US Open 2015 Odds: Early Lines and Predictions for Top Sleepers in the Field
The world's best descend on the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay golf course in University Place, Washington, and this time the focus needs to go to the underdogs.
Remember last year? Germany's Martin Kaymer came out of a relative batch of unknowns to seize the title in North Carolina, besting a field with ease thanks to a 271, good for a lead of eight strokes.
Las Vegas offers plenty of underdogs to choose from this year. Using last year as a lesson, bettors will want to remain brave and take a pass on some of the top dogs such as Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth to come out ahead.
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There's plenty to choose from in the underdogs department, so let's take a look at some of the top choices in the field.
2015 U.S. Open Odds
| Rory McIlroy | 7-1 |
| Jordan Spieth | 8-1 |
| Dustin Johnson | 16-1 |
| Justin Rose | 18-1 |
| Phil Mickelson | 18-1 |
| Rickie Fowler | 18-1 |
| Adam Scott | 25-1 |
| Henrik Stenson | 25-1 |
| Bubba Watson | 33-1 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | 33-1 |
| Jason Day | 33-1 |
| Jim Furyk | 33-1 |
| Jimmy Walker | 33-1 |
| Sergio Garcia | 33-1 |
| Martin Kaymer | 40-1 |
| Matt Kuchar | 40-1 |
| Patrick Reed | 40-1 |
| Billy Horschel | 50-1 |
| Brandt Snedeker | 50-1 |
| Brooks Koepka | 50-1 |
| Tiger Woods | 50-1 |
| Byeong Hun An | 66-1 |
| J.B. Holmes | 66-1 |
| Keegan Bradley | 66-1 |
| Lee Westwood | 66-1 |
| Paul Casey | 66-1 |
| Ryan Moore | 66-1 |
| Zach Johnson | 66-1 |
Odds courtesy of Odds Shark and updated as of June 15
Top Sleepers
Matt Kuchar
Look, Matt Kuchar won't blow anyone away with his recent performances, but this is all about playing the odds as best as possible from a trend and predictive standpoint.
Kuchar's a veteran with plenty of experience at this particular tournament. Sure, it hurts he missed the cut at the Players Championship in May, then tied for 39th at the AT&T Byron Nelson and tied for 26th at the Memorial Tournament.
But there's still a lot to like. Last year at the same event, Kuchar tied for 12th, and since 2010 he features three top-15 finishes, including a sixth-place tally.
Even better, at PGATour.com, he ranks seventh in strokes-gained putting (.609) and just inside the top 20 in total strokes gained (1.003). At a tricky course like Chambers Bay, putting mastery will make a difference, to say the least.
Recent momentum might not help Kuchar's outlook in the eyes of bettors, but he is the owner of five top-five finishes dating back to last October. He's a proven winner with the right set of skills for this month's course, so bank on a strong performance.
Prediction: Kuchar finishes top 10.
Sergio Garcia
The last time folks saw Sergio Garcia, he was dropping a heartbreaking playoff at the Players Championship, finishing all but one round under 70 and looking like one of the best players on the tour.
Garcia's back and it's hard to argue with his numbers, especially the fourth rank in tee-to-green strokes gained (1.563) and sixth slot in total strokes gained (1.565). It's a different approach than Kuchar, sure, but just as effective.
There's no reason to sleep on the world No. 8, who always seems to find his way into the conversation at major events thanks to sheer creativity and skill off the tee. He's a veteran of this event, too, with a pair of top-10 finishes dating back to 2009.
Look for Garcia to once again insert himself into the conversation late as he adapts to the course over the final two days, his talent off the tee helping him to push up the leaderboard.
Prediction: Garcia finishes top 12.
Keegan Bradley
What's not to like about Keegan Bradley going into the U.S. Open?
The young contender posted top-three performances at the Hero World Challenge and Franklin Templeton Shootout, tied for fourth at the Northern Trust Open, fifth at the Shell Houston Open and just tied for eighth at the Memorial Tournament.
To top it all off, last year was Bradley's best performance at this tournament, where he finished tied for fourth. This year, it sounds as if he likes what he sees about Chambers Bay, too:
If bettors want stats as reinforcements, look no further than his top-14 ranks in tee-to-green strokes gained and total strokes gained, as well as his second-place rank in total driving.
At a tournament lined with unpredictable winners in recent years, Bradley's not a bad bet as far as investment cost goes. He seems on the upswing with numbers and performances to back it up, so anything less than a performance similar to his outing last year would be a disappointment.
Prediction: Bradley finishes top five.
Stats and info courtesy of PGATour.com unless otherwise specified.
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