2013 British Open Betting Preview Tips and Predictions

Ernie Els 25/1

ernie-els_2284401bErnie is a two time Open champion and has 11 other top 10 finishes besides. Those two Claret Jugs are significant in that the first was won at Muirfield in 2002 (Els beat Appleby, Elkington and Levet in a playoff) and the second came last year at Royal Lytham. Ernie has already been to Lytham to practice and comes into this Major having won last time out at the BMW International Open in Germany. He also comes off a tied fourth at the US Open. The bookies have him at 25/1; I think that’s excellent value.

Matt Kuchar 40/1

Matt Kuchar Hyundai Tournament Champions Round 2ekhA62E_OLlMatt Kuchar surely warrants a mention from 40/1. He is taking this Open seriously, having travelled to Europe early to acclimatize at the Open de France. Kuchar’s Major performances have taken a marked turn for the better since 2010, with five top 10’s including at last year’s Open. Second at the Crowne Plaza and winner twice this season at the Matchplay and the Memorial, he has to be respected.

Dustin Johnson 40/1

dustin_johnson_470-thumb-470x313-28964Dustin goes quietly about his business, but with seven PGA Tour wins and top 15’s in the last three Open Championships, he’s not to be discounted. I’m a huge fan of Johnson, I love his athleticism, his temperament and the dignity with which he handled bad luck and heartbreak in at least three Majors. Remember the US Open in 2010 when, paired with GMac at Pebble, he shot 82 on Sunday, the USPGA the same year when he was penalized for grounding his club on the final hole at Whistling Straits, and at The Open in 2011 when he hit his iron on 14 out of bounds when battling with Darren Clarke. I’d love to see DJ win this year’s Claret Jug, he’s worthy of it.

Thomas Bjorn 40/1

bjornsmilesThomas’ recent best at The Open was a fourth place finish at Royal St Georges in 2011. That year he brought a win in Qatar into the event and went on to win twice more. He may not have a victory yet in 2013 but the Dane has been in super form since May with excellent finishes at the China Open (T8), the Nordea Masters (T4) and solo seconds at the Lyoness Open and BMW International Open. Five top 10’s in his Open career include tying second at St. Andrews in 2000 and again in 2003 when he got stuck in the bunker on 16 at Royal St. Georges whilst leading. If there is a God, he should give Tommy one Claret Jug! The only concern is his fitness after almost seven weeks continually out on Tour.

Hideki Matsuyama 200/1

Hideki-Matsuyama_1869518cThe Open always throws up some good sidebars and keep an eye out for young Hideki Matsuyama this year. He may only be a professional for three months and never played an Open but this kid is class, and the best of the next generation of Asian golfers. He’s already won twice on the Japan Golf Tour in April and June and is in the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings after a top 10 in the US Open. Back him each way, top Asian, to finish in the top 10, whatever but don’t say I didn’t tell you!

Don’t Discount

Paul Casey 40/1 (not yet qualified)

Casey is hoping for an entry to The Open via The Scottish Open.  Played an incredibly dominant final round at Carton House to win the Irish Open and even capped it off with an outrageous eagle on the last. The Englishman thrives on confidence and with that win will be looking forward to a good showing at Muirfield. I think the odds are a little tight at 40/1, but the bookies are rarely wrong. In victory two weeks ago, Casey spoke of his injury, overcoming his troubles and his relationship with swing coach Peter Kostis who is undergoing chemotherapy at present; it may have been the opening chapter in a fairytale. Has a best of tied third in 2010 at St Andrews.

Jamie Donaldson 150/1

The Open at Muirfield has always produced legendary winners like Els, Faldo, Watson, Nicklaus, Trevino and Player but I like Jamie Donaldson each way for a good showing. A winner at Portrush in 2012, Jamie added the Abu Dhabi HSBC title in January and though he didn’t set the world alight with a foray on the PGA Tour, he has been solid since returning to Europe at Wentworth. Tied for tenth in Carton House two weeks ago and worth an each way punt.

Nike Players:

While the world waits and watches what happens next in the career of Rory McIlroy, spare a thought for his fellow Nike staffer Thorbjorn Olesen. At odds of 80/1, Thor is, in my book, a Major Champion in waiting but a run of six straight missed cuts since tying sixth at Augusta, have his fans mystified. A final round of 74 dropped him into a tie for ninth at Lytham, a level par final round would have seen the Dane third on his own. Let’s hope both he and Rory can find some form at Muirfield.

