Rory McIlroy: Latest Odds for Golf's Best Young Gun

Rory McIlroy will tee up on Thursday at the Olympic Club in San Francisco in an attempt to become the first man to win back-to-back US Opens since Curtis Strange in 1989, and he will do so as one of the favorites. 

Bovada has McIlroy listed as a 10-1 favorite to win the grand tournament. This is second only to Tiger Woods at 6-1, and is tied with Lee Westwood.

McIlroy's status as a favorite is built more on his reputation and talent than his current play. Rory entered last week's St. Jude Classic in a desperation attempt to find his disappearing game. 

Prior to that, McIlroy had missed three straight cuts. He was in terrible form, but those struggles faded into the past as he surged to the lead of the St. Jude. In fact, he had a chance to enter the clubhouse with the lead.  

Then, standing on 18, he drilled his tee shot into the water and double bogeyed the hole. As a result, he went from the verge of victory to finishing tied for seventh.

It was a disheartening finish for a player that was battling wounded confidence, and this is the memory that McIlroy has to carry with him into this week.

McIlroy has been erratic with his driver and irons, and he is struggling with his putter. This is a recipe for disaster on a US Open course. 

Let this serve as a warning. You should look at those 10-1 odds and walk right on by; that is a terrible bet.