British Open Field 2015: Predictions and Vegas Betting Odds for Notable Sleepers

First-ballot favorites like Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson may be in favorable positions to make a run at the 2015 British Open, but the stage could be set for a sleeper to reign supreme at the Old Course at St. Andrews.

The hype is undoubtedly huge for Spieth as he tries to win his third consecutive major and keep hope for a Grand Slam alive, but things are rather up in the air past his huge favorite status. With the injury to Rory McIlroy, Spieth is the only golfer with better than 10-1 odds and one of just four under 20-1.

The wide-open feel of this major is certain to produce some sleeper candidates fighting for the championship in the latter rounds, so let's take a look at three golfers who just might surprise the field.

2015 British Open Odds

Player	Odds
Jordan Spieth	5-1
Dustin Johnson	11-1
Rickie Fowler	16-1
Justin Rose	18-1
Adam Scott	20-1
Henrik Stenson	20-1
Louis Oosthuizen	22-1
Tiger Woods	25-1
Jason Day	28-1
Bubba Watson	33-1
Hideki Matsuyama	33-1
Paul Casey	33-1
Phil Mickelson	33-1
Sergio Garcia	33-1
Martin Kaymer	35-1
Shane Lowry	35-1
Branden Grace	40-1
Brandt Snedeker	40-1
Matt Kuchar	45-1
Brooks Koepka	50-1
Patrick Reed	50-1

Odds courtesy of Odds Shark, last updated July 14

Notable Sleepers

Matt Kuchar: 45-1

Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

When it comes to a golf game tailor-made for the Old Course, Matt Kuchar may not be one's first selection, but he's awfully high up the list.

The 37-year-old's mastery around the massive greens of St. Andrews should play to his advantage in a big way. His putting statistics on the PGA Tour are among the best out there, ranking seventh in strokes gained putting, eighth in eagles and second in one-putt percentage.

His tempered start to the 2015 season has lowered his odds, but Kuchar is beginning to turn a quarter in the second half of the calendar year. He finished worse than 15th in 11 consecutive tournament appearances but posted a 12th-place finish at the U.S. Open and came in second in last weekend's Scottish Open.

If Kuchar can build off of his improvements at the Scottish Open and continue that momentum into his early rounds Thursday and Friday, his experience should play well into his favor come Saturday and Sunday.

Jimmy Walker: 55-1

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Long overlooked in the golf universe over the last several years, Jimmy Walker has burst into the top tier of major contenders as he proves his game is among the most consistent in the sport.

His FedEx Cup points disparity to Spieth may be gaping, but Walker can rest easy knowing he's easily in second place thus far in the FedEx Cup. That goes to prove his consistency, which he began to showcase in 2014 during his Ryder Cup season.

It's Walker's balanced game that could prove beneficial at St. Andrews. While his driving distance is strong at 17th on the tour, he's even better on the greens. His .844 strokes gained on the greens is tops on the PGA Tour, and his birdie average ranks fourth.

The 36-year-old posted his best career finish at each of the four majors throughout 2014, but the Open was the lone tournament in which he failed to finish in the top 10. Walker will be ready to change that this time around on a course that better suits his game.

Jim Furyk: 70-1

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

No, this isn't a typo. Jim Furyk really is that much of a sleeper for this year's British Open.

Spectacularly enough, there are 25 golfers ranked ahead of Furyk in terms of Odds Shark numbers for the tournament. That's despite his win at the RBC Heritage Open back in April, one of three top-10 finishes in his last six tournaments played, including the WGC Match Play and the Memorial Tournament.

If Furyk can continue hitting well from tee to green, in which he ranks eighth in strokes gained, he'll be able to put himself in favorable positions with his flat stick. His putting has been hit-or-miss throughout 2015, but few golfers have the ability to get hotter on the greens.

Furyk's major success hasn't eluded him since his lone breakthrough at the 2003 U.S. Open, and he tied his best finish at the Open last year with a fourth-place outing. Seven of the last eight Open winners at St. Andrews already had a major on their resume, and Furyk could add to that list.