The fourth and final major of the golfing year is being played at Oakland Hills Country Club. With no Tiger in the field, the Wanamaker Trophy (given to the winner along with a cheque for over $1.3m) is very much up for grabs.
The Course: Oaklands Hills Country Club, Bloomfield Village, Michigan (par-70, 7,395 yards)
Dubbed ‘The Monster’ by Ben Hogan after his 1951 US Open victory, the course has hosted eight major championships, the most recent being the 1996 US Open, when only three players finished under par. It also hosted the 2004 Ryder Cup in which the Europeans thrashed the United States team. Since then, it has been toughened up considerably in an effort to withstand the advances in modern golfing technology, and now plays around 350 yards longer. This week, the rough is likely to be about three inches long and the fairways tight, but the courses biggest defence will be its greens, which are treacherously quick and hard to read.
Ross’ Top Tip: Hunter Mahan @ 50/1 Stan James
You could make a strong case for around 20 players this week, but the 50/1 about Mahan makes maximum appeal on a course where he has already gone close to victory. He was beaten in the final of the 2002 US Amateur Championship played at Oaklands Hills, when he went on record as saying that he really liked the course. Having struggled earlier this season, he has put together a nice run of form recently with four top-20 finishes in his last five outings, including runner-up in the Travelers Championship and tied-10th in last week’s WGC Bridgestone Invitational. Furthermore, his excellent driving and accurate iron play (fourth in GIR in 2008) should ensure he has plenty of scoring opportunities - a serious runner!
Next Best: Sean O’Hair @ 70/1 Boylesports (1/4 odds, SIX places)
O’Hair is another whose game has been in good order recently. Third in the Canadian Open a fortnight ago, he followed that up with a share of 12th place last week - yet another imperious driving display from the 26-year-old American. He can boast form in this tournament too, making the weekend in each of his three starts, with a best effort of 12th coming two years ago. The fancy prices may have gone, but 70/1 is still value, especially as you’re getting six places for your money!
Outsider: Chris DiMarco @ 150/1 BetDirect, sportingbet
I have flagged up elsewhere that this tournament has one the highest incidences of outsiders in the frame of any tournament. There’s usually at least one 100/1+ shot in the pay-out places, and I'm hoping DiMarco is one of them this year. It may be wishful thinking on what he’s shown this year - only three top-15 finishes and a string of missed cuts. However, a few adjustments after some advice from swing guru Rick Smith certainly paid dividends last week when he finished tied-12th, and if he can carry that forward to this week, the 150/1 would look ludicrous.
Ross’ Match Bet: Sean O’Hair to beat Trevor Immelman @ 10/11 bet365
Tournament Lay (Betfair): Phil Mickelson
Mickelson has a win (2005) and a second (2001) in this tournament to his name, but his disastrous bogey-bogey-bogey finish on Sunday is enough to put anyone off backing the ante post favourite.
Recommended Bets:
Hunter Mahan 2pts each way @ 50/1 Stan James
Sean O’Hair 1pt each way 70/1 Boylesports (1/4 odds, SIX places)
Chris DiMarco 1pt each way @ 150/1 BetDirect, sportingbet
