The third major of the golf season has arrived.
The 2019 U.S. Open begins on Thursday (9:45 a.m. ET) live from Pebble Beach in California.
To prepare for the tournament, the Action Network’s brightest golf minds got together to provide tournament outlooks for 60 golfers, starting with two-time defending champion Brooks Koepka.
Top Stories
- Sobel: Ranking Every Golfer in the U.S. Open Field
- Perry: Which Favorites Are Worth Investing In at Pebble Beach?
- Sobel: The Profile of a U.S. Open Champion
- Perry: The Longshots Who Can Contend This Weekend
- How to Bet on Golf
Brooks Koepka 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 8-1
- DFS Pricing: $11,600 DraftKings; $12,300 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 4:47 p.m. ET Thursday; 11:02 a.m. ET Friday
Depending on your viewpoint, Koepka is going to peel off 10 more majors in the next half-decade or the markets are severely overreacting to his recent run.
Either way, it’s tough to bet against a guy who is now a two-time defending champion of two different major championships, including this one, as he looked unbeatable at Erin Hills and Shinnecock.
A top-10 wager on Koepka at a major might be the best bet in golf, but it’s hard to believe he’ll keep winning at his current pace. At least, I think it is. — Jason Sobel
Dustin Johnson 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 8-1
- DFS Pricing: $11,300 DraftKings; $12,200 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 11:13 a.m. ET Thursday; 4:58 p.m. ET Friday
Of the many courses Johnson has dominated over the years, Pebble Beach is near the top of the list. He owns two wins at the AT&T Pro-Am and led the U.S.
Open here by three entering the final round in 2010, only to post an 82 and lose by five. Despite his 20 career PGA Tour wins, he still isn’t immune to Sunday blunders, but DJ is a more mature player now than he was back then.
Expect him to be right in the mix this week, too. Not only does he own runner-up finishes at each of the year’s first two majors, his last five U.S. Open results are an eye-popping 3-MC-1-2-4. — Sobel
Tiger Woods 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to U.S. Open: 10-1
- DFS Pricing: $10,700 DraftKings; $11,900 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 5:09 p.m. ET Thursday; 11:24 a.m. ET Friday
Which Tiger will we see this week: The one who triumphantly claimed the Masters in dramatic fashion or the one who disappointingly missed the cut one month later at the PGA Championship?
It feels safe to say this rendition will rest somewhere in the broad middle between them, though the educated guess is that he’ll perform much better than he did at Bethpage.
It remains to be seen whether Woods can channel anything from his historic 15-stroke win here from 19 years ago, but one constant endures: Once again, he ranks amongst the best ball-strikers in the world. — Sobel
Rory McIlroy 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 10-1
- DFS Pricing: $10,500 DraftKings; $11,800 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 10:51 a.m. ET Thursday; 4:36 p.m. ET Friday
He’ll be the beneficiary of recency bias after his runaway win at the Canadian Open this weekend.
On more than one occasion, though, McIlroy has given thanks to preferable conditions at Congressional in 2011, which led to his lone victory at this event by a landslide, including when he told me with a laugh a few years ago, “I’m just glad I’ve won a U.S. Open, put it that way.”
He’s missed the cut in each of the last three editions of this one, prompting a new strategy this time around, as he competed in each of the previous two PGA Tour events. That was the secret formula for last week, at least, though the law of averages states that it’s tough to believe he makes it 0-for-4 this week. — Sobel
Jordan Spieth 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 16-1
- DFS Pricing: $10,300 DraftKings; $11,500 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 5:09 p.m. ET Thursday; 11:24 a.m. ET Friday
He’s baaa-aaack. Following a top-20 drought that dated back to last summer, Spieth has now played well in three consecutive starts and should draw considerable interest as a potential champion this week.
After finishing low amateur at the 2012 U.S. Open and winning at Chambers Bay three years later, Spieth’s success at this tourney has seriously slowed, with results of MC, T-35 and T-37 in the last three years.
Then again, it can be argued that those venues were set up a little more for the thumpers, while Pebble, site of his AT&T win two years ago, should be right up his alley. — Sobel
Justin Rose 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 20-1
- DFS Pricing: $9,700 DraftKings; $11,900 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 5:09 p.m. ET Thursday; 11:24 a.m. ET Friday
Keen observers will note that despite a world-class arsenal, Rose’s recent results have been sort of “meh” entering this week, his last five finishes being 13-58-29-3-MC.
Even keener observers will note that his results entering his lone major championship, at the 2013 U.S. Open, weren’t much different, when he’d entered with finishes of 8-50-MC-15-25.
