Having a flutter on the Open?

With the British Open getting underway tomorrow, many golf fans will place a wager on who they think will win the title. However, most of the bookmakers offer a far greater array of betting markets than simply predicting the champion come Sunday.

So, who should you put your money on and in which market? Here’s a look at my selections and tips for the 138rd Open. It should be kept in mind however, that these are only my own opinions and not those of Your Golf Travel and neither I nor Your Golf Travel can be held liable for any losses occurred by following these tips!

To Win the Tournament Outright – Tiger Woods

I know, it’s an unoriginal selection but Woods is far and away the most likely winner of the claret jug come Sunday teatime. He’s hitting form again at just the right time having won the recent Memorial tournament and with his chief rival not in attendance it seems the road to glory is pretty open for Woods. He’s a best priced 13/5 with several firms to collect a fifth Open title, which in all honesty should be taken as he won’t be that price later in the weekend if he’s anywhere near the top of the leaderboard!

To Win the Tournament (w/o Woods) – Ernie Els

Take Woods out of the betting and the market is wide open. Although he hasn’t enjoyed the best of seasons, the Open seems to bring out the best in Ernie Els and he looks overpriced at 28/1 to win the Open without Tiger Woods. The ‘Big Easy’ won the tournament at Muirfield in 2002 and has been runner-up three times, as well as making the top-10 on eleven occasions.

Although he has dropped out of the world’s top 20, and while it may seem his best days are behind him, he cannot be written off on a course which is tailor-made for his game. There are few players in the Turnberry field who can boast a comparative level of links golf experience and expertise as if Els can get his putter warmed up, then you can rest assured he’ll be in the firing line come Sunday.

Top European – Paul Casey

Paul Casey, the current world number 3, has enjoyed an excellent season so far with three tournament victories and has been largely ignored by the media as a potential winner of the Open. But in this bet he doesn’t have to be! What we’re betting on is for him to finish as the top European player so it doesn’t matter if he finishes first or twenty-first.

While Casey isn’t really regarded as a ‘links specialist’, Turnberry isn’t your traditional links course and the inland elements of Turnberry will play to Casey’s shortgame and putting strengths. He had a disappointing US Open tournament, but he had been playing a lot of golf in the run up to that competition and fresh from a break he looks sure to score well. He’s a best priced 14/1 chance to finish as Top European with one-quarter odds available on him being among the top four Euro players.

Top 10 Finish – Gonzalo Fernandez Castano

The Spaniard has been something of a nearly-man in 2009, with no less than six runners up finishes so far this year. He’s a very consistent player and has maintained his form well. A top-10 finish looks attractive at a best price 14/1 although winning the tournament is a likely step too far.

For a fun bet, take the 4/1 on offer from bookmaker Boylesports about Adam Scott and his girlfriend Ana Ivanovic sharing a kiss on camera during the Open, although whether it’s a full-on lips-to-lips kiss or a peck on the cheek is unclear, but if Scott wins the Open, then it’s a racing certainty you’ll be collecting!

As to the others, reigning champion Padraig Harrington can be backed at 40/1 to win a third Open, while Greg Norman, who almost pulled off a fairytale win last year is available at 400/1.

If you’re having a bet on the Open action, good luck and remember me if you win!