British Open Odds 2015: Breakdown and Analysis of Top Favorites' Chances

Jordan Spieth is used to playing the most pristine and beautiful American golf courses, and he has shown he can dominate the field no matter where he goes in North America.

Spieth has a new challenge as he prepares to play in the British Open at St. Andrews. Spieth may have gotten in a few practice rounds on the venerable golf course, but he is not as familiar competing on a links-style course and it could be an issue that keeps him from earning his third major championship of the year.

But given the way Spieth has played this year—four tour victories, including the Masters and the U.S. Open—he may just settle into his comfort zone at this ancient course.

Bettors are certainly backing Spieth in his opportunity to earn his third major of the year. Spieth is a 9-2 favorite, according to Odds Shark, and those odds have remained steady throughout the week.

The key to Spieth's chances may be his ability to handle the intense pressure that will be on him when he tees off on Thursday and will only increase as the tournament progresses. While it's true that Spieth has handled pressure quite gracefully to this point in his career, the load on his shoulders will only increase if he remains in contention.

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

His game is certainly solid enough to deserve the favorite's role. Spieth may not be one of the longest hitters on the tour as he averages 291.0 yards per drive, and that ranks 76th on the tour. However, he gains 1.653 strokes tee to green, and that ranks third on the tour.

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Birdies, birdies, birdies. Jordan Spieth's formula for #TheOpen is actually pretty simple: http://t.co/Ks1MiuKmqw pic.twitter.com/eW3WrEfYvu

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) July 15, 2015"

He doesn't make mistakes after he tees the ball up, and in the four tournaments he has won, his putter has been quite efficient.

Dustin Johnson is the second betting favorite and 10-1, and despite his failure on the last hole of the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay last month, his odds have been getting closer to Spieth's as the week has moved along.

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3 players finished in the top-10 in both the Masters & US Open this year: Spieth, Rory and Dustin Johnson.

— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGC) July 15, 2015"

Matt York/Associated Press

Johnson is the longest hitter on the tour, and St. Andrews tends to favor the big hitters. When Johnson is on his game, he also does well on his approach shots, and that allows him to put a ton of pressure on the field.

But until Johnson shows he can make the biggest shots in the final round, he seems like a rather dubious proposition.

Louis Oosthuizen has great memories when it comes to St. Andrews because he won the British Open there in 2012. Additionally, he was on top of his game at the U.S. Open as he finished in a tie for second. He played extremely well in the second, third and fourth rounds after playing poor golf in the opening round. 

Oosthuizen has generous odds of 22-1, and he would provide a very solid payoff to his backers if he could make it two British Opens in a row at St. Andrews.

Englishman Justin Rose is rated at odds of 18-1, and he will have extra support at the tournament. However, he will also face added pressure, and the eighth-ranked player in the World Golf Rankings will need to get off to a sharp start or he will risk being labeled as a disappointment.

Rose is very familiar with links golf, and he has the all-around game to remain in the mix throughout the weekend. Rose hits the ball an average of 299.2 yards off the tee and reaches the greens in regulation 69.98 percent of the time. He's also an excellent bunker player, and that should be a big factor at hazard-laden St. Andrews.

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Justin Rose believes his experience at the Scottish Open will benefit him at this week’s Open: http://t.co/Q73TfFr3A4 pic.twitter.com/fxCRs48m89

— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) July 15, 2015"

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

Rickie Fowler may not have played well at the U.S. Open when he failed to make the cut, but he has won twice this year, including his win last week at the Scottish Open. In that tournament, he birdied three of the final four holes to claim the victory, and he may be well worth the investment at odds of 14-1.

Adam Scott of Australia is picking up quite a bit of support at a price of 20-1. Scott is a former Masters champion, and while he can be a bit erratic with the putter, he is considered one of the best ball strikers in the world. 

He believes he is ready to make a run at the Claret Jug. "There's no doubt I've obviously played well at The Open the last few years. I felt I had my hand on the trophy one of the years and I let it slip," he told Australian SportsFan.com. 

"Last year I got on the wrong side of the draw and still had a good result. I don't want to say it might owe me one, but I'd like to play well this week and have a chance and it might go my way."

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All betting odds information provided by Odds Shark.