2017 US Open Golf Preview and Betting Tips
Location: Erin Hills, Wisconsin
Par: 72
Length: 7,812 yards (7,143 m)
This week, the world of golf will be heading to Wisconsin for the 117th US Open golf tournament. The national championship event is one of golf’s Majors and will be hosted at the Erin Hills course for the very first time.
Constructed just 11 years ago, the course may be new but it has become one of the elite venues in the sport attracting green fees of $280. With relatively unknown elements at play, it might be harder than usual to pick a winner, so what should punters look out for this coming week?
The course has been designed and set-up to provide a test suited to the modern game. That means long holes, challenging rough and killer bunkers. Players that want to do well round here will need to bring their full game and be prepared to use every club at their disposal. And if the wind gets up, the challenge will be amplified further.
While much of the talk leading up the event has been about the course, it is the players who matter. So who has got what it takes to face the unknown and prevail?
Of course the usual suspects will enter the conversation at this stage. Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm are all in good shape and possess the quality to tackle to toughest of challenges. However, the wide fairways, approachable greens and long holes will open this up to a wide range of players.
With such brutal rough area, fairway accuracy will be vital, but for those who are in form, the width of the course will seem generous. Of course, this could all change if the notorious winds pick up at any point during the four days.
Dustin Johnson will be looking to become the first champion of this event to successfully defend his title since 1989 and he will kick-off as favourite. And rightly so, he is the best player in the world right now and will be highlighted by most as the man to beat. However, he suffered a wobble last time out – missing the cut at the Memorial – and will need to regroup in grand style here.
John Rahm may be in the early stages of his career but the 22-year-old Spaniard is on fire and should relish this course. His great work off the tee should be rewarded here and he is definitely one to consider. But like Johnson, a recent missed cut raises a small question mark heading into this.
Local boy Steve Stricker made it through the qualifiers and would be a hugely popular winner here. And with local knowledge and home support, he can be expected to go well.
Rickie Fowler is a player who definitely overdue a major and this course should suit him well. Like Stricker, he will have the crowd right behind him as he sets out to quit the “Best players never to have won a major” club. Fowler will arrive here in great mental and physical shape and his stats are looking very good.
Jordan Spieth is an enormous talent but his driving could let him down here. He is way off the pace when it comes to length and accuracy off the tee so he will have to compensate elsewhere. Can he do it? Yes, but with so many big hitters set to let rip here, he might just fall short.
Phil Mickleson would have been a contender but he has pledged to attend his daughter’s graduation and is unlikely to make it to the course in time for his Thursday tee-off.
Another one to consider is Sergio Garcia, having broken his major curse, what’s to say he can’t follow it up with another? The Spaniard is in a good place mentally and this course could have been designed with his game in mind.
A final score of around seven or eight under par should be expected here with Rahm, Johnson and Fowler the main picks for the big prize. Of those, Rickie Fowler looks great value at 22/1 and he can also be backed at 9/2 for a top-five finish.
For a good value outside pick, look no further than Dean and Deluca-winner Kevin Kisner who can be backed to finish in the top five at 16/1.
Rickie Fowler can backed to win at 22/1 or to finish in the top five at 9/2, while Kevin Kisner can be backed to finish in the top five at 16/1 with Betfair.