U.S. Open Odds – McIlroy and Spieth Lead the Pack

Oh, Tiger Woods, where have you gone?

Going into the 115th U.S. Open at Chambers Bay in Washington (June 18-21), Woods recently played the worst 72-holes of golf in his career, finishing in last-place at Memorial on the weekend. Woods has looked dismal for the better part of the 2015 season and, as a result, is a 50/1 longshot to win his fourth U.S. Open.

Woods isn’t the only heavy hitter having his struggles. U.S. Open favorite Rory McIlroy (5/1) has also hit a bit of a rough patch, missing two-straight cuts (at the BMW Championship and Irish Open); however, the Northern Ireland native – who is one of four international golfers to win the tournament in the last five years – has proved that he can turn it on when in the spotlight and is poised to make a run at his second U.S. Open (2011).

McIlroy is joined at the top of the odds by 2015 Masters-winner Jordan Spieth (9/1). Spieth has been one of the most consistent golfers on tour all season and won the Masters wire-to-wire (just the fifth person to do so).

Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson (18/1) sits third in the odds (18/1) as the links-style course should favor his style of play.

Dustin Johnson and Justin Rose (both 20/1) round out the top-five, while last year’s winner, Martin Kaymer (45/1), isn’t being given much of a chance to become the first back-to-back champ since Curtis Strange in 1988-89 (even though Kaymer fired consecutive 65s in the first two rounds last year to set a U.S. Open record).

2015 U.S. Open Favorites:

Rory McIlroy: 5/1

Jordan Spieth: 9/1

Phil Mickelson: 18/1

Dustin Johnson: 20/1

Justin Rose: 20/1

Martin Kaymer: 45/1

Tiger Woods: 50/1

2015 U.S. Open Pick:

Betting wise, without Woods dominating as he once did, picking the winner of any major is a bit of a crapshoot. McIlroy is getting a lot of play, as is the hot Spieth, who was dominant at the Masters and has been more consistent than the other favorites this year. At 9/1, Spieth looks like the best value on the board.

(Photo credit: Supergolfdude (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. Photo has been cropped.)