Talk about a rollercoaster ride – Jon Rahm’s maiden golf Major victory in the US Open at Torrey Pines Sunday didn’t come without a few bumps in the road, and the odds from online bookmakers just highlight that.
The 26-year-old Spaniard was a firm favorite on the money line before the tournament started, and he was an even firmer favorite at halfway – but all that changed Saturday.
Rahm had shrunk from +1000 to +400 by the time he ended Round 2 just a couple of shots off the pace in search of his first Major. But he fired a disappointing 72 Saturday to end the day on -2 – now three shots back.
At this stage he had taken a walk out to +1200 in the betting, and things would get even worse before they got better Sunday.
Michael Korn of PointsBet revealed that the sportsbook pushed Rahm out to as big as +2000 during Sunday’s final round, while Bryson DeChambeau was as low as +140 favorite when he surged into the lead in a bid to defend his title.
There would be one more shift though – as Bryson fell apart on the closing holes, leaving the resurgent Rahm to win by a shot from South African Louis Oosthuizen.
Korn revealed: “We all know Rahm had a great back-9 yesterday. That being said, he started off a bit shaky on the front-9 and his odds got as far out as +2000. Bryson was the clear favorite at one point during round 4 and his odds got as far down as +140.”
Despite Rahm being favorite for a big portion of the build-up and the four days at Torrey Pines, it was a good result overall for PointsBet.
Korn added: “Overall, the book did well. Bettors overlooked the favorite (Rahm) pre-tournament and did the same with live betting. Our biggest liabilities would have been Brooks (Koepka), Rory (McIlroy), and Louis Oosthuizen. The biggest winning bet we took on Jon Rahm was for $2,000 at +1100 odds that paid out $22,000
“Some of the bigger losing bets we took were $20,000 on Rory to win (Live) @ +350 (Would have won $70,000) and $10,000 on Russell Henley to win (Live) @ +1200 (Would have won $120,000).”
US Open Golf – Public Betting
No surprises here pre-event but golden oldie Mickelson had been attracting more bets than anybody else on the back of that famous victory at Kiawah Island. This according to public betting information from PointsBet.
‘Lefty’ was clearly the man for small-stakes bettors heading into the tournament, attracting 5.25% of all bets in a wide open market. Xander Schauffele was next with 4.82% followed by favorite Rahm on 4.42%. Tony Finau (4.34%) and Brooks Koepka (4.03%) rounded out the top five.
When it came to the handle (how much money had been bet) then Rahm was the hot pick – accounting for 10.79% of all the dollars wagered. Schauffele came next on 7.17%.
Finau was third with 6.45% of the total stakes with Mickelson next on 5.37% and Victor Hovland (4.90%) completing the top five.
When was the 2021 US Open golf?
The 121st US Open Golf Championship began at Torrey Pines in San Diego, California on Thursday June 17, 2021.
It ran through to Sunday June 20, 2021 when the final round will be played.
The 2021 US Open golf on TV
The Golf Channel and NBC shared TV rights for the 2021 US Open at Torrey Pines. Coverage was as follows:
- Thursday June 17: Round 1 (Golf Channel, NBC)
- Friday June 18: Round 2 (Golf Channel, NBC)
- Saturday June 19: Round 3 (NBC)
- Sunday June 20: Round 4 (Golf Channel, NBC)
Check back closer to the tournament and we will post exact start times.
How do golf odds work?
Pretty simple really, the same way they do for other sports. If you’re betting money line to win, the odds will have a – or + in front of them.
If your bet has a – and is say -200, you’ll need to bet $200 just to win $100. If your bet is +200, you’ll win $200 for every $100 you bet.
You don’t need to worry too much about the minus numbers on money line golf bets. Because of the size of the fields, and how difficult it is to win a tournament, the odds for the favorite are pretty big.
Most online bookmakers will also offer a ton of props (proposition or special bets) for Majors, while you can also bet live in-play during the event. You can often bet on how a player will score over a specific hole. Or in a match bet against another player.
Did the US Open have fans in 2021?
Yes, the USGA allowed a limited number of spectators into Torrey Pines.
How much did tickets cost at the US Open golf tournament?
Daily Gallery tickets started at just $50 per day for the 2021 event, while the Daily Beer Garden (including Gallery access) was $75.
How much does it cost to play Torrey Pines?
If you’d like to play a course legends have graced, you actually can do.
The cost of 18 holes at the Torrey Pines South Course is $63 if you’re a San Diego resident, but a hefty $202 if you’re not.
Golf betting signup bonuses
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They offer terrific promotional bonuses for new customers around most sporting events – golf included.
The great thing is you’re not limited to just one bonus, you can sign up for multiple. This also means you can shop around for the best odds once you’ve made your picks.
Check out our signup bonuses section for all the latest offers.