US Open Odds 2019: Latest Vegas Lines for Underrated Sleepers in the Field

The U.S. Open is often considered the most difficult of all the majors.

The courses are set up to punish players who can't keep the ball in the fairway, and deep rough, ponderous bunkers and significant water hazards await players who can't keep the ball straight.

This year's U.S. Open is at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Monterey County, California, and while that course can be tamed during the early months of the season, it can be quite another story in the U.S. Open. This is the sixth time the course has hosted a U.S. Open.

Still, it is a course that the best players in the world are familiar with, and with stars like Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, and Tiger Woods in the field, this is a tournament filled with exciting possibilities.

Golf fans will be able to watch the tournament on Fox, and the broadcasts get underway on Fox Sports 1 Thursday and Friday from 12:30-7:30 p.m. The Fox network takes over from 7:30-10:30 p.m., and Fox broadcasts Saturday from noon until 10 p.m. and Sunday from 2 p.m. until 10 p.m.

Koepka (15-2, per VegasInsider.com) has won back-to-back U.S. Open titles, and he will attempt to join Willie Anderson, who won three consecutive U.S. Opens from 1903 through 1905, in the record books. No other player has won three in a row. A bettor who wagers $20 on Koepka will win $150 if he is victorious in the tournament.

Woods (9-1) will attempt to win his second major of the year following his April victory in the Masters. McIlroy (8-1) is coming off a spectacular win at the RBC Canadian Open, and Johnson (8-1) has the length and shot-making ability to put his signature on the tournament.

However, the U.S. Open is so challenging that the favorites can find themselves on the outside looking in midway through the first round.

Sleepers can impact the tournament and potentially win it. For the purposes of this piece, we are looking at five players with odds of 50-1 or higher who have a chance to rise in the U.S. Open.

Henrik Stenson is not getting much respect from the handicappers because he starts the week at 55-1 to win the U.S. Open. The Swede has six PGA Tour victories to his credit and 13 more overseas. He has 47 career top-10 finishes and has won more than $30 million in his career.

The 43-year-old won the 2016 British Open and has finished in the top three of five other majors.

Stenson has the power and strength to take over any tournament, and while he is 94th in FedEx points this year, he can get hot at any time and has an intimidating presence. 

If it's a lack of respect to see Stenson at 55-1, it's a shock to see Germany's Martin Kaymer at 75-1. He won the U.S. Open in 2014 and recently finished third in the Memorial Tournament.

The 34-year-old had the lead through much of the Memorial, but he was not at his best during final round. If he needed that to tighten his game, it could all come together for him at Pebble Beach.

Louis Oosthuizen is another golfer to consider at the remarkable odds of 80-1. The diminutive South African could have a chance here because of his accuracy. When he is on his game, he can manipulate the ball to the best spots on the course.

The 36-year-old finished tied for second earlier this year in the Valspar Championship, and he ranks 58th in FedEx Cup points and has won more than $1.4 million this year. He won the 2010 British Open title, and he has finished second in four other majors.

American Keegan Bradley is a shocking 125-1 to win the U.S. Open. He is 72nd in FedEx Cup points this year and has earned more than $1.1 million. He has two top-10 finishes this year, and four PGA Tour victories in his career. The 33-year-old has one major championship to his credit, as he earned the PGA Championship in 2011.

Kevin Na is also 125-1, and considering he ranks 30th in FedEx Cup points, he appears to be a major overlay.

The 35-year-old won the Charles Schwab Challenge earlier this year, and he has three top-10 finishes this season along with more than $2.1 million in earnings. 

All player stats courtesy of PGATour.com.