2011 British Open Odds | Weather forecast may benefit Underdogs

Written by George Misken
Wednesday, 13 July 2011 07:49

The British public traditionally sides with the underdog; golf betting on the British Open 2011 underdogs odds may determine the public is smart after all.

We are now less than 24 hours away from the return of the British Open to the famous, or infamous depending if one plays or watches, Royal St. Georges golf course in Sandwich, Kent.

Allow me to explain why I think it only makes sense checking the actual golf betting potential in the odds makers underdogs. Like I explained in my recently published golf betting tutorial on how to bet on golf, weather conditions are a defining variable when handicapping participants to a tournament.

This is where the MET Office (the U.K. main weather forecaster) comes into play. This is the forecast for Friday, Saturday and Sunday: "Thickening cloud bringing rain later Friday. It will then remain very unsettled over the weekend with showers, occasionally heavy, also with some longer periods of rain, windy at times."

Let's not forget two key variables; psychological stress and fatigue. Top players into the British Open 2011 have been under the fire of the media for several days now. Let's face it; no matter how fit or motivated a top dog like Rory McIlroy is, media hype takes its toll.

Add the last factor to the physical and emotional exhaustion of those who just completed the Scottish Open, and we now face a distress situation that normally favours the underdogs.

With those variables in mind, I have analyzed the potentials of three "midfielders" in odds makers opinion: Sergio Garcia (28/1), Phil Mickelson (40/1), and Dustin Johnson (40/1).

Before I go on with my review let me explain this. I suppose some may object on a player like Phil Mickelson scoring the underdog status altogether. While it is true that Andy Smith odds sitting at 1500/1 best fit the definition, what I am talking about are players with existing chances whose odds, in my humble opinion, price as underdogs.

It was only a year ago when the world of golf regarded Phil Mickelson as the next best golf player. The crowds saw Phil as the one destined to replace Tiger woods as the world's prime golf player. His hopes came tumbling down since his 2010 Masters victory. Do not underestimate him, he is far from being toast. A win in this British Open may as well represent the turning point towards his resurrection.

Mickelson already played a few rounds at Royal St. George earlier this week. " ....after spending two days (here), I love Royal St. George's … I did not get to see the subtleties last time. I started to see the beauty and the nuances of the golf course and I thought it was terrific." He said (source: wmur.com). Betting his odds might look like a giant leap of faith but it could provide a significant pay out. Close an eye on his spotty British Open track record. Worth the punt, in my opinion.

Once one of the five most popular golfers in the world, Sergio Garcia still has not won a major championship in his career. I had a flashback to when the then 19-year-old Sergio pushed Tiger Woods all the way to the 72nd hole before finishing second at the 1999 PGA Championship at Medinah. His wobbling performance throughout the years seems to have found momentum.

Sergio Garcia prefaced his runner-up finish at the BMW International Open in late June with a tie for seventh at the U.S. Open. Some believe he is ready for his first moment of glory. He seems to be back on track and history tells he finished tenth at the Royal St Georges in 2003. Betting his odds in the 2011 British Open may not be an odd move after all.

My last suggestion in the underdogs of this British Open is Dustin Johnson. Wait a moment, I hear readers say. Is he talking about THAT Dustin Johnson, the one who, at the 2010 U.S. Open, held a three-shot lead after 54 holes and then blew up right from the start in his final round on the way to a final-round 82 and a T8 finish? Yes Sirs, that is just the Dustin Johnson I mean.

Dustin has had a dry spell since the win at the BMW Championship in the FedEx Cup playoffs in 2010. Not only he deserves to win a major championship. He is fit for it, he is due for it, he can do it. I close my eyes, hold my breath and say: Dustin Johnson is my third underdog bet in the 2011 British Open. I call on the Gambling Gods of Golf to bless my picks and grant me a winning bet.

Be it favourites like Rory McIlroy or Luke Donald or viable underdogs like Phil Mickelson, the 2011 British Open odds offer attractive betting opportunities. Where to gamble online on the 2011 British Open becomes the next question. The answer can be found by utilizing the user friendly sportsbook comparison tool.