Australian Open Golf Betting Preview: Spieth, Scott Head Market for Tournament

A host of former champions, including world No. 5 Jordan Spieth and world No. 7 Adam Scott, front up for the opening event of the Australian summer golf season, the Australian Open, to be held at Royal Sydney starting this Thursday.

Spieth, the 2014 champion, and Scott, who won the Stonehaven Cup back in 2009, finished tied for second in this tournament a year ago, a shot adrift of Matt Jones.

Given they are both major winners, and their respective world rankings, it's hardly a surprise that they stand clear of the rest in terms of the betting market. Spieth is a $4.00 favorite to win the event, according to website AustralianGambling, with Scott at $4.50.

That matchup is likely to draw much of the attention over the four days, with the market on head-to-head across the entire tournament weighted in Spieth's favor at $1.83 to $1.93.

But the best-backed golfer ahead of the tournament has been a suddenly in-form Rod Pampling. Pampling won the recent Shriners Open on the PGA Tour, his first win on that tour in 10 years.

Pampling, 47, finished fourth in this tournament last year and was second in 2014, six shots behind Spieth. According to AustralianGambling, Pampling had been $201 to win the Australian Open before his win in the United States, but he is now $21.

2006 US Open winner Geoff Ogilvy, who lifted the Stonehaven Cup at The Lakes in 2010, is third pick at $19.

There are two other former Australian Open winners joining Pampling on the $21 mark, John Senden and Aaron Baddeley.

Both Senden (2006) and Baddeley (1999) won the tournament at this course, while Baddeley also won the tournament in 2000 when it was held at Kingston Heath in Melbourne.

Baddeley's success in 1999 as an 18-year-old remains the only time in the past 56 years that an amateur has won the tournament.

In terms of emerging talent at this year's tournament, 23-year-old Cameron Smith, who stunned everyone when finishing within two shots of winner Spieth at the 2015 US Open, is also at $21.

Venezuelan journeyman Jhonattan Vegas is $26, while Aussie veteran Greg Chalmers is $34.

The tournament is worth A$1.25 million and features 156 players. Defending champion Jones will not be among them as he decided to play on the US Tour.