The North Course at the Los Angeles Country Club
It is always advantageous when betting on the US Open to ensure you have all the information available, including an inside knowledge of the course itself.
The Par 70 North Course is 7200 yards (6600 metres) in length and was modernised by architect Gil Hanse who gave it top 100 golf course status. The course design is a fantastic mix of hills and valleys, and the par threes are particularly challenging. The 1st and opening hole is downhill with inspiring views of downtown Los Angeles and, with its gentle sweeps and vistas, offers players their first birdie chance of the day.
Measuring 240 yards the 7th is, perhaps, one of the hardest as only a very accurate tee shot will make it to the green and enable par.
Favourites to Win the US Open
Rory McIlroy is currently favourite to win the trophy. With 34 total career wins under his belt, Rory McIlroy is one to watch. Aged 33, the Northern Irishman has spent over 100 weeks as the world number one in the Official World Golf Rankings. He has a solid winning record and had his first win on the European tour in 2009, and in 2011 became the youngest player to reach 10 million Euros on the European Tour. In January 2022, Rory came runner-up in the Dubai Desert Classic by just failing par due to hitting his second shot into the water on the final hole. In April, holing out for a birdie on the 72nd hole at the Masters Tournament gave him another second place. At the Open Championship in July, he claimed a very respectable third place, overtaken by the very capable Cameron Smith. It may well be his time to win the big prize in Los Angeles.
Another player worth keeping an eye on is Spaniard John Rahm. The 27-year-old from the Basque country turned professional in 2016 and has since won 14 professional titles. This very talented youngster came 4th place in the Masters Tournament in 2018, tied 4th position in the PGA Championship, 3rd place in the Open Championship and pulled off a fantastic win at the US Open in 2021. It appears he is growing in professional stature, and let's see how he does at the Los Angeles club next year!
If you are after a little more bang for your buck, it seems like Xander Schauffele is worth surveying. Having fixed his sights on golf at the tender age of 10, the 2020 Olympic gold medallist is definitely a great contender for next season. The 28-year-old native Californian is one of the upcoming players on the PGA Tour, with his best results peaking in 2021 with an impressive 8 top 10 wins on the tour. In April 2022, he won the Zurich Classic in New Orleans and later in the year won the Travelers Championship for a sixth PGA victory title.
Will Zalatoris, another fellow Californian, is another much talked about contender in the golf world. Having finished runner-up at the PGA Championship and the US Open in 2022, it seems it may be his time to take a big tournament. At the US Open, he shared the lead position right up until the final round and finished just one stroke behind the winner Matt Fitzpatrick. Narrowly missing a 14 foot birdie meant it was his second as a runner-up in a major championship. As you may note, he is another player on the rise.
At age 29, Texan Jordan Spieth has achieved 13 PGA Tour wins and was rated as the world number one for 26 weeks in 2015. He won the 2015 Masters Tournament when he achieved a mighty 18 under par and pocketed $1.8 million for his troubles. He became the youngest US Open champion in 2015 since Bobby Jones in 1923! Another career high was winning his third major at the 2017 Open Championship by a solid three shots and 12 under par. At present, there are some fantastic odds available on Spieth that you may well find tempting.
US Open Trends Worth Noting
The last four winners of the championship finished within the top 8 at the previous major, the US PGA Championship.
Only four of the previous winners won a tour event within their last seven tee offs so winning form is not essential.
However, all ten of the winners had a top 8 finish within their last five tour events. Food for thought if you fancy a flutter!
Ranked below are the top 8 players and their scores, including any ties at this year's PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club, Tulsa. The number in brackets is their world ranking before the PGA Championship:
- 1st Justin Thomas (9) 275 (-5)
- 2nd Will Zalatoris (30) 275 (-5)
- T3 Mito Pereira (100) 276 (-4)
- T3 Cameron Young (38) 276 (-4)
- T5 Matt Fitzpatrick (15) 277 (-3)
- T5 Tommy Fleetwood (44) 277 (-3)
- T5 Chris Kirk (94) 277 (-3)
- 8th Rory McIlroy (8) 278 (-2)
Other stats worth contemplating for betting purposes are the 10 year trends in nationalities and world rankings.
Four out of the last ten winners were from Europe, but a more impressive six of the last 10 were American. The golfer to win with the lowest ranking of 28 was Martin Kaymer in 2014 and six of the previous ten winners were ranked in the top ten world rankings. All of the last ten US Open champions were ranked in the world's top 30 before entering the competition.
The Key is Green
There will undoubtedly be some pristine greens to play on at the Los Angeles club, and it is worth noting how putting success can lead to winners. It is quite a serious tip that between 2015 and 2019 the winners were all ranked in the top 5 for their performances on the green.
By studying the so called 'Greens in Regulation' statistics we gain some useful insights.
Here below is the 'GIR' summary of action with the putters:
Year | Winner | GIR Ranking |
2019 | Gary Woodland | 2nd |
2018 | Brooks Koepka | 4th |
2017 | Brooks Koepka | 1st |
2016 | Dustin Johnson | 1st |
2015 | Jordan Spieth | T5 |
Whomever you choose as your winner, be sure to enjoy what will undoubtedly be a thrilling golf tournament in the City of Angels!