U.S. Open 2016 Odds: Predictions for Top Contenders at Oakmont
Which one of the Big Three will assert himself at Oakmont Country Club this weekend and win the 2016 U.S. Open?
Will Dustin Johnson overcome years of frustration and finally win his first major championship?
Will it be more heartbreak for Phil Mickelson, or is this the year he breaks through at the year's second major?
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Here's our look at how the U.S. Open will play out for the top contenders.
Jason Day
The No. 1 golfer in the world has all the shots needed to be at or near the top at Oakmont. Day is the top-ranked golfer in the World Golf Ranking and the FedEx Cup, and the 28-year-old Australian superstar has been playing at a different level since winning the PGA Championship last summer.
Day's power off the tee is impressive, but the reasons he has risen to the No. 1 spot in the world are his iron play and approach shots. He has the ability to dominate in that aspect and consistently put his shots within 10-12 feet of the hole.
Day is the co-favorite in the event, with odds of plus-700 (bet $100 to win $700), according to Odds Shark, and the expectation is he will find a way to be standing on top of the mountain Sunday evening.
| Jason Day | +700 | Champion | Superb game and the ability to come through in the clutch. |
| Rory McIlroy | +700 | 13th | Lacks the consistency to remain in contention for 72 holes. |
| Jordan Spieth | +800 | 4th | Solid showing—but not in championship form. |
| Dustin Johnson | +1,400 | 15th | Too many mistakes on the key holes. |
| Justin Rose | +2,800 | 12th | Three good rounds and one bad one keeps him from a top-10 finish. |
| Phil Mickelson | +2,800 | 2nd | Another heartbreaking second-place finish at the U.S. Open. |
| Rickie Fowler | +2,800 | 25th | Should be his time, but he has slipped recently. |
| Adam Scott | +2,800 | 7th | Only one major to his credit. |
| Henrik Stenson | +3,300 | 10th | Finishes strong after ordinary start. |
| Hideki Matsuyama | +3,300 | 17th | Starts well but falls short over final 36 holes. |
Jordan Spieth
All eyes are on Spieth, and much of the golf world is wondering how he will respond after blowing up during the final round of the Masters and losing what would have been his second consecutive green jacket.
While Spieth has since won the Dean & DeLuca Invitational at Colonial, the memory of losing a five-stroke lead on the back nine at Augusta will be difficult for him to overcome. The numbers say everything is good with Spieth's game, as he ranks third in the FedEx Cup and second in the World Golf Ranking.
Spieth won the U.S. Open last year at Chambers Bay, and he comes to Oakmont with odds of plus-800, per Odds Shark, and his putting should keep him in contention. But look for Spieth to finish in fourth place in this tournament, failing to chase down the winner.
Rory McIlroy
It appears that McIlroy has slipped a bit compared to Day and Spieth, as he is the 31st-ranked player in the FedEx Cup, although he is still the No. 3 player in the world.
However, it would be foolish to count out the 27-year-old McIlroy in any major tournament. He has 19 victories worldwide throughout his career, and his length off the tee gives him a chance to have his way on the par fives.
McIlroy picked up a win at the Irish Open earlier this year, but his game has been impacted by a bit of inconsistency, as he has made too many bogeys recently. McIlroy is a co-favorite at plus-700, per Odds Shark, but it will be difficult for him to break into the top 10 unless his putting is sensational. McIlroy finishes 13th at Oakmont.
Phil Mickelson
Mickelson's overall golf career has been about meeting challenges head-on and overcoming them, but that's not the story at the U.S. Open. He has never been able to win this tournament, and while he has finished second six times, his inability to win has kept him from earning the career Grand Slam.
Mickelson has five major championships to his credit, and he has 45 victories overall in his career. The 46-year-old may be nearing the end of his opportunities to win major championships, but his window remains open right now.
He ranks 15th in FedEx Cup points and 17th in the World Golf Ranking, and his ability to create game-changing shots makes him one of the game's most compelling golfers of the last 25 years. However, Mickelson's creativity is countered by his willingness to put himself at risk at the worst possible moments.
Mickelson comes into the U.S. Open at odds of plus-2,800, per Odds Shark, and we will see a memorable performance that allows him to finish second yet again.
Dustin Johnson
Johnson was in control of the U.S. Open last year until the final hole at Chambers Bay, when his putter failed him. He had a 12-foot eagle putt that would have won the tournament outright, and a short birdie opportunity that would have put him in a playoff. Instead, he three-putted and finished in second.
Johnson is one of the game's most physically gifted players, and he ranks seventh in the FedEx Cup and sixth in the World Golf Ranking. However, the 31-year-old is still looking for his first major championship, and there are no guarantees he will ever get it.
Johnson is the fourth-highest choice in the tournament at plus-1,400, per Odds Shark, but Oakmont's challenging rough may be too much for him. The Chambers Bay collapse will stay with him, and Johnson will end up 15th in the 2016 U.S. Open.
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