The world’s best senior golfers head to Saucon Valley Country Club for the Senior U.S. Open this week.
Leading the charge is New Zealand’s Steven Alker, who has risen from journeyman to superstar this season. He leads the Charles Schwab Cup and demands attention in Senior U.S. Open betting markets.
Alker Leads the Pack
Alker is one of the hottest golfers on the planet, having already won three times this season.
The Kiwi had been given journeyman status throughout most of his career, but since joining the senior ranks, he has come alive. He has also shown how much of a difference there is between the PGA and European Tours compared to the Senior Tour.
Alker leads the Charles Schwab Cup standings with $1.9 million after winning the PGA Championship. He followed it with a T3 finish at the Principal Charity Classic and his worst finish this year was a T20 finish at the Cologuard Classic.
“I can’t put my finger on one thing exactly. I look back and I go, geez, did I really have the game or did I have the attitude? I think right now, I’ve matured and it’s a second wind,” Alker told Golf Digest.
“That’s the biggest thing, I’ve had these 18 months, two years, 50s coming up, so let’s stay in shape. Let’s keep playing. We have a second career. Let’s go for it. Let’s go.”
There is no reason why Alker won’t win the Senior U.S. Open and golf betting markets should have him right at the top.
Thongchai Jaidee Firms after Win
Thongchai Jaidee won the American Family Insurance Championship last week and he’s trending in the right direction.
The former Thailand paratrooper, whose life on the golf course seems much more sedate, hasn’t done much on the Senior Tour prior to this win, but confidence is a wonderful thing.
“Very big thing for me,” Jaidee said. “The game has changed. Now, I’m very, very happy to be on tour.”
His odds at the sportsbook have firmed for the Senior U.S. Open and he should be right around the mark. The 52-year-old has 21 wins worldwide, including eight on the European Tour and 13 on the Asian Tour.
He recorded numerous top 50 finishes in the majors, so he’s an excellent chance to win at the senior level.
Furyk Set for Title Defense
Jim Furyk hasn’t played well on the Senior Tour this year, but he’s the defending U.S. Open champion and that can’t be overlooked.
The Pennsylvanian native hasn’t played at Saucon Valley much, despite living in the area growing up. However, his practice game went well enough and he believes the conditions will be tough.
“It lived up (to expectations). Sometimes you hear great things about a course and it can’t live up to expectations. But, I really enjoyed playing the Old today,” Furyk said.
“It’s a good golf course. It’s tough. Under tournament conditions, firm and fast greens and growing the rough up, I’m sure, between now and then, it’s going to be all we can handle.”
Furyk sits outside the top 50 on the Charles Schwab Cup leaderboard, which is foreign territory. He has earned only $132,322 from nine events, which is a blip on his career earnings of $71 million in career earnings.
Despite his form struggles, having experience winning this tournament is ideal and golf odds should have him near the top of the market. If Furyk brings his best game, he could go back-to-back in the U.S. Open.