There’s no reason to believe Rose can’t similarly parlay his recent play into another title contention and while there might be some consternation in that only one of his 10 career PGA Tour wins came on the West Coast, it should be encouraging that this win was his most recent, at Torrey Pines earlier this year. — Sobel
Rickie Fowler 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 25-1
- DFS Pricing: $9,500 DraftKings; $11,100 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 11:02 a.m. ET Thursday; 4:47 p.m. ET Friday
Settle down, folks. It’ll happen.
Yes, Fowler will someday be a major champion. For now, his lengthy run of close calls at majors only leads to public criticism that he can’t close the deal. Players view these results much differently, though: Even the most heartbreaking defeats are more positive results than finishing way back in the pack.
At some point, Fowler will use these experiences — now 10 career top-10s at majors — and parlay them into that long-elusive victory. Don’t be surprised if it happens sooner rather than later. — Sobel
Jon Rahm 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 25-1
- DFS Pricing: $9,200 DraftKings; $11,200 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 10:51 a.m. ET Thursday; 4:36 p.m. ET Friday
There are signs that this year’s U.S. Open will be an old-school edition of the event, one where precision players can prevail.
If instead it follows the recent trend of powerful hitters blasting the ball off the tee and strong-arming shots out of the rough, Rahm could be next in line to fulfill his promise as a future major champion. I’ve disagreed with popular sentiment that he needs to reel in his on-course tantrums, but that will admittedly be more of a concern this week, when the toughest setup of the year can lead to increasingly mind-numbing frustrations. — Sobel
Jason Day 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 25-1
- DFS Pricing: $9,100 DraftKings; $10,800 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 11:02 a.m. ET Thursday; 4:47 p.m. ET Friday
Day has missed the cut in each of the last two U.S. Opens, which is especially confounding considering his previous six results in this event: 8th-9th-4th-2nd-59th-2nd. There are plenty of signs that he’ll revert to the days of old, not the least of which is his recent success in the state of California. Playing four tournaments here over the past two years, he’s finished fourth, fifth, second and first, the last of those results coming at Torrey Pines last year. If there’s one negative, it’s that Day often explains that it takes longer for his notoriously balky back to loosen up in cooler conditions. — Sobel
Justin Thomas 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 25-1
- DFS Pricing: $9,300 DraftKings; $11,400 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 11:24 a.m. ET Thursday; 5:09 p.m. ET Friday
In case you hadn’t heard, wrist injuries and U.S. Open rough aren’t exactly a perfect match, at least if you’re trying to avoid further injury. After missing time with that exact ailment, Thomas didn’t figure to rank too highly on my list, a notion that was confirmed when he missed the cut at the Memorial Tournament.
A share of 20th place at last week’s Canadian Open won me over, though — at least to the point where I think he’s physically healthy enough to compete. Tread carefully, however: All it takes is one blast at a ball buried in thick grass to tweak this type of injury. — Sobel
Xander Schauffele 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 25-1
- DFS Pricing: $8,700 DraftKings; $10,900 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 11:24 a.m. ET Thursday; 5:09 p.m. ET Friday
The erstwhile “most underrated player in the world” has been upgraded to “just slightly overlooked,” thanks to continued impressive play in the game’s biggest tournaments.
Schauffele has now finished in the top-20 in two-thirds of his nine career major starts, including a co-runner-up result at this year’s Masters and a T-16 at the PGA Championship.
He’s also been T-5 and T-6 in the last two U.S. Opens — his only two so far. At this point, it would be a bigger surprise to see Schauffele out of the mix than firmly inside it — even if he remains slightly overlooked by the general public. — Sobel
Adam Scott 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 25-1
- DFS Pricing: $8,600 DraftKings; $10,500 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 4:47 p.m. ET Thursday; 11:02 a.m. ET Friday
Fifteen years ago, it would’ve been tough to envision a career from Scott that included just a single major championship victory, but unless the soon-to-be 39-year-old can manufacture a second one to go with his 2013 Masters title, that will be the case.
That said, there’s been plenty of hard luck in his career, too, including two weeks ago, when he appeared distraught after finishing runner-up at the Memorial Tournament, while acknowledging that Patrick Cantlay had simply outplayed him on the final day. Results of T-18 and T-8 in this year’s first two majors should help buoy some confidence. — Sobel
Tommy Fleetwood 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 25-1
- DFS Pricing: $8,900 DraftKings; $10,600 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 11:24 a.m. Thursday; 5:09 p.m. ET Friday
There’s a clear line of demarcation for Fleetwood at major championships. He’s yet to figure out the Masters or PGA Championship, never finishing better than T-17 in eight combined appearances at those two, but his results at the U.S. Open and Open Championship have been much better, including solo fourth and runner-up at the former in the past two years.
