2011 British Open Odds: The Top 5 American Golfers at Royal St George's

The odds for the 2011 British Open reflect what even casual golf fans know: the state of American golf is not what it once was. It wasn't that long ago that finding the five Americans with the lowest odds to win any major was as simple as scanning the top 10.

Even at the British, where the blustery conditions, deep rough and hard greens of the links coursed sets up for a style of golf completely alien to almost all American courses, Americans were always among the favorites.

Well after the rise of golfers around the world, the disappearance of Tiger Woods, the shortcomings of America's young talent in majors we have gone five major tournaments without an American champion in a major, and not people expecting there to be one anytime soon.

So let's take a look at the odds for Bodog Sports for this tournament and review the five Americans with the lowest odds and talk about their hopes of snapping the American's drought in Major championships.

No. 5: Phil Mickelson 40/1

40/1 on Mickelson at a major? Sign me up! Mickelson isn't playing his best golf at the moment, but 40/1 for a golfer of his caliber seems way too high. 

The thing is is that Mickleson is not such a high caliber golfer on links style courses, and his history at the British proves that. Mickelson has spent his British career looking like a regular hacker using profanity as his 14th club. 

Mickelson has teed off in 17 British Opens, but only in 2004 has he ever finished in the top ten. On top of that, he has only finished in the top 25 five times. That is a remarkable stat for a player of his caliber.

He should never be considered a favorite at the British Open. His style of play just isn't suited for the high winds that invariably come with British Open Golf. Mickelson prefers a high lofted approach to a pitch and run. It is the most spectacular part of his game, and that is part of the game that needs to be left in the bag at the British.

No. 4: Dustin Johnson 40/1

Dustin Johnson has all the tools to dominate major championship golf, and he has...for three rounds. Johnson was fixture atop major championships.

He took a lead into the final day of the U.S. Open before crumbling, and then was set to go into a playoff with a chance to win the PGA Championship only to be undone by a ruling determining he grounded his club in bunker on the 18th.

Johnson does not have a victory in 2011, and he has been underwhelming in the majors. He was tied for 38th at the 2011 Masters and tied for 23rd at the U.S. Open.

Beyond that though, much like Mickelson, Johnson’s game is not well suited for the British Open. He is a long driver with spotty accuracy and he prefers high lofted approach shots. 

In his first Open, in 2009, he shot 78-76 and missed the cut. He performed better in 2010 shooting 69-72-69-74, which was good enough for a 13th place finish, but these results are not good enough to convince me he is going to be a contender this year.

No. 3: Matt Kuchar 35/1

Matt Kuchar is one of the tour's most consistent and hard working players. These two qualities led to him being the tour's leading money winner in 2010, but they have not led to him winning a major yet. However, he has been close, and he seems to be on the verge of breaking through. 

Kuchar has finished in the top 27 in his last six majors. As a further testament to his consistency, he has nine top 10’s and 12 top 20’s already in 2011, and he hasn't missed a cut this year.

I am not looking for Kuchar's major breakthrough to come at the British. His 27th place finish at last year's British was the highest of his career.

That 27th place finish was the only time he has made the cut in six tries at the British. I'd love to say that Kuchar has a chance, but with that record at the British, forget it.

No. 2: Steve Stricker 30/1

By all accounts Steve Stricker should be America's best hope for this British Open. He has a solid history at the British Open in 2007 and 2008 he finished eighth and seventh respectively.

Stricker has also been playing fantastic in 2011. And he is at the peak of that fantastic(ness) as he is rolling into the 2011 British Open with a victory in last week's John Deere Classic.

That has to be a recipe for success, right? Well, maybe not.

This was Stricker's third straight win in the John Deere Classic. And he has followed that up by finishing 52nd and 55th in the British Open respectively.

Despite the past two poor performances at the British, Stricker has a game that translates well to links style of golf and he has the nerve and experience to perform in major championships. If an American does win this tournament there is a good chance it will be Stricker.

No. 1: Nick Watney 28/1

Unless you paying close attention to the 2011 golf season, it will come as a surprise to see Watney as the American with the lowest odds to win this tournament. 

But this is a young golfer coming into his own. He is coming off a win in the AT&T National and that was his second win of the year. Watney also has eight top 10’s this season to go with his two victories.

He has yet to win a major in his, but he does have two top 10 finishes. 

Watney features a lower and more controlled ball flight than most of his American contemporaries. Watney also has a wonderful short game. And these are the keys to success at the British Open. These qualities have shown up in his British Open performances.

Watney came in seventh at last year's tournament and he was a respectable 27th the year before. Watney deserves to be the American with the lowest odds to win this tournament. He is the one American golfer that I can honestly say that I would be more surprised if he finished out of the top 10 than in it.