2012 British Open Vegas Odds, Predictions and Free Picks – Favorites and Betting Lines to Win the 2012 British Open: The 2012 British Open, formally referred to as The Open Championship, is set to begin Thursday for the 141st time in the event’s history. This year’s tournament will be held at Royal Lytham & St. Annes in England, marking the 11th time the course has played host to the British Open. It is a true links course, modeled after the traditional courses used in Scotland during golf’s infancy. One of the more notable aspects of the course is the 200-plus bunkers and sand traps waiting for this year’s field.
The most recent British Open at Royal Lytham came in 2001 when David Duval got the first and only major championship of a promising career that never quite lived up to expectations. In last year’s tournament at Royal St. George’s, Darren Clarke captured his first-career major, taking home the coveted Claret Jug in the process. For what it’s worth, the last player to win back-to-back British Opens was Padraig Harrington in 2007 and 2008.
The Open Championship is the third major of the year, and if the first two were any indication of what to expect, there should be plenty of excitement. The Masters and the U.S. Open came down to the final hole, and the British Open is always notoriously tough. From gusty winds to heavy rains, the elements always seem to play a factor at this tournament, making the already treacherous course even more difficult. There is nothing quite like putting a shot on the green, only to watch the wind blow it right back off. Needless to say, it is going to take the right combination of skill, patience and luck to take home the title.
The Favorites – 2012 British Open Odds and Predictions
He has been stuck on 14 majors for a while, but there is no question that Tiger Woods is playing his best golf since all the drama in his personal life unfolded. He has won three times this year, and he is also a three-time winner of the British Open. His last win in the tournament came in 2006 when he won his second of back-to-back titles. Woods has missed two of the last four British Opens, but from 1998 to 2006, he finished in the top 10 in seven of his nine appearances in the event. Although he hasn’t been particularly great in the first two majors this year, Woods has turned the corner enough to be a serious threat to win his fourth-career Claret Jug.
Breaking through and winning a major has proved too tough a task for Lee Westwood to date, but it could finally be his time. He has finished third or better in two of the last three British Opens, and he has finished in the top 10 in both of the major tournaments this year. Dating back to 2010, Westwood has finished 11th or better in five of the six majors. The consistency is there, and his conservative style and accuracy off the tee should allow him to handle the bunker-laden course at Royal Lytham.
The Dark Horses – 2012 British Open Odds and Predictions
Since winning PGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 2010, Rickie Fowler has been steadily improving his game. He captured his first win earlier this year, and he had an impressive runner-up effort at the Players Championship. Fowler hasn’t had a lot of luck in the first two majors of 2012, but in his brief career, The Open Championship has been his best Grand Slam. He finished 14th in his British Open debut in 2010, and he followed it up with a fifth-place showing last year. The only thing missing from Fowler’s resume on his path to stardom is a signature win, and he could get it at Royal Lytham.
I mentioned in the introduction that Padraig Harrington is a two-time winner of The Open Championship. What I didn’t mention was that he has three majors titles to his name overall and has been enjoying a resurgent 2012 campaign. Harrington has finished in the top 10 in both major tournaments this season, and now, he gets crack at winning a third Claret Jug. He is playing his best and is heading to a tournament that he knows how to win. There is a lot for bettors to love about Harrington.
The Sleeper – 2012 British Open Odds and Predictions
His name isn’t mentioned among the sport’s elite anymore, but Ernie Els could turn back the clock at The Open Championship. He always seems to play well at the event, and in addition to winning the tournament in 2002, he has 12 career top-10 finishes. In fact, he has four top-10s in the last six British Opens, and when the series visited Royal Lytham in 2001, he finished third. Perhaps most importantly, Els finished in the top 10 at the U.S. Open last month, proving that he still has some gas left in the tank. Don’t count out the “Big Easy” in this one.
2012 British Open Odds July 19-July 22, 2012 – PGA Tour
Odds to win the British Open
501 Tiger Woods +715
502 Lee Westwood +1215
503 Rory McIlroy +1615
504 Luke Donald +1415
505 Padraig Harrington +1615
506 Martin Kaymer +2850
507 Phil Mickelson +2850
508 Sergio Garcia +3050
509 Justin Rose +1815
510 Ernie Els +3050
511 Francesco Molinari +3050
512 Graeme McDowell +3050
513 Louis Oosthuizen +3550
514 Rickie Fowler +3550
515 Ian Poulter +4050
516 Adam Scott +2550
517 Dustin Johnson +3050
518 Jason Dufner +4050
519 Hunter Mahan +4050
520 Matt Kuchar +5050
521 Bubba Watson +5050
522 Charl Schwartzel +5050
523 Jim Furyk +5050
524 Steve Stricker +6050
525 Paul Lawrie +6050
526 Peter Hanson +6050
527 Ross Fisher +6050
528 Nicolas Colsaerts +6550
529 Nick Watney +5250
530 Matteo Manassero +8050
531 Henrik Stenson +8050
532 Keegan Bradley +8050
533 KJ Choi +8050
534 Thomas Bjorn +8050
535 Retief Goosen +8050
536 Tom Lehman +15000
537 Brandt Snedeker +10550
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