Previous Top 15’s

 

2012 Royal Lytham 7000

1 Ernie Els 67 70 68 68 -2 -7 273 $1,405,890

2 Adam Scott 64 67 68 75 +5 -6 274 $812,292

T3 Brandt Snedeker 66 64 73 74 +4 -3 277 $464,725

T3 Tiger Woods 67 67 70 73 +3 -3 277 $464,725

T5 Luke Donald 70 68 71 69 -1 -2 278 $304,610

T5 Graeme McDowell 67 69 67 75 +5 -2 278 $304,610

T7 Nicolas Colsaerts 65 77 72 65 -5 -1 279 $222,599

T7 Thomas Aiken 68 68 71 72 +2 -1 279 $222,599

T9 Miguel Angel Jimenez 71 69 73 67 -3 E 280 $124,343

T9 Geoff Ogilvy 72 68 73 67 -3 E 280 $124,343

T9 Ian Poulter 71 69 73 67 -3 E 280 $124,343

T9 Alexander Noren 71 71 69 69 -1 E 280 $124,343

T9 Vijay Singh 70 72 68 70 E E 280 $124,343

T9 Dustin Johnson 73 68 68 71 +1 E 280 $124,343

T9 Matt Kuchar 69 67 72 72 +2 E 280 $124,343

T9 Mark Calcavecchia 71 68 69 72 +2 E 280 $124,343

T9 Thorbjorn Olesen 69 66 71 74 +4 E 280 $124,343

T9 Zach Johnson 65 74 66 75 +5 E 280 $124,343

2011 Royal St Georges 7200

1 Darren Clarke 68 68 69 70 E -5 275 $1,452,032

T2 Phil Mickelson 70 69 71 68 -2 -2 278 $689,737

T2 Dustin Johnson 70 68 68 72 +2 -2 278 $689,737

4 Thomas Bjorn 65 72 71 71 +1 -1 279 $419,476

T5 Chad Campbell 69 68 74 69 -1 E 280 $293,105

T5 Anthony Kim 72 68 70 70 E E 280 $293,105

T5 Rickie Fowler 70 70 68 72 +2 E 280 $293,105

8 Raphael Jacquelin 74 67 71 69 -1 +1 281 $209,738

T9 Sergio Garcia 70 70 74 68 -2 +2 282 $168,333

T9 Simon Dyson 68 72 72 70 E +2 282 $168,333

T9 Davis Love III 70 68 72 72 +2 +2 282 $168,333

T12 Steve Stricker 69 71 72 71 +1 +3 283 $126,384

T12 Martin Kaymer 68 69 73 73 +3 +3 283 $126,384

T12 Lucas Glover 66 70 73 74 +4 +3 283 $126,384

15 George Coetzee 69 69 72 74 +4 +4 284 $109,709

2010 st Andrews 7200

1 Louis Oosthuizen 65 67 69 71 -1 -16 272 $1,305,593

2 Lee Westwood 67 71 71 70 -2 -9 279 $767,996

T3 Rory McIlroy 63 80 69 68 -4 -8 280 $394,238

T3 Henrik Stenson 68 74 67 71 -1 -8 280 $394,238

T3 Paul Casey 69 69 67 75 +3 -8 280 $394,238

6 Retief Goosen 69 70 72 70 -2 -7 281 $268,799

T7 Robert Rock 68 78 67 69 -3 -6 282 $186,239

T7 Sean O'Hair 67 72 72 71 -1 -6 282 $186,239

T7 Nick Watney 67 73 71 71 -1 -6 282 $186,239

T7 Martin Kaymer 69 71 68 74 +2 -6 282 $186,239

T11 Alvaro Quiros 72 70 74 67 -5 -5 283 $125,439

T11 Jeff Overton 73 69 72 69 -3 -5 283 $125,439

T11 Luke Donald 73 72 69 69 -3 -5 283 $125,439

T14 Rickie Fowler 79 67 71 67 -5 -4 284 $87,840

T14 Tom Lehman 71 68 75 70 -2 -4 284 $87,840

T14 Charl Schwartzel 71 75 68 70 -2 -4 284 $87,840

T14 Ignacio Garrido 69 71 73 71 -1 -4 284 $87,840

T14 Jin Jeong 68 70 74 72 E -4 284 -

T14 Robert Karlsson 69 71 72 72 E -4 284 $87,840

T14 Sergio Garcia 71 71 70 72 E -4 284 $87,840

