US Open Odds 2015: Locating Top Vegas Bets in Thursday's Field
Parity tends to make sports more exciting, and perhaps none of them feature more than golf does currently. It seems as though almost anyone can win on a weekly basis, and that notion holds true entering the 2015 U.S. Open.
While there will certainly be plenty of focus on current top players such as Rory McIlroy and reigning Masters champion Jordan Spieth, as well as legends like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, the field runs far deeper than that.
The U.S. Open has featured plenty of shocking winners over the years with Michael Campbell, Geoff Ogilvy, Lucas Glover and Webb Simpson serving as prime examples since 2005. Another unheralded golfer could very well add his name to that list at Chambers Bay, but the better-known competitors won't step aside without a fight.
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Before play begins Thursday at the U.S. Open, here is a look at the latest betting odds and a rundown of the golfers who represent the best bang for your buck.
U.S. Open Winning Odds (courtesy of OddsShark)
| Rory McIlroy | 7-1 |
| Jordan Spieth | 8-1 |
| Phil Mickelson | 16-1 |
| Dustin Johnson | 18-1 |
| Justin Rose | 18-1 |
| Rickie Fowler | 18-1 |
| Henrik Stenson | 25-1 |
| Adam Scott | 28-1 |
| Bubba Watson | 28-1 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | 28-1 |
| 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 |
| Ryan Moore | 50-1 |
| Tiger Woods | 50-1 |
| Byeong Hun An | 66-1 |
| Keegan Bradley | 66-1 |
| Lee Westwood | 66-1 |
| Paul Casey | 66-1 |
| Zach Johnson | 66-1 |
Breaking Down Top Values in Field
Martin Kaymer
While Martin Kaymer is a two-time major champion and the defending U.S. Open winner, the 30-year-old German enters the 2015 U.S. Open without massive expectations on his shoulders.
He is a 40-1 shot to repeat, which is somewhat surprising considering the fact that he dominated the 2014 tournament so thoroughly to the tune of an eight-stroke triumph. The lack of hype might bother some players, but Kaymer doesn't seem to have a problem with it, according to Dave Skretta of The Associated Press (h/t Yahoo.com):
"A lot of times I'm under the radar, I feel like, which is fine. Obviously the other guys, they should get a lot of credit for what they've done."
Perhaps Kaymer's installation as a relative long shot has something to do with how he followed up his previous major win at the 2010 PGA Championship. Many figured that performance would launch him to superstardom, but that wasn't the case.
He missed the cut at the 2011 PGA Championship and didn't record another top-10 result at a major until winning the 2014 U.S. Open. Now that Kaymer has experienced winning a huge tournament for the second time, he feels as though he is better prepared, per Ewan Murray of the Guardian:
"Now, I am very proud. This is something you can be very proud of: to win a major is nice but to win two and the way I did it last year, you should be very proud of your achievement. That's the way I will approach Chambers Bay. I will try to use all the positives that I experienced last year, take that into the first and second rounds and then see where I am.
"
Kaymer only has one top-10 finish in eight PGA Tour events this year and missed the cut at the Masters, but form isn't always a great indicator of how a golfer will perform at a major.
The fact that he has proved that he knows how to win on the big stage shouldn't be overlooked, and it makes him a great value bet at 40-1.
Jason Day
Jason Day is one of the best players in the world who hasn't yet won a major, but there is reason to believe that distinction could finally change at the 2015 U.S. Open.
The talented Aussie is seemingly always in the mix in majors, but that is especially true at the U.S. Open. He has finished fourth or better in three of the past four years, including second-place results in both 2011 and 2013.
Even though Day has shown an ability to hang with the big boys at the U.S. Open, he is only a 33-1 shot to win at Chambers Bay. That seems like a high number considering the fact that he has consistently been the best golfer at the U.S. Open over the past four years, according to Golf Central:
Much has been made of the Chambers Bay course and how difficult it could be. It is different from most other U.S. Open venues in that it has links-like qualities, but Day is still confident that he can compete for the title.
As reported by Will Gray of GolfChannel.com, Day believes the mentality he has leaned on over the years at the U.S. Open will be beneficial to him this week:
"They're going to be able to set the course up to where I think it's very challenging, but in a way that they're going to try and find the best player that's going to win around here. And I don't have any problem with it. I keep saying to people, U.S. Open is all about controlling your attitude, controlling your emotional level and your stress levels out there because it can be a very frustrating week if you let it be.
"
It can be argued that Day's inability to seal the deal at the U.S. Open will prevent him from winning once again, but his experience in big moments is something that should help him rather than hurt him.
He also scored a big victory earlier in the year at the Farmers Insurance Open that saw him beat out three other players in a playoff, which suggests that he is ready to break out.
Day has had his fingertips on the trophy many times at the U.S. Open, and that makes him a very smart bet with 33-1 odds attached.
Dustin Johnson
Much like Day, "the big one" has eluded Dustin Johnson to this point. The 30-year-old American is capable of throwing down some incredible rounds, but he simply hasn't been able to put together four great ones in succession at a major yet.
Even so, DJ is usually a factor in the main tournaments. He has eight career top-10 finishes in majors, including a fourth-place result at the U.S. Open last year. He also finished sixth at the 2015 Masters, and he is in the midst of a very strong season.
Johnson won the WGC-Cadillac Championship in March, and he very nearly took the Northern Trust Open before falling in a playoff. All the pieces seem to be in place for Johnson, although there is some concern after he withdrew from the FedEx St. Jude Classic last week.
While the official reasoning given was illness-related, ESPN.com's Jason Sobel speculates that it was simply a self-preservation move made since Johnson wasn't performing particularly well:
Provided Johnson is healthy ahead of the U.S. Open, there is every reason to believe that he will be competitive and among the top contenders at Chambers Bay.
While Johnson is tied for fourth with Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler as far as the betting lines are concerned, behind only McIlroy, Spieth and Mickelson, he still represents great value at 18-1.
It feels like it is only a matter of time before Johnson fulfills his destiny as a major winner, and he has as good of a shot as anyone to finally get the job done at the 2015 U.S. Open.
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