For those waiting on an eventual Fleetwood victory, the next two should offer way more opportunity for him than the first two of ’em did. Consider it a surprise if he doesn’t challenge in at least one of the next two, if not both of them. — Sobel
Francesco Molinari 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 30-1
- DFS Pricing: $9,000 DraftKings; $11,000 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 4:41 p.m. ET Thursday; 11:02 a.m. ET Friday
Consider this more than a little beguiling: In his lengthy career, Molinari has posted top-five results at three of the four major championships. The only one missing? That would be the U.S. Open, the one major that would presumably suit his fairways-and-greens game better than the others. Perhaps that means it’s only a matter of time before he seriously contends, or perhaps it means we’re missing a reason why he doesn’t play better here. In nine total starts, he’s finished between 23rd and 29th on five occasions, but also failed to make the cut four times. — Sobel
Tony Finau 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 35-1
- DFS Pricing: $8,400 DraftKings; $10,300 FanDuel
- Tee Times: TBD Thursday; TBD Friday
Right or not, Finau sticks to his game, which is dominating the field off the tee. The problem: He’s been oddly erratic of late, hitting just 44.2% of his fairways over the last four weeks — the second-worst mark in the field.
If that doesn’t turn around, he’ll be in trouble at a U.S. Open setup, especially one that may not favor bombers as much as the last couple years have. Finau is scary in majors — he’s been in the top 10 in four of his last six — but the recent form and fit is a bit scary. — Bryan Mears
Bryson DeChambeau 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 40-1
- DFS Pricing: $8,100 DraftKings; $10,700 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 4:36 p.m. ET Thursday; 11:02 a.m. ET Friday
Eight months ago, I decided DeChambeau was going to be my U.S. Open pick. That was when he was winning literally every other start, of course.
Since then, he’s looked eminently ordinary — and consistently frustrated — but there are signs of him turning things around soon. Returning to his native NorCal should offer a boost, as should his pedigree of being a past USGA champion, having won the U.S. Amateur four years ago.
He hasn’t played his best lately, but that just means there’s greater value on one of the game’s top players here. — Sobel
Patrick Cantlay 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 16-1
- DFS Pricing: $10,000 DraftKings; $11,300 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 4:25 p.m. ET Thursday; 10:40 a.m. ET Friday
The switch has undoubtedly been flipped. Over the past two months, Cantlay is fulfilling his massive potential, easily resembling one of the world’s best players. Finishes of T-9 at the Masters and T-3 at the PGA Championship are also evidence that he can play his best golf in the biggest events, the true mark of being an elite performer.
Back on California poa annua greens, he should feel at home for this event, which might suit his game even better than the year’s first two majors. And if you need one more bit of evidence, there’s this: Cantlay leads the PGA Tour in bogey avoidance this season. — Sobel
Phil Mickelson 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 25-1
- DFS Pricing: $8,200 DraftKings; $10,300 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 8:13 a.m. ET Thursday; 1:58 p.m. ET Friday
Mickelson won at Pebble Beach back in February, but he hit 79% of greens in regulation, which isn’t the norm for him. Overall, I won’t be investing in him in the betting or DFS markets given his recent form, as he has missed three cuts in his past eight events and has finished no better than 18th in that time frame.
His long-term form isn’t much better, ranking 79th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 81st in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking over his past 50 rounds. — Justin Bailey
Hideki Matsuyama 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 40-1
- DFS Pricing: $8,800 DraftKings; $10,400 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 11:24 a.m. ET Thursday; 5:09 p.m. ET Friday
The popular refrain remains around Matsuyama’s game: He strikes it like Ben Hogan and putts it like Hulk Hogan. That might be a little cutesy, but it isn’t wrong. He ranks inside the top-five this season in ball-striking, but owns a negative strokes gained putting number.
At Pebble, where speedy greens could negate putting abilities a bit, in effect leveling the playing field, he might enjoy a small advantage, though it’s still very tough to believe he can consistently roll in speedy 8-foot par-savers – or for that matter, make one of ‘em to win his first career major. — Sobel
Matt Kuchar 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 50-1
- DFS Pricing: $8,500 DraftKings; $10,200 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 4:47 p.m. ET Thursday; 11:02 a.m. ET Friday
What a bizarre contradiction of a year it’s been for Kuchar. This has easily been his most — and, really, only — controversial campaign, but it’s also been his best, perhaps suggesting that his aw-shucks persona might’ve needed a little me-against-the-world to help light that motivational fire. If you’re seeking even more reason to like him this week, look back to nine years ago, when a brutally difficult final round at Pebble Beach yielded an 82 from the 54-hole leader and just five scores under 70, one which was posted by Kuchar, who matched the day’s best number with a 68. — Sobel
Paul Casey 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 50-1
- DFS Pricing: $8,300 DraftKings; $10,000 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 4:25 p.m. ET Thursday; 10:40 a.m. ET Friday
Casey will likely be a popular play this week for those looking at the tournament he already played at Pebble Beach in February. He led after three rounds before eventually coming in second to Phil Mickelson.
