2007 US Open Odds: Who Will Win?

Willis Reed. Bobby Baun. And Phil Mickelson?

At this year's U.S. Open, Mickelson will try to join Reed and Baun in the pantheon of athletes who have won a championship despite painful injury. It's an exclusive club – which doesn’t bode well for Lefty.

Mickelson was relatively healthy last year when he went to the last hole at Winged Foot needing just a par to win his first U.S. Open. He shot a double bogey. Now he has to play at Oakmont with his inflamed left wrist in a brace. That might not be too painful, Mickelson admits, as long as he stays out of the rough.

Everybody, now: "Good luck with that."

If Mickelson is toