Paddy Power’s USPGA Preview

For the first time this century Tiger Woods will enter a major golf tournament not the favourite to win, reports Paddy Power.

Such has been the scale of Tiger’s slump the world number one is 16/1 to win this week’s USPGA, and on the drift from an initial 14/1. Phil Mickelson is the man with the honours at 12/1 with Irish pair Rory McIlroy and Padraig Harrington following Tiger at 17/1 and 20/1, respectively.

Woods will be lining up against defending champion YE Yang, the man who pipped him to the title last year despite Paddy Power paying out on Woods at the halfway stage when he sat on a four shot lead. The move cost Paddy Power more than a million pounds although it’s unlikely Tiger’s present form will tempt the bookie to declare him an early winner this time out! Woods is 4/6 to beat Yang in their first round head-to-head on Thursday with Yang 6/4.

Tiger is 7/2 for a top five finish and just 2/1 to miss the cut. However in a move that speaks volumes for Tiger’s current form Paddy Power believe Woods is much more likely to hit a round of 80 or worse at 2/1 than he is to hit a 64 or lower on the par-72 Whistling Straits course which is an 8/1 shot. Despite such travails though, Tiger’s odds of 16/1 are proving too tempting for plenty of punters.

Darren Haines, spokesman for Paddy Power, said: “Tiger may be down but he’s far from forgotten about by punters yet. Although we’ve seen about half as many bets for Tiger as we did at this point for the USPGA 12 months ago, his tasty odds of 16/1 are still tempting enough punters to actually make Woods a loser in our book, with plenty of four figure bets on show too.”

Pin-Strickers

Steve Stricker is the bet for punters and is the only man amongst the main contenders to see his odds cut this week. The American is 25/1 to win at Whistling Straits from 28/1 and victory could see Stricker claim the world number one spot if Woods is out of the Top 24 and Mickelson out of the top three. Woods is 1/6 to retain the top spot with Mickelson 7/2.

Besides Stricker, Padraig Harrington is as ever a potential thorn in the side of Paddy Power with the 20/1 Irishman always faithfully backed by his country.

With Lee Westwood out of the tournament the betting on the Top GB and Ireland layer looks to be a battle between McIlroy and Harrington with the young pretender 7/2 favourite to come out on top and the three time major winner 9/2.

Paddy Power Latest Golf Betting

Tiger v YE Yang

• 4/6 Tiger
• 6/4 Yang
• 15/2 Tie

World Number One After the USPGA

• 1/6 Tiger Woods
• 7/2 Phil Mickelson
• 50/1 Steve Stricker

Tiger’s Performance at the USPGA

• 16/1 Winner
• 7/2 Top 5
• 7/4 Top Ten
• 2/1 Miss the cut
• 20/1 Leading after first round
• 80/1 Last after first round
• 2/1 Tiger to hit a round of 80 or worse at the USPGA
• 8/1 Tiger to hit a round of 64 or lower at the USPGA

USPGA Winner

• 11/1 Mickelson
• 14/1 Woods
• 16/1 McIlroy
• 20/1 Harrington
• 28/1 Stricker
• 28/1 Els
• 33/1 Goosen
• 33/1 Furyk
• 35/1 Mahan
• 40/1 O’Hair
• 40/1 Rose
• 40/1 Casey
• 45/1 Donald
• 50/1 Kaymer
• 50/1 Watney
• 50/1 Johnson
• 50/1 Fisher
• 55/1 McDowell
• 55/1 Scott
• 55/1 Kuchar

e/w odds 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Top GB & Ireland player at USPGA

• 7/2 McIlroy
• 9/2 Harrington
• 15/2 Casey
• 9/1 Rose
• 9/1 Donald
• 10/1 Fisher
• 10/1 McDowell
• 14/1 Poulter
• 25/1 Clarke
• 28/1 Wilson
• 35/1 Wood

e/w 1/5 odds 1, 2, 3, 4