But most of Casey's damage was done on the other two courses at the Pebble Beach pro-am. He was -12 at Monterey Peninsula and Spyglass Hill, but just -4 in two rounds at Pebble.
For some comparison, Mickelson shot -9 in the two rounds at Pebble in the win.
Casey's game should fit the course, but I think this year’s performance earlier this year will be overrated, so I won’t be backing him. — Joshua Perry
Patrick Reed 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 80-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,900 DraftKings; $9,700 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 8:35 a.m. ET Thursday; 2:20 p.m. ET Friday
Reed is almost always an auto-fade for me in every event, especially this week. This week I want players with strong ball striking and approach games considering the penal rough that isn’t far off from the greens. While Reed is a solid putter and is great around the greens, he’s hit just 63.8% of greens in regulation over the past 75 weeks. If he’s not hitting greens, he’s probably not getting birdie looks, and over his past 50 rounds, Reed ranks 113th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 103rd in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking, per Fantasy National.
The U.S. Open probably isn’t a tournament where you’re going to find your form and Reed is coming off an event where he lost -4.4 strokes on approach and has finished 28th or worse in every event since March.
While his short game and putting could keep him hanging around, he's not a player I'm particularly high on. — Bailey
Sergio Garcia 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 100-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,800 DraftKings; $9,800 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 11:24 a.m. ET Thursday; 5:09 p.m. ET Friday
Known as one of the better ball-strikers on the PGA Tour, Garcia has had decent success at the U.S. Open in the past. He has five top-10 finishes since 2000, with a best finish of third-place coming in 2005 at Pinehurst.
Unlike many others, I think Garcia is capable of playing well on any type of golf course, but his recent track record in major championships is abysmal. He has missed the cut in seven consecutive majors, dating back to the PGA Championship in 2017.
This is not what you would expect from a talent like Garcia and someone who is as good from tee-to-green as anyone on tour.
I am not expecting much from Sergio this week, and would stay away from him in DFS. There will be much better value in his price range, and his best bets may be to short him in the various head-to-head matchups he has available. — Drew Stoltz
Henrik Stenson 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 60-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,600 DraftKings; $9,500 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 4:25 p.m. ET Thursday; 10:40 a.m. ET Friday
Look who’s trending in the right direction. Earlier this year, mired in a trio of MCs in the Middle East to start his campaign, there were whispers that the now 43-year-old Swede was quickly coming to the end of the road in his career, but he’s turned things around to tally some good-but-not-great results over the past few months.
His ability to mash straight-line 3-woods off the tee make him an intriguing candidate at this tournament, one which saw him finish T-6 last year and T-4 five years ago. His game might not be exactly where he wants it to be, but it’s much better than it was just a few months ago. — Sobel
Louis Oosthuizen 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 100-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,900 DraftKings; $9,900 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 11:35 a.m. ET Thursday; 5:20 p.m. ET Friday
The South African has been inside the top 25 in each of the last four U.S. Opens, including a runner-up in 2012. He doesn’t have a lot of history at Pebble, though: His last event was in 2010, when he missed the cut.
The big issue is the recent form, which hasn’t been great: He’s hit just 56.3% of his greens over the last month, and a U.S. Open isn’t the place to find your game. Given superior values in his range, I’ll be passing. — Mears
Webb Simpson 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 50-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,700 DraftKings; $9,600 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 4:47 p.m. ET Thursday; 11:02 a.m. ET Friday
A former U.S. Open champ – in NorCal, no less – who hasn’t finished outside the top-30 in a stroke-play event in three months, Simpson probably isn’t receiving enough attention or respect entering this week, but he should be amongst the relevant contenders.
He ranks in the upper tier on the PGA Tour in strokes gained tee to green, approaches and around the green – the latter of which could be a key to scrambling around to remain on the leaderboard. Simpson might not replicate his 2012 victory at Olympic Club, but this should be a more comfortable setup for him than many others. — Sobel
Marc Leishman 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 60-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,800 DraftKings; $9,600 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 10:51 a.m. ET Thursday; 4:26 p.m. ET Friday
The good news for Leishman so far is that conditions are expected to be cool and dry throughout the week, which should lead to a fast, firm course that will suit his style. It’ll be even better news if the wind blows, too, as his low ball flight should leave him better prepared than others.
While it’s been a disappointing last few months for Leishman, a recent solo fifth-place finish at the Memorial Tournament should provide some confidence this week – both for him and those backing him. He’s never finished better than T-17 in seven U.S. Open starts, but that could very well change this week. — Sobel
Gary Woodland 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 60-1
- DFS Pricing: $8,000 DraftKings; $9,900 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 11:30 a.m. ET Thursday; 4:58 p.m. ET Friday
Woodland was one of my early plays in the fall at 150-1. He’s since dropped quite a bit since then on the oddsheet.
