Money going on Rose to bloom in the Open at St Andrews
Published:A win for Justin Rose at this year’s Open Championship at St Andrews is the worst possible result for the bookies, with lots of bets being placed on the 25/1 Englishman to win his maiden major.
Rose shot to fame during the 1998 Open, when he finished tied fourth as an amatuer, still his best result in the tournament to date.
He has won twice on the PGA Tour in the last two months, including the AT&T National in Pennsylvania on July 4th and the Memorial Tournament in Ohio on June 6th.
“Rose is without question the most in-form golfer competing, having won last time out and twice recently,” said Ladbrokes head golf trader Brad Barry. “He’s had excellent form in America and is now coming back over here and proving very popular at 25/1.”
Indeed, with the England football team and Andy Murray disappointing, it could be worth a early bet on Rose to win the Sports Personality of the Year award.
“If he wins at St Andrews, I expect his price to get the award to shorten drastically,” said Barry.
Sergio Garcia’s countrymen have performed much better at recent tournaments, and money is heading towards the 30-year-old to continue Spain’s successful summer after Rafael Nadal’s Wimbledon win, and Spain’s victory at the World Cup.
The Spaniard, 100/1 to finish top, has yet to win a major but came agonisingly close at the 2007 Open, losing in a play-off to Padraig Harrington (25/1 to win his third Open title in four years).
“Garcia’s game is struggling,” said Barry. “But, at 100/1, it’s the first time in many moons that he’s been a three-figure price and that’s attracting a lot of business.”
After his Scottish Open performance, an even unlikier name is gaining traction with bettors, however. “John Daly has shown a bit of form and caught people’s imagination,” said Barry.
Daly famously won the 1995 Open at St Andrews and is 200/1 to do it again in 2010. He finished tied-26th at Loch Lomond on Sunday and would be a romatic winner of the tournament, having slipped to 499th in the world following money troubles.
Ladbrokes are yet to see much action at the top of the market, which has Tiger Woods the 6/1 favourite and Phil Mickelson at 16/1 to win the event. See the full Open Championship betting market.
