British Open 2018: Betting odds for the 147th Open at Carnoustie
Okay, after all those numbers, we’re really getting into the deep end now. Of course, the fun thing about the British Open is how it can take your expectations and turn them completely upside down.
Case in point: Darren Clarke in 2011. At 42 years old, Clarke wasn’t supposed to contend at Royal St. George’s. Not really, at least. His fellow Northern Irishman, Rory McIlroy, was 22 years old at the time and had just won the U.S. Open by eight shots. Clarke going off on boards at 125-to-1 seemed like a courtesy to a player in his 20th Open.
We know how that week turned out. So do Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson, his co-runners-up.
It’s never easy to pick a long shot pushing triple digits to contend in a major, but there are a few names going off with those long odds that should raise a few eyebrows.
- Lee Westwood, 80:1
- Thorbjorn Olesen, 100:1
- Andy Sullivan, 100:1
- Webb Simpson, 100:1
- Martin Kaymer, 125:1
- Peter Uihlein, 150:1
- Padraig Harrington, 150:1
- Kevin Na, 150:1
- Bernhard Langer, 500:1
It’s 2018, sure, but how can we leave Lee Westwood out here? He’s playing decent golf, and this story would basically mirror that of Clarke in 2011. Westy just turned 45 in April, but he would light up the Carnoustie crowds with a big week.
More seriously, look out for Americans Kevin Na and Webb Simpson. Na has three top-tens in his last five starts, and just cruised to victory at The Greenbrier. Simpson has slowed a bit since his Players win, but he’s been on his game for much of the year. Both are striking the ball very well right now.
Finally, who isn’t pulling at least a bit for Langer? He’s making his 31st Open start, going all the way back to 1976. He was literally the first-ever No. 1 player in the OWGR, and he’s clearly been the best player on the Champions Tour for a decade. Seriously remarkable stuff. Wouldn’t it be great to see him have a Tom Watson-esque run here?