Woodland had a strong PGA Championship but overall, his form has faded since the end of 2018. He’s on my card, so I hope he wins, but at his current odds of 60-1, I probably wouldn’t bet him. — Perry
Martin Kaymer 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 80-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,400 DraftKings; $9,300 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 10:51 a.m. ET Thursday; 4:36 p.m. ET Friday
Kaymer is an easy fade in DFS and the betting markets. I don’t believe someone with a Long-Term Adjusted Round Score of 70.2 could contend here, especially if he gets into trouble from his approaches.
Kaymer’s 47.6% scrambling rate over the past 75 weeks is among the worst marks in the entire field. — Bailey
Matt Wallace 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 80-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,600 DraftKings; $9,400 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 11:24 a.m. ET Thursday; 5:09 p.m. ET Friday
No longer a stranger to major championship leaderboards, thanks to a T-3 finish at last month’s PGA Championship where he never quite contended, but did acquit himself nicely on the weekend, Wallace should benefit from conditions which might more closely resemble an Open Championship than a U.S. Open. A solid ball-striker, the Englishman might be an even better scrambler, which should be of critical importance this week.
Armed with momentum from that PGA result, Wallace offers some nice value to those who believe he could come close to repeating that performance. — Sobel
Brandt Snedeker 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 80-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,500 DraftKings; $9,400 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 4:25 p.m. ET Thursday; 10:40 a.m. ET Friday
If Brandt Snedeker is going to win a Major Championship, the US Open most likely represents his best opportunity. His 286-yard average off the tee would eliminate him from contending at courses like Shinnecock or Bethpage, but Pebble Beach should be close to an ideal set up for him.
His short, firm putting style is tailor-made for poa annua greens, which is where he will have to win this golf tournament. The last time the US Open was at Pebble, it was won by Graham McDowell, who is another player with average length and very above-average putting stats, much like Snedeker.
Add in the fact that Snedeker has finished in the top 10 in 5 of his last 10 US Open starts, and I think he is a very good bet for a top 15-20 finish at Pebble Beach. — Stoltz
Kevin Kisner 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 100-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,400 DraftKings; $9,100 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 8:02 a.m. ET Thursday; 1:47 p.m. ET Friday
Kisner had been a top-25 machine earlier this year, but over his past four events, he’s finished 41st, MC, MC and 41st. Given his poor tee-to-green and approach game of late, I think you could fade Kisner in the betting and DFS markets without the fear of missing out. — Bailey
Branden Grace 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 150-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,200 DraftKings; $9,200 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 4:36 p.m. ET Thursday; 10:51 a.m. ET Friday
Grace had back-to-back U.S. Open top-fives a couple years ago, but his current form is really concerning.
He hasn’t been inside even the top 50 in any tournament since February, and his ball-striking has been particularly problematic. His Recent GIR mark is one of the lower marks in the field, and his accuracy off the tee has been poor, too. That’s a rough combination at a U.S. Open setup, so I won’t be betting the South African. — Mears
Ian Poulter 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 125-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,500 DraftKings; $9,300 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 4:58 p.m. ET Thursday; 11:13 a.m. ET Friday
I could see Poulter being a popular pick this week, but I’ll steer clear of him. He’s lost strokes with his approach in three of his last four tournaments and Poa is the one putting surface where he loses strokes.
I won’t actively look to fade him in matchups, but I’m not investing in him anywhere. — Perry
Cameron Smith 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 150-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,300 DraftKings; $9,000 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 11:24 a.m. ET Thursday; 5:09 p.m. ET Friday
Cam Smith is a young player loaded with talent, and burst on the U.S. Open scene with a fourth-place finish in his debut at the US Open in 2015.
Since then, he has only made 1 of 2 cuts, missing the mark last year and finished 59th in 2016. Smith is widely considered one of the better short iron/wedge players in the game today, but his total ball-striking stats don’t add up what you would expect to see from someone expected to play well at a US Open.
Also to consider, Smith’s best finish in his last five starts is a 51st at Augusta back in April. Since then he has three MC’s and a T61.
That kind of recent form along with his total ball-striking stats make him a “stay away” type of player for me this week. — Stoltz
Lucas Glover 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 125-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,000 DraftKings; $8,800 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 1:25 p.m. ET Thursday; 7:40 a.m. ET Friday
After backtesting prior U.S. Open tournaments in the FantasyLabs Trends tool, scrambling popped as one of the more important metrics to target. Glover has excelled in that facet over the past 75 weeks, boasting a 63.1% scrambling rate.
