Olympic Golf Odds: British Open Champion Stenson Favored to Win Gold in Rio

He may not have been a favorite to win any of the four major golf titles this year, but British Open champion Henrik Stenson of Sweden is listed as +575 chalk (bet $100 to win $575) to take home the gold medal in the men's golf tournament at the Rio Summer Olympics at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark.

Golf has not been an Olympic sport since 1904, and the field competing for gold is somewhat limited due to the threat of the Zika virus.

Big names like Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth of the United States, Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Jason Day of Australia chose not to participate in the 2016 Olympics because of health concerns—but Stenson is not the lone major winner to compete in Rio.

England’s Danny Willett won the Masters back in April, and he is +2200 to win gold behind eight other top contenders, including Stenson, the favorite.

Right behind the Swede in those Olympic odds is Spain’s Sergio Garcia, the +750 second choice; England’s Justin Rose (+1300); Americans Bubba Watson (+1400), Patrick Reed (+1400), Rickie Fowler (+1400) and Matt Kuchar (+1600); and Germany’s Martin Kaymer (+1600).

Of that group, Rose, Watson and Kaymer have all won majors on the PGA Tour.

Garcia is an intriguing golfer, considering he has never won a major. The pressure has always seemed to get the best of him, but perhaps the Summer Olympics could be less stressful for him. If that's the case, he might be able to finally come through when it matters the most.

Garcia missed the cut at the PGA Championship most recently and placed fifth in both the British Open and U.S. Open earlier this year. In addition, Reed, Fowler and Kuchar are interesting choices because they too have come close in majors only to fall short.

The Olympic tournament will get underway on Thursday at the Rio course built in the neighborhood of Barra da Tijuca. The format will be a 72-hole individual stroke play tourney following PGA rules, with a three-hole playoff then taking place if there are any ties for the first three places in order to award individual gold, silver and bronze medals.