Do you like those golf tournaments where guys are shooting in the 60s every round and the winner is double-digits under par? If so, the 2016 U.S. Open isn’t for you as it will be staged at perhaps the toughest course in America, at least how it’s set up this week: Oakmont Country Club outside Pittsburgh. The last time the tournament was held here was 2007 and there were only eight rounds in the 60s. The winner was Argentina’s Angel Cabrera at 5 over. If you can find a online sports betting line prop on whether the winner this week finishes under par, bet no.
Taking a Closer Look at the Betting Picks To Win The 2016 US Open Golf Tournament
American Phil Mickelson, who is looking to complete the career grand slam by winning his first U.S. Open title after a record six runner-up finishes, said that Oakmont might be the toughest course he has ever played. Mickelson missed the cut at Oakmont in 2007. Jordan Spieth, the reigning U.S. Open champion, said this week that: “I don’t see anyone finishing in red numbers.”
It’s the ninth time Oakmont has hosted the U.S. Open, more than any other course. There have only been 23 players who finished under par at this course in U.S. Open history (eight of those were in 1994). Its winner’s scoring average of 9 over is almost 11 shots higher than the overall U.S. Open average.
Rory McIlroy set a U.S. Open scoring record of 16 under at Congressional in 2011 in winning his first and only U.S. Open title. McIlroy won’t even approach 16 birdies this week. He said that there is always excitement going into the Masters. But at the U.S. Open this year at Oakmont? “It’s not excitement. It’s definitely not that. Trepidation. You know you’re going to be put under a lot of pressure on basically every single golf shot you hit out there. So you have to be prepared for that. You have to be prepared for how mentally demanding it’s going to be, how much concentration you’re going to need out there.”
So who might win this week? No golfer has won the U.S. Open in his first start in the event since amateur Francis Ouimet in 1913. There are 51 players making their first start this year at Oakmont, so rule them out. Each of the past 14 major champions, not just the U.S. Open, came into the event ranked 28th or better in the Official World Golf Rankings. Each of the past six U.S. Open champions had a previous finish in the top 18 at the U.S. Open.
I believe it’s one of these five guys and their golf odds — I don’t think Spieth is one of them since no one has repeated in this tournament in nearly 30 years:
Jason Day (+650): The world No. 1 has won seven times since late July and the Aussie has finished T9 or better in four of his last five U.S. Open starts. He also has the best cumulative score to par over the last five U.S. Opens and is one of only five players to make the cut at all five.
McIlroy (+750): He appears poised for another major title. A win in Ireland was followed by a T4 finish at the Memorial a few weeks ago, and McIlroy hasn’t finished worse than T12 in more than three months.
Dustin Johnson (+1200): He’s the only player to finish in the Top 5 of the past two U.S. Opens and should have won last year at Chambers Bay. This is my pick.
Justin Rose (+2500): Rose has been out for a few weeks with a back injury but is good enough to give it a go. Rose won this event the last time it was played in Pennsylvania, and his game fits virtually any U.S. Open venue. He also finished T10 at Oakmont in 2007.
Adam Scott (+2800): The Aussie has finished T9 or better at the U.S. Open each of the last two years. Scott leads the Tour in both strokes gained tee-to-green and strokes gained approach.