Additionally, he’s been great in almost every aspect of his past 50 rounds, ranking 23rd in Strokes Gained: Approach and 15th in total strokes gained and Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green.
I’ll be looking for any exploitable head-to-head bets featuring Glover. — Bailey
Bubba Watson 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 125-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,600 DraftKings; $9,500 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 10:40 a.m. ET Thursday; 4:25 p.m. ET Friday
Bubba has his spots on tour: Augusta, Riviera, River Highlands. The U.S. Open is not one of his spots: In the eight events since 2011, he’s missed five cuts and finished inside the top 50 just once (T-32 in 2013).
He doesn’t have particularly amazing history at Pebble, and his recent form is a bit up-and-down lately, too. He is a good Poa putter, but I’m not sure that’s enough given his negatives to warrant a bet. — Stoltz
Graeme McDowell 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 100-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,300 DraftKings; $8,800 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 11:13 a.m. ET Thursday; 4:58 p.m. ET Friday
The last champion of the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach has found the winner's circle again this year. But overall, the game hasn’t really been in great shape.
McDowell has lost strokes with the approach in five of his last seven tournaments. The approach game will need to be completely locked in to contend at Pebble, and McDowell's isn’t there right now, so I won’t be backing him. — Perry
Si Woo Kim 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 150-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,100 DraftKings; $8,700 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 11:02 a.m. ET Thursday; 4:47 p.m. ET Friday
After a very strong start to the 2019 PGA Tour campaign, Si Woo Kim has cooled off significantly, of late. He missed four consecutive cuts before finishing 41st in his last outing at Memorial.
On the bright side, Kim played the best golf of his season on the West Coast this year, finishing third at Riviera and fourth at the Pebble Beach Pro-am.
Granted, the field at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am doesn’t even compare to what he will see this week and the course set up will be exponentially harder, but having played well on this venue only a few months ago is definitely a plus.
Si Woo Kim may be someone to consider to fill out the bottom tier of your DFS line-up and I think is a decent bet to make the cut, but I wouldn’t set my expectations too high for him based on his recent form. — Stoltz
Shane Lowry 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 100-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,500 DraftKings; $9,000 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 11:13 a.m. ET Thursday; 4:58 p.m. ET Friday
Lowry is coming into the U.S. Open super hot, getting into the top 8 in each of his last three events, including the PGA Championship.
He’s been excellent from every area of the golf course, too: He’s striking the ball well, and his short game has been as good as anyone’s over the last month.
Lowry's history at Pebble is a little hit-or-miss, but I’m willing to buy this incredible recent form — especially in matchup props and top 20 odds. — Mears
Zach Johnson 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 150-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,000 DraftKings; $8,700 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 7:51 a.m. ET Thursday; 1:36 p.m. ET Friday
Given the strength of the field and the other options in this price range who are superior ball strikers to Johnson, he’s not somebody I’ll be investing in at the U.S. Open. He hasn’t shown any upside in 2019, finishing 28th or worse in all but one event thus far. — Bailey
Keegan Bradley 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 150-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,000 DraftKings; $8,600 FanDuel
- Tee Times: TBD Thursday; TBD Friday
Keegan had a T-4 at the 2014 U.S. Open, but his history otherwise at this major has been disastrous, including two missed cuts in the last three years.
His ball-striking has been solid of late, but as usual his putter has failed him; he hasn’t been inside the top 25 in several months. Keegan is very talented, but I don’t trust the short game at this big of an event — especially on a course with which he’s unfamiliar. — Mears
Rafa Cabrera Bello 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 150-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,300 DraftKings; $8,900 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 4:14 p.m. ET Thursday; 10:29 a.m. ET Friday
Cabrera Bello will probably make a cut, but I don't see him contending. He hasn't had a top 10 in three months, so it's unlikely he'll pop up on the leaderboard this week.
He's not really a fade because he has been making cuts, but I don't have any intention on backing him either. — Perry
Jim Furyk 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 125-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,200 DraftKings; $8,700 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 4:25 p.m. ET Thursday; 10:20 a.m. ET Friday
If indeed Pebble Beach turns out to be the type of U.S. Open venue which rewards accuracy over power, then the rejuvenated former Ryder Cup captain could thrive in these conditions. It should come as little surprise that Furyk owns seven top-five results in this tournament over his lengthy career, including a victory at Olympia Fields in 2003 and three other runner-up finishes.
Other late-fortysomethings will receive more attention (ahem, Phil Mickelson) for late-career attempts to add another major, but Furyk has always been as determined as anyone – and he knows this week might offer his best final chance. — Sobel
Daniel Berger 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 150-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,100 DraftKings; $8,900 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 5:20 p.m. ET Thursday; 11:35 a.m. ET Friday
Daniel Berger is a Florida product who plays his best golf in the Southeast United States on Bermuda grass. His two PGA Tour wins have come at the St. Jude Classic in Memphis, Tennessee.