T14 J.B. Holmes 70 72 70 72 E -4 284 $87,840

T14 Dustin Johnson 69 72 69 74 +2 -4 284 $87,840

2009 Turnberry 7200

1 x-Stewart Cink 66 72 71 69 14 -1 -2 278 $1,221,005

2 Tom Watson 65 70 71 72 20 +2 -2 278 $732,603

T3 Lee Westwood 68 70 70 71 - +1 -1 279 $415,142

T3 Chris Wood 70 70 72 67 - -3 -1 279 $415,142

T5 Luke Donald 71 72 70 67 - -3 E 280 $255,597

T5 Mathew Goggin 66 72 69 73 - +3 E 280 $255,597

T5 Retief Goosen 67 70 71 72 - +2 E 280 $255,597

T8 Thomas Aiken 71 72 69 69 - -1 +1 281 $147,172

T8 Ernie Els 69 72 72 68 - -2 +1 281 $147,172

T8 Soren Hansen 68 72 74 67 - -3 +1 281 $147,172

T8 Richard S. Johnson 70 72 69 70 - E +1 281 $147,172

T8 Justin Leonard 70 70 73 68 - -2 +1 281 $147,172

T13 Ross Fisher 69 68 70 75 - +5 +2 282 $82,866

T13 Thongchai Jaidee 69 72 69 72 - +2 +2 282 $82,866

T13 Miguel Angel Jimenez 64 73 76 69 - -1 +2 282 $82,866

T13 Matteo Manassero 71 70 72 69 - -1 +2 282 -

T13 Francesco Molinari 71 70 71 70 - E +2 282 $82,866

T13 Jeff Overton 70 69 76 67 - -3 +2 282 $82,866

T13 Andres Romero 68 74 73 67 - -3 +2 282 $82,866

T13 Justin Rose 69 72 71 70 - E +2 282 $82,866

T13 Henrik Stenson 71 70 71 70 - E +2 282 $82,866

T13 Camilo Villegas 66 73 73 70 - E +2 282 $82,866

T13 Boo Weekley 67 72 72 71 - +1 +2 282 $82,866

2008 Birkdale 7173

1 Padraig Harrington 74 68 72 69 -1 +3 283 $1,498,875

2 Ian Poulter 72 71 75 69 -1 +7 287 $899,325

T3 Henrik Stenson 76 72 70 71 +1 +9 289 $509,618

T3 Greg Norman 70 70 72 77 +7 +9 289 $509,618

T5 Jim Furyk 71 71 77 71 +1 +10 290 $359,730

T5 Chris Wood 75 70 73 72 +2 +10 290 -

T7 David Howell 76 71 78 67 -3 +12 292 $193,743

T7 Robert Karlsson 75 73 75 69 -1 +12 292 $193,743

T7 Ernie Els 80 69 74 69 -1 +12 292 $193,743

T7 Paul Casey 78 71 73 70 E +12 292 $193,743

T7 Stephen Ames 73 70 78 71 +1 +12 292 $193,743

T7 Steve Stricker 77 71 71 73 +3 +12 292 $193,743

T7 Robert Allenby 69 73 76 74 +4 +12 292 $193,743

T7 Anthony Kim 72 74 71 75 +5 +12 292 $193,743

T7 Ben Curtis 78 69 70 75 +5 +12 292 $193,743

2007 Carnoustie 7421

1 x-Padraig Harrington 69 73 68 67 15 -4 -7 277 $1,542,450

2 Sergio Garcia 65 71 68 73 16 +2 -7 277 $925,470

3 Andres Romero 71 70 70 67 - -4 -6 278 $596,414

T4 Ernie Els 72 70 68 69 - -2 -5 279 $411,320

T4 Richard Green 72 73 70 64 - -7 -5 279 $411,320

T6 Stewart Cink 69 73 68 70 - -1 -4 280 $299,235

T6 Hunter Mahan 73 73 69 65 - -6 -4 280 $299,235

T8 K.J. Choi 69 69 72 71 - E -3 281 $194,863

T8 Ben Curtis 72 74 70 65 - -6 -3 281 $194,863

T8 Steve Stricker 71 72 64 74 - +3 -3 281 $194,863

T8 Mike Weir 71 68 72 70 - -1 -3 281 $194,863

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