Join @AlMacca93 for his US Open 2022 betting preview - is this Rory McIlroy's big chance to clinch major title number five?
Golf has found itself at the centre of controversy this week but the immediate focus now turns to this week’s US Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.
With several of the sport’s top players departing the PGA Tour over the past week or so, the 2022 US Open is suddenly more open and competitive than ever before.
Rory McIlroy heads the betting, full of confidence after clinching a well-documented victory at the Canadian Open on Sunday.
The Northern Irishman is a four-time major champion but his most recent success came at the 2014 PGA Championship and he would love to end that drought.
Major number five could well be on the cards if McIlroy can emulate his performance at St George’s and he is a 10/1 chance in golf betting odds with 888sport.
Next up are two natives in Justin Thomas and Scottie Scheffler. The former won the PGA Championship last month while the latter is the defending Masters champion.
Thomas was outstanding at Southern Hills Country Club in May, proving best of all on the challenging Championship Course at one of golf’s most iconic venues.
He was pushed all the way by compatriot Will Zalatoris, who forced a playoff but Thomas was a worthy winner after a superb week off the tee, on the fairway and on the green.
Thomas finished third behind McIlroy at the Canadian Open and he himself will admit that things could’ve gone differently had he not lost focus on the back nine.
The American could be one to watch in live betting markets throughout the week. Once he gets going, he is as good as anyone at churning out birdie after birdie.
Scheffler is officially ranked as world number one, having finished in the top 10 in four of the last five major tournaments – including that Masters success.
Winning at Augusta National is the dream for any golfer and Scheffler was fully deserving of his first Green Jacket, handling the unforgiving nature of the course throughout.
However, the US Open offers a greater challenge and I’m not convinced that the Brookline course will completely play to Scheffler’s strengths.
Scheffler finished way down the field at the 2013 U.S. Amateur, tying for 50th place as he struggled to get to grips with the demands of the Massachusetts course.
That was almost a decade ago though, and Scheffler’s game has improved leaps and bounds – and he is in excellent form to be fair to him.
Currently a 12/1 shot in online betting odds, Scheffler is well worth a punt. If he brings his A-game to Brookline, the 2022 Masters champion is capable of winning a second major title.
As is the case with this particular tournament, there is a strict US Open rotation that is determined well in advance and it is now the turn of The Country Club.
Brookline first hosted the tournament in 1913 and this year’s edition will mark the fourth US Open to be held at the Massachusetts venue.
England’s Matt Fitzpatrick won the U.S. Amateur here in 2013 and the 27-year-old is looking to build on his fifth placed finish at the 2022 PGA Championship earlier this year.
Fitzpatrick may well have won around these greens as an amateur but the world number 15 will need a consistent week to stand any chance of defying his 25/1 price.
A wildcard pick from this side of the Atlantic is Tyrrell Hatton. A real character on the course, Hatton has struggled to find his best form so far this year.
However, there have been plenty of glimpses of his quality and he could feature high up on the leaderboard if things go his way at Brookline.
Inconsistency has plagued his game in recent months but the world number 23 finished just outside the top 10 at the PGA Championship and he has an each way chance.
It will be both strange and rather sad to watch a major championship without some of the best players in the planet in action but that is the situation that golf finds itself in.
For now, let’s try to enjoy the US Open for what it is: an extraordinary spectacle and one that should offer drama and excitement from Thursday right through to Sunday.
US Open 2022 Best Bets
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Rory McIlroy to win @ 10/1
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Justin Thomas to finish in the top five @ 3/1
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Scottie Scheffler to be the top American @ 7/1
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Matthew Fitzpatrick to finish in the top 20 @ 11/10
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Tyrrell Hatton to be the top Englishman @ 5/1