You can see just by looking at his tournament schedule that he doesn’t love the West Coast. He skips Riviera. He skips Torrey Pines. He skips the Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
That, combined with the fact that his only top-10 finish this year came in Puerto Rico(another windy, Bermuda-grass golf course) makes me pretty bearish on Daniel Berger this week at Pebble. — Stoltz
Tyrrell Hatton 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 125-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,200 DraftKings; $8,800 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 8:13 a.m. ET Thursday; 1:58 p.m. ET Friday
Since course conditions should resemble his style of play, Hatton is one of my favorite longshot bets.
He’s played in just two U.S. Opens, missing the cut in 2017 but finishing sixth last year. You’ll need to keep your ball in the fairway here, which Hatton is decent at, hitting 61% of fairways over the past 75 weeks. More importantly, he’s gained strokes on approach in his last three tournaments and ranks 20th in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green over that time frame. — Perry
Haotong Li 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 150-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,600 DraftKings; $8,200 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 10:40 a.m. ET Thursday; 4:25 p.m. ET Friday
The 23-year-old Li has yet to win on the PGA Tour, but he’s certainly competed with the best at times. He’s done pretty well on the more ball-striking major setups, including a third at his first Open Championship in 2017 and a top 20 at the U.S. Open last year.
He’s very boom-or-bust: He’s one of the better birdie-makers in the field, but he also ranks below-average in bogeys. As such, I’ll probably avoid in matchups, but I don’t mind taking a shot on him for a top 10 or 20 if the price is right. — Stoltz
Aaron Wise 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 150-1
- DFS Pricing: $6,900 DraftKings; $8,500 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 3:41 p.m. ET Thursday; 9:41 a.m. ET Friday
Aaron Wise is a star-in-the-making, who is still coming into his own.
He tends to do well on courses that allow a lot of room off the tee for him to hit driver as much as possible, like Trinity Forest, where he won his first PGA Tour title last year.
This year, however, he has hit a bit of a sophomore slump, with one top-10 finish in 16 starts. He is not one of the great iron players on Tour, and Pebble Beach is not wide enough in a US Open set up for him to smash his driver all around the lot.
I would be cautious when betting Wise this week, either in DFS or in head to head matchups. He’s coming off two consecutive missed cuts and on paper, doesnt fit the mold for the type of player who should succeed at Pebble Beach. — Stoltz
Matthew Fitzpatrick 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 150-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,400 DraftKings; $9,100 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 4:58 p.m. ET Thursday; 11:13 a.m. ET Friday
Fitz finished second at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March but since has been very disappointing. He’s coming off a 68th at Memorial and 64th at Charles Schwab.
The ball-striking has been there, which is a good sign, but the short game hasn’t. He played the Pebble Pro-Am earlier this year, and that was true then, too. His ball-striking was awesome — he hit 73% of the fairways and 70% of the greens — but his putter was atrocious. He missed the cut as a result.
I wouldn’t bet it would come around, but putting is the most random part of golf, so he could be an interesting, low-owned DFS flier if you’re looking to back him. — Mears
Billy Horschel 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 150-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,200 DraftKings; $8,900 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 10:40 a.m. ET Thursday; 4:25 p.m. ET Friday
Horschel has been in decent form lately. He's gained strokes off the tee and with the approach in four straight events. But he's never really played well here. He's without a top 25 in the pro/am event.
That might just be the format, but he also struggles more with the putter on poa greens. He putts nearly a half stroke better per round on Bermuda. So even with the good ball striking numbers leading into the event, I won't be playing him. — Perry
Charles Howell III 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 150-1
- DFS Pricing: $6,900 DraftKings; $8,500 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 4:03 p.m. ET Thursday; 10:18 a.m. ET Friday
Howell hasn't finished inside the top 15 since March and missed three cuts in four events. He's usually steady and reliable, but that aspect of his game has eluded him over the past couple months.
He also hasn't played Pebble Beach since 2009. That leads me to believe there's something about the place that doesn't fit his eye. Maybe it's just the pro/am format, but either way, I don't see a reason to back him this week. — Perry
Keith Mitchell 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 150-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,100 DraftKings; $8,400 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 1:36 p.m. ET Thursday; 7:51 a.m. ET Friday
I love Keith Mitchell as much as anyone. After Honda, he can do no wrong for me. But the reason his odds were so high in that event was because of his awful putting performances on Poa greens. He doesn’t like them and has said as much. Because of that, he’s a fade for me this week. — Perry
Byeong Hun An 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 200-1
- DFS Pricing: $6,900 DraftKings; $8,700 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 4:58 p.m. ET Thursday; 11:13 a.m. ET Friday
An had great ball-striking numbers a month ago and we waited patiently for the putter just to be average. But since then, the driver and irons have regressed and the putter never got going.
