger was an underlay but at +275, Tiger is a definite consideration to take home the U.S. Open trophy.  Why?  Because El Tigre gets almost eight weeks to get his game ready for the second Major of the year.  Out of four events Tiger has played in this season, he already has 3 top tens.  He’ll be ready to roll on the Bethpage State Park Golf Course.  After all, the last time the U.S. Open was held at this course, in 2002, Woods won it.

Phil Mickelson +800 - - Mickelson made a furious run in 2002 to get within 3 strokes of Woods before bogeying the 16th hole.  Phil made a good run in the Masters last week and at +800, he could be, once again, Tiger’s top challenger at Bethpage.  Bettors need to pay attention to Mickelson from now until June 18th.

Sergio Garcia +3000 - - Garcia made the cut in the Masters last week.  Hey, it was a huge step up for Sergio who hadn’t made the cut at the Masters since 2006.  So, now Sergio will be teeing off in a major on a course that he has played well on before. In 2002 Garcia started Sunday at Bethpage only 4 strokes off of Woods. He’s got a shot in the 2009 U.S. Open.

Padraig Harrington +1400 - - Harrington hasn’t had a whole lot of luck in the U.S. Open.  Since 1997, his best finish has been 5th.  In 2008, even though he shot a 67 at Torrey Pines, he finished at +9.  Padraig will have to step it up if he expects to contend in the 2009 U.S. Open.