Props, matchup bets for U.S. Open
During major championships, there are always a plethora of different markets in which to place a bet aside from simply picking the outright winner. And U.S. Open oddsmakers didn't disappoint.
Here are some prop and matchup bets to consider for the week at Winged Foot:
Winning score: Over 280.5 (+110)
Winged Foot will play incredibly difficult, with very few holes where a birdie is even an option. Hale Irwin won the 1974 U.S. Open - dubbed the "Massacre at Winged Foot" - with a score of 7-over. In 2006, Geoff Ogilvy hoisted the trophy with his 5-over total after not breaking par in all four rounds.
Don't expect anything different this week. The par-70 course is playing even longer than it was in 2006, with brutal rough lining the narrow fairways and severely sloping greens. None of the winning-score predictions coming from the grounds at Winged Foot are even par or better.
Lowest tournament score: Over 66.5 (+110)
For similar reasons as the above wager, it's hard to imagine someone shooting a 4-under round. If a player takes advantage of the four easiest holes - the two par 5s and the two shorter par 4s - that's only four birdies. They would need to play the rest of the daunting test at even par, which is unlikely.
To miss the cut: Tiger Woods (+150)
Look away, Tiger fans.
Winged Foot sets up horribly for the current version of Tiger. He's not long enough off the tee anymore to compensate for missing fairways. If he's playing from the rough all week, Woods won't be able to lean on his stellar iron play, as he did at Augusta National for his 15th major title. Plus, his putter has gone ice cold recently.
To miss the cut: Bryson DeChambeau (+225)
Let the DeChambeau hate begin. From everything the long-bomber is saying at Winged Foot, his strategy is simple - hit it as far as he possibly can. Judging by pictures, videos, and the players' comments at the course, that approach won't work.
DeChambeau can blast away, but if his drives don't land on the fairway, he's done. His wedge play and short game aren't good enough right now to bail him out. His putter might, but the greens at Winged Foot reward feel and creativity, two words that don't describe DeChambeau's putting technique.
Top Canadian: Mackenzie Hughes (+175)
Hughes has been head and shoulders above his fellow countrymen since the restart, capping his 2019-20 season with three straight top-15 results in stacked fields. He tends to play his best on really difficult courses, and his elite short game and putting prowess sets him apart from the three other Canadians in the field.
Top South African: Erik van Rooyen (+500)
Of the seven South Africans playing, Van Rooyen provides the best value at +500. Louis Oosthuizen is the obvious favorite, but Van Rooyen is a fantastic ball-striker who has logged three top 20s over his six major-championship appearances.
Top left-handed player: Brian Harman (+350)
Taking Harman over the likes of Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, and Robert MacIntyre is an easy call. Everyone loves Phil, but the ruthless Winged Foot rough will expose his game. Same goes for Watson, whose track record at U.S. Opens is poor following six missed cuts over his last eight appearances. Harman, meanwhile, is entering the week after back-to-back top 12s, and he relies on accuracy over distance.
Collin Morikawa over DeChambeau (-120)
Morikawa is one of the world's most accurate drivers, and his iron play is elite. DeChambeau is the opposite in both categories. Take the golfer who plays a much more stress-free style than the one who's all over the map.
Hideki Matsuyama over DeChambeau (-110)
Matsuyama has quickly turned a corner while starting to regain the form that lifted him to No. 2 in the world during 2017. He's efficient at getting the ball onto the green, and now his putting has drastically improved. Plus, he's an underdog against a player we've already selected to miss the cut.