The Open Championship

seeing more 274.5 now than 276.5...-5.5 under par is the better number, but still pass.

[QUOTE=Alf M;44525]I have now made a future bet on Tom Watson to win at 320-1.[/QUOTE] Am I missing something? I found Watson at 825-1 at 5Dimes. Nipsy

5 Dimes has a reputation for booking these large golf odds prices, I just hope they pay-off when they hit. This is not a good sign in the off-shore market.

What I am finding interesting is some of the divergence of the matchup betting vs. odds to win. Lee Westwood a clear favourite now over Rory at -117 yet the odds on Westwood to win the tournament roughly 12:1 vs. 8:1 on Rory. I would either theorize this makes no sense or I'd have to explain it only by is there a belief that if Rory isn't in contention he tanks it much more than Westwood does that that Westwood is likely to win the matchup even if he doesn't win the tournament as often. Same thing with Stricker vs. Kuchar. Kuchar is a favourite in the matchup but Pinnacle is reflecting odds where Stricker is lower odds to win than Kuchar. Kuchar is a model of consistency but the board here doesn't seem to reflect much faith in Stricker. The odds are only 33:1 vs 36:1 so this isn't too much different. There were two matchups vs. Bo Van Pelt where Yang and Marino were pretty big plus odds against him. He's finished well in the first 2 majors this year. I didn't bet Yang but I see it has really come down from +140 on Yang to +110. I made a bet on Marino at +140 and now he's around +135. Marino has had good rounds at the British open in the past but never strung a good tournament together. He plays well in spurts like last week and then seems to fade. And he's never won on tour. I liked the plus odds. I haven't made any bets on 2 golfers but if there are any expert opinions I'd try to find something on them and if there is anything to it I'll just follow at worse odds. The two are Robert Rock and Ryan Moore. Rock seems to be in good form and finished top 10 British Open last year I think. He did very well in tough circumstances at the U.S. Open after winning a tournament in Italy. Rock is pitted against Davis Love and Webb Simpson I see are the only possibilities. -120 I see vs. Love for the tournament. I think Simpson is only a 1st round matchup and that is at -105. As much as a matchup I'm thinking of a small bet to win the tournament. And the other golfer is Ryan Moore matched up with Aaron Baddeley. Neither has done well at a British Open. I think Baddeley has never made a cut in several. Moore was 0 for 1 maybe? Both are pretty good golfers this year. I've heard that Moore is a golfer by feel more than most so that seems like an asset. He's done okay in some other majors. Slight interest in the matchup on my part that he may be a deal but also an interest in betting him to win the tournament.

We've got good a discussion going on here with the Open Championship, thanks to all. Skeeter, I'm convinced from what I've seen over the years, that the sportsbooks must protect the name players. Mainly Tiger, who should never have been more than 4-1 in any event, yet was Even money half the time. Now, Rors is everyone's favorite girlfriend and they just do not want to give you any value with the top guys. In matchups it's totally different. The sharp money, good handicapper money, my followers here etc are going to push the right side in the matchup like Kuch and Westwood, who's game and the horses for courses angle we all want to bet on.

Market Update in europe - pro money on westwood so match ups in places reflect this, also the same money is against all the asians in the tournament - something to do with asians not being able to adapt to this type of course...

rory was as high as +115 on the exchanges today against westwood now back into around +05/ 06 or so

Skeeter, DL3 playing very well and we barely escaped with a win last week with Gay. However with Mr Rock's ability to play in the elements and DL3's horrendous putting, I would lay -120 with Rock for 1/2 unit

The piece of information getting most of the attention on the eve of the British Open was the weather report. The forecast is for gusts up to 25 mph Thursday morning with patches of rain, before the wind tapers off in the afternoon. The wind is expected to remain moderate Friday morning, then switch directions and return to gusts upward of 25 mph by the end of the day. If that holds true, the players teeing off early Thursday and late Friday could get the worst of it. And as a reminder of how significant the tee times can be, remember that Louis Oosthuizen teed off at 6:41 a.m. in the second round last year at St. Andrews, missed the worst of the weather in his round of 67 and was on his way to a seven-shot win.

Absolutely spot on Mike, the player or players that get a break in the weather via tee times, weather delay or luck of the draw can win this event! Another of my favorite quotes that I have heard this week, from Frank Nobilo on "Live From" ..."Phil Mickelson is suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and will struggle this week in the cold, wind and rain, I know, that is what has kept me out of the game."