DON’T get blown off course in your US Open betting.
This year’s host course Erin Hills does not have a single tree and is completely exposed to the elements.
Anybody worthy of your punting cash needs to be rock solid in the wind.
And, like in any US Open, they need to be coming into the tournament in great form.
Step forward Hideki Matsuyama.
The Japanese star, 25, is one of the strongest wind players on the PGA Tour and has three wins and two second places this season.
At 22/1 he appeals.
David Facey in Wisconsin
Tip: RICKIE FOWLER has served his apprenticeship with plenty of near-misses in the Majors. But he is now running into form, and his deadly short game will be a big plus around upturned Erin Hills greens.
Avoid: RORY McILROY has only played six times all year, and just once since he finished joint-seventh in the Masters. Even if his injury problems are over, he just looks under-golfed.
Each way: KEVIN CHAPPELL did many punters a favour at 250 -1 at Augusta when sharing seventh place, thanks to payouts on the top eight. He has since won at the Texas Open and his game looks well-suited to Majors.
Best Brit: JUSTIN ROSE hasn’t set the world alight since losing a play-off to Sergio Garcia at Augusta, but the 2013 US Open champ is focussing on peaking for the Majors.
This is the first ever professional tournament to be held at Erin Hills.
So for any idea of how it plays we have to look back to 2011 to the US Amateur Championship.
That year, Peter Uihlein made it to the quarter finals of the matchplay event and at 200/1 there is each way value to be had on the American.
He recently finished fifth in Puerto Rico and had a T25 in Montreal.
It is his first time at this Major as a professional but Erin Hills is likely to play easier than most US Opens so the field could open for him.
Dustin Johnson should tick all the boxes as golf's man in form.
But the World No1 never wins the US Open, so just don't risk it.
BACK: Hideki Matsuyama
AVOID: Dustin Johnson
E/W: Peter Uihlein
Leave a comment