US Open Golf Odds Favor Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson’s Withdrawal Costs Sportsbooks

Posted on: June 12, 2017, 03:00h. 

Last updated on: June 12, 2017, 02:58h.

Casino.org Staff Writer Read More
Expertise: Commercial Gaming.

The golf odds at Las Vegas sportsbooks for this week’s US Open at Erin Hills unsurprisingly put defending champ Dustin Johnson in the frontrunner position for the second straight major.

golf odds Dustin Johnson US Open
Can anyone prevent Dustin Johnson from winning back-to-back US Opens? The golf odds like his chances of repeating. (Image: David Cannon/Getty Images)

The Westgate SuperBook has DJ at 7-1 as of Monday morning to win in Wisconsin. He’s followed by 2014 US Open and four-time major titleholder Rory McIlroy, 2015 Masters and US Open champ Jordan Spieth, and 2015 PGA Championship winner Jason Day, all at 12-1.

Rickie Fowler and Jon Rahm are next at 15-1, then Justin Rose, the winner at Merion, at 20-1, and Henrik Stenson, Justin Thomas, Brooke Koepka, and Thomas Pieters at 30-1.

Johnson, the number one ranked player in the world, was a big favorite to win at Augusta in April. The SuperBook had Johnson at just 6-1 to win his first green jacket, but after falling down stairs and injuring his back the Wednesday before the tournament, DJ withdrew the morning of the first round.

Once again healthy, the 15-time PGA Tour winner has already won three times in this year’s wraparound schedule. However, he’s coming off a missed cut at the Memorial Tournament where he shot a puzzling 78-74.

No Phil or Tiger

Tiger Woods won’t be competing at the US Open this week. That should come as no surprise to anyone who’s been paying attention to the sports in recent weeks.

The 14-time major winner and three-time US Open champ had previously withdrawn from the tournament citing ongoing injuries, but was also arrested on suspicion of DUI in late May.

Phil Mickelson, however, is a surprising no-show at Erin Hills. Lefty needs only a US Open victory to become just the sixth man to win the career Grand Slam (Masters, US Open, Open Championship, and PGA Championship).

But Mickelson says family comes first, and he’ll skip Erin Hills to be at home in California in order to attend his daughter Amanda’s high school graduation. “As I look back on life, this is a moment I’ll always cherish and be glad I was present,” Mickelson explained.   

Unfortunately for sportsbooks’ golf odds, a US Open without Woods and Mickelson is an Open that will see fewer bets. Perhaps the two most popular, and certainly most dominant figures in the sport over the last two decades, Tiger and Phil routinely attract heavy action when they step up to the first tee.

According to Jeff Sherman, golf oddsmaker at the SuperBook, prior to Mickelson’s withdrawal, more money had been bet on him (except D. Johnson) to win the US Open than any other player. Those bets will all be returned.

Prop Wagers

Golf sports betting always provides fun prop bets to coincide with the outright winner offerings. Online sportsbook Bovada asks whether they’ll be a hole-in-one, with “Yes” the surprising favorite at -130, and “No” at even money.

There’s also a line on the odds of an albatross (-3 par on one hole, or double eagle). The line is set at 12-1, not exactly too long considering the rarity of such a feat.

There’s been just two double eagles in the history of the tournament, Nick Watney at the Olympic Club in 2012, and Chen Tze-chung at Oakland Hills in 1985.