2019 U.S. Open Betting Preview
Brooks Koepka goes for the three-peat this weekend, when he and the PGA’s best tackle Pebble Beach in the U.S. Open.
Koepka, who has won the last two U.S. Open championships and the last major, the PGA Championship last month, will attempt to become the first player to win three straight U.S. Open titles since Willie Anderson did it from 1903 to 1905.
Despite Koepka’s recent success in major tournaments, he’s not the sole favorite this week. At Bovada Sportsbook, Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy are co-favorites at +850.
Johnson’s lone major win came in the U.S. Open at Oakmont in 2016. Last year he finished third in the Open and he’s placed in the top five in four of the last five years. The last time the Open was held at Pebble Beach in 2010, Johnson tied for eighth.
McIlroy won the U.S. Open at the Congressional in 2011. Lately he hasn’t had much luck in the Open, having missed the cut the last three years. His recent history at the Open may not matter if he continues to play as well at Pebble Beach as he has on the tour this season. Last week McIlroy dominated at the Canadian Open, winning by seven strokes. That was his second win and sixth top-five finish this year.
Tiger fourth on oddsboard at +1100
Following the Big 3 on the U.S. Open odds at Bovada Sportsbook is three-time U.S. Open champion Tiger Woods at +1100. Woods won the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in 2000, his greatest major victory, by 15 strokes. Ten years later when the U.S. Open returned to Pebble Beach in 2010, he tied for fourth place.
In 2010, when Woods finished fourth, the winner was Graeme McDowell in his lone major victory. McDowell has missed the cut in four of the last six Opens and isn’t expected to contend this week as a +10000 long shot.
A few former U.S. Open champions returning this week who actually do have a shot at winning again include 2015 champ Jordan Spieth at +2000, 2013 champ Justin Rose at +2500 and 2012 champ Webb Simpson at +5000. Other long-shot former champs include 2014 winner Martin Kaymer at +10000, 2009 winner Lucas Glover at +15000 and 2003 winner Jim Furyk at +15000.
Mickelson offers value at +4000
If you want a value bet, look at Phil Mickelson at +4000. Mickelson has come up short at the U.S. Open multiple times in his career, having finished second five times. At Pebble Beach in 2010, he tied for fourth, but in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, part of which is played on the same course as this year’s U.S. Open, he’s won five times, including earlier this year.