US Open: Dustin Johnson solidly leads betting favorites

After a solid return to action at the Wells Fargo Championship, Dustin Johnson leads as US Open betting favorite

The US Open is still five weeks off and THE PLAYERS Championship is at the halfway mark, but it’s never too early to take a little peek ahead on the schedule. Let’s take a look at who’s top-seeded for Erin Hills.

While predicting how the Wisconsin course will play is tough, that’s not stopping those in the know from setting some early odds. Rather unsurprisingly, you’ll see a bunch of big names up near the top of the list, including Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth. Head a little bit further down the line, though, and you’ll find some surprisingly good-looking value.

Of course, that is, if you’re into that sort of thing. Odds presented here are for entertainment and informational purposes only. If you happen to enjoy the occasional wager, where legal, remember that you’re getting exactly what you pay for here. The following odds are provided by GolfOdds.com, and were updated May 8, 2017. Check back in the coming weeks for more information.

Golf’s “Big Four” lead the way ahead of the second major

Following a great week at the Wells Fargo Championship, especially considering his month-long layoff, Dustin Johnson is still a powerful favorite. Johnson is currently listed as a 13/2 favorite, meaning every dollar bet returns just $6.50 – again, in theory. It’s not quite Tiger-esque (Woods went off at the 2003 Masters at 7/5), but that’s still a powerful lead.

Not to be forgotten are the other members of golf’s “Big Four”. World No. 2 Rory McIlroy is currently listed at 9/1, No. 5 Jordan Spieth at 10/1, and No. 3 Jason Day at 12/1. Considering these guys’ proven major championship pedigrees and continuing solid play, there really isn’t a bad number here. I do expect we’ll see Day leapfrog Spieth in the end, but there’s a lot of time left.

If there’s one “wild card” in the top ten, it would be Jon Rahm, the white-hot rookie who hasn’t found a course he doesn’t like. Rahm is currently going off at just 20/1 and a solid weekend at TPC Sawgrass will only improve his stock.

Here’s a look at the full top ten:

Rory McIlroy. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports /

Johnson – 13/2

McIlroy – 9/1

Spieth – 10/1

Day – 12/1

Justin Rose – 15/1

Hideki Matsuyama, Jon Rahm – 20/1

Sergio Garcia, Rickie Fowler, Adam Scott, Henrik Stenson – 25/1

Phil Mickelson getting plenty of love from bettors

All the irony of that headline aside, oddsmakers seem to love Phil Mickelson’s hunt for the elusive US Open win as much as the rest of us. Lefty hasn’t had a top-25 finish in the US Open since a Sunday 74 at Merion cost him the 2013 tournament.

Still, as long as the 46-year-old Hall of Famer has faith, so will the bettors. Mickelson is getting 30/1 odds, which feels a little low. Then again, a tough bet has never been outside Phil’s wheelhouse, has it? Maybe the stars line up here.

The best of the rest – recent winners, long shots and crazy long shots

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As the 2017 U.S. Open gets closer oddsmakers will be paying close attention to a player’s recent form. After all, golf is a game of momentum, so why not treat a hot hand as a safer bet?

As of May 12th, Wells Fargo winner Brian Harman is currently No. 52 in the world, and will qualify if he stays in the top 60 two weeks before the tournament. The same applies to No. 36, RBC Heritage champion Wesley Bryan, and Shell Houston Open winner Russell Henley, No. 50.

The most recent winner who is already in the Erin Hills field is Kevin Chappell. Chappell qualified by making last year’s Tour Championship, where he finished second. Currently going at 80/1, Chappell could provide some good value if he can continue the solid play that won him the Valero Texas Open.

Some notable names that dot the middle of the field:

Matt Kuchar, Patrick Reed – 40/1

Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports /

Bubba Watson – 60/1

Alex Noren, Jim Furyk, Jason Dufner (and more) – 100/1

Tony Finau – 125/1

If you’re really into a challenge, love supporting amateur golf, or just like lighting money on fire, you could always take a look at two of the amateurs who are already in. Brad Dalke, who finished runner-up to Curtis Luck at the 2016 US Amateur, and Scott Gregory, the reigning Amateur Championship winner, are both going at 2000/1 right now.

Next: Top 20 US Open triumphs

Hey, there’s always a chance. Who do you like in the lead-up to the toughest test in golf?

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