It’s been two months since his last top 10, and his poor putting numbers are amplified on poa, where he loses nearly a stroke per round. I’m just not finding a reason to back him this week. — Perry
Emiliano Grillo 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 150-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,400 DraftKings; $8,900 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 7:07 a.m. Thursday; 12:52 p.m. ET Friday
Grillo is in solid form with his last missed cut coming at the Honda Classic. His approach game has been on point, ranking 14th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 12th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking over his past 50 rounds.
The narrow fairways at Pebble also shouldn’t be an issue for him as he’s hit 69.5% of fairways over the past 75 weeks while ranking eighth in fairways gained over his past 50 rounds, per Fantasy National. — Bailey
Kevin Na 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 125-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,700 DraftKings; $9,200 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 4:14 p.m. ET Thursday; 10:29 a.m. ET Friday
On a course where accuracy, putting and short game comes into play, Na is worth a look as a tournament flier in DFS. He’s gained strokes on approach in his last three tournaments, and he’s excellent around the greens, boasting a top-11 long-term scrambling rate in the field.
He also ranks sixth in Strokes Gained: Short Game and 23rd in Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green over his past 50 rounds, per Fantasy National. — Bailey
Kiradech Aphibarnrat 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 250-1
- DFS Pricing: $6,800 DraftKings; $8,400 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 4:36 p.m. ET Thursday; 10:51 a.m. ET Friday
Aphibarnrat missed the cut in his first U.S. Open in 2016 but finished 15th last year in a weird event.
He missed the cut in his only Pebble appearance in 2014, although that was almost entirely due to putting; his ball-striking was very solid.
Aphibarnrat has been very boom-or-bust this year, finishing in the top 5 in some events and badly missing the cut at others. He has five missed cuts in 12 events in 2019, but a pair of top 5's.
He’s rating fine in my model, but not enough where I’m excited to bet him. —Mears
Justin Harding 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 250-1
- DFS Pricing: $6,900 DraftKings; $8,300 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 5:09 p.m. ET Thursday; 11:24 a.m. ET Friday
A year ago at this time, Harding was barely a blip on golf’s radar, having missed the cut in his lone major championship appearance a half-decade earlier.
Since then, he’s added three more global victories, ascended to inside the world’s top-50 and proven to also be adept at competing in U.S.-based events. In the past two-and-a-half months alone, he’s finished T-10 at the AT&T Byron Nelson, T-12 at the Masters and T-17 at the WGC-Dell Match Play.
The 33-year-old late-blooming South African appears immune to the pressures of playing on the bigger stage, which should suit him well this week. — Sobel
C.T. Pan 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 200-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,100 DraftKings; $8,400 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 11:35 a.m. ET Thursday; 5:20 p.m. ET Friday
Pan doesn’t stand out in any metric I am weighing this week, but he also isn’t overly terrible in any single aspect, either. That said, on a difficult track in a loaded field, someone with a 69.6 Long-Term Adjusted Round Score isn’t somebody I am looking to back this week. — Bailey
Abraham Ancer 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 300-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,000 DraftKings; $8,300 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 11:35 a.m. ET Thursday; 5:20 p.m. ET Friday
If you’re seeking a super-sleeper this week, the type who could finish top-10 or even top-five over some more heralded peers, I don’t dislike Ancer’s chances of being that player.
He’s an excellent driver of the ball, with one of the best accuracy numbers on the PGA Tour and enough length to keep him from being considered too short. The winner of last year’s Australian Open, Ancer owns four finishes of 18th or better so far this year, including a T-16 at last month’s PGA Championship, on a course which shouldn’t have suited his game as well as Pebble Beach will this week. — Sobel
Thorbjorn Olesen 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 250-1
- DFS Pricing: $6,800 DraftKings; $8,200 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 10:07 a.m. ET Thursday; 3:52 p.m. ET Friday
Olesen has been pretty inconsistent this year. He doesn’t have a top 10 since January in Dubai. He's also never played Pebble Beach, so it’s hard to see him finding his game on a course where he has little experience.
I’m not going to have anything on him this week. — Perry
J.B. Holmes 2019 U.S. Open Odds
- Odds to Win U.S. Open: 200-1
- DFS Pricing: $7,300 DraftKings; $8,500 FanDuel
- Tee Times: 10:40 a.m. ET Thursday; 4:25 p.m. ET Friday
I’m completely off Holmes this week as I am most weeks. Outside of his victory at the Genesis Open, he’s struggled all season, missing eight of 11 cuts this year, including three straight since his withdrawal from the Wells Fargo Championship. — Bailey
