Golf Odds – World’s # 1 Player Not the Favorite

Those who analyze and bet on the golf betting odds know that the #1 player in the world is in the field for the Abu Dhabi Championship, but he is not the favorite in the event that starts on Thursday. Lee Westwood is the guy on top at the moment, but he is the second favorite.

Instead, the big choice is Martin Kaymer, who is at +700 in the golf odds.

Golf Odds

Abu Dhabi Championship

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January 20-23

Abu Dhabi Golf Club by Sheraton

Abu Dhabi, UAR

For years, if we said we had the #1 player in the world in a golf tournament, that guy would have been Tiger Woods. On October 31, Woods gave up that spot to Lee Westwood, whose greatest asset has been consistency. Westwood was no stranger to the top ten; in fact, he was there for 230 weeks between 1998 and 2001. On the European Tour he has won twenty times, but on the PGA Tour in America he has only two victories, and the win at the St. Jude Classic on June was his first in twelve years over here. He’s never won a major, but he is ranked #1 in the world. Those who make up the golf odds, however, have a little more respect for Martin Kaymer, and they have installed the German as the favorite over Westwood in the first big European event of the season.

Golf Betting Odds

To Win Abu Dhabi Championship

Martin Kaymer +700

Lee Westwood +800

Rory McIlroy +900

Paul Casey +1200

Graeme McDowell +1200

Ian Poulter +1200

Louis Oosthuizen +1300

Phil Mickelson +1500

Charl Schwartzel +2000

Francesco Molinari +2000

Retief Goosen +2800

Ross Fisher +3000

Alvaro Quiros +3000

Westwood’s career in major championships, even without a win, has been relatively strong, especially over the last few years. he was third in the U.S. Open in 2008, and tied for third in both the British Open and PGA in 2009. Last year he was the runner-up in both the Masters and the British Open. He was also second in the HSBC Champions, which is part of the World Golf Championships.

All told, in the eleven events that Westwood (+800 in the golf odds this week) competed in that were sanctioned by the PGA, he finished in the top ten in six of them. Among those top ten results were a fourth-place tie in the Players Championship, a T-8th in the Houston Open and T-9th in the Honda Classic. He tied for third in the Dubai World Championship, then took home the top prize in the Nedbank Golf Challenge, which took place after the regular PGA betting season ended. That tournament wasn’t even close, as he won it by eight strokes.

Westwood led the tour in scoring average (69.31) and he made 19 consecutive cuts. He was also third on the world money list, winning almost $5.3 million. Since he has been elevated into the #1 spot, Westwood has only played in three tournaments. But in those, he was first, second and third.

Those looking at the golf odds know that Westwood did not do too well the last time he played in Abu Dhabi; in fact, he did not even make the cut. And that was the only time he missed the cut in a 20-month period. One of the guys who will be hot after Westwood this week is the world’s #4, Phil Mickelson, who beat out Westwood to win the Masters last April. Mickelson must be green with envy, as he had numerous opportunities to overtake Woods last year and failed to do so. He is at +1500 in the golf odds, and along with Kaymer, Rory McIlroy (+900), Paul Casey, Graeme McDowell and Ian Poulter (all +1200), he’ll be aiming at the guy with the target on his back.

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