The Open Odds Favor Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson Starving for Better Play

The Open Championship – the last men s golf major of the year for 2019 – tees off this Thursday, and Northern Ireland s own Rory McIlroy has emerged as the betting favorite at multiple sportsbooks.

The 148th playing of golf s oldest major is being contested at Royal Portrush Golf Club in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The site is just an hour s drive from McIlroy s home town of Holywood.

Portrush is hosting The Open for the second time. It last welcomed the tournament in 1951.

The 30-year-old McIlroy has four majors to his storied career, which includes the 2014 Open. The Westgate SuperBook has the Irishman the frontrunner this week for the Claret Jug at 8/1. A $100 bet and Rory outlasting the other 155 players would net just $800.

US sports betting operators FanDuel and DraftKings have him slightly longer at 9/1. Following McIlroy, other favorites include (10/1), Jon Rahm (16/1), and Tiger Woods, Justin Rose, and Xander Schauffele (20/1).

Defending champ Francesco Molinari is next at 25/1, a line he shares with Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas, and Patrick Cantlay.

Phil Mickelson, winner of the 2013 Open held at Muirfield, won his 50th PGA Tour event earlier this year at the AT T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. But since that , Lefty s game has faltered.

Mickelson s best tournament since Pebble came at the Masters where he finished T18. He s missed six cuts during the period, most recently a 74-73 performance at the 3M Open in Minnesota where he beat just 14 players in the entire field.

Usually active on Instagram and Twitter, Mickelson has largely been quiet in recent weeks. Yesterday, he posted a video explaining where he s been.

I haven t posted anything because I haven t felt good about myself and the way I ve been playing, the five-time major winner revealed. The last 10 days I ve done what I call a heard reset.

I have lost 15 pounds. I ve done a six-day fast with water and a special coffee blend for wellness. I went on a bit of a retreat. I don t know if it s going to help me play better or not, but I m willing to do whatever it takes to get my best back, Mickelson stated.

The SuperBook doesn t have much faith Mickelson s game will bounce back this week. Lefty is a distant 100/1 to win the Claret Jug, with a $100 bet netting $10,000 on that line.

A Mickelson win would presumably be a devastating outcome for sportsbooks. Phil often attracts more wagers than most players. The SuperBook says Lefty garnered the fourth most money, and printed the third most slips, at this year s US Open.

Sportsbooks are offering an array of side bets for The Open. A few notables include whether there will be a hole in one (Yes -150, No +110), and the winning margin of victory (1 shot +225, 4 strokes or more +275, playoff or 2 strokes +350, three shots +500).

Bettors can even pick who will be the top lefty, with Mickelson the favorite at +162, and Bubba Watson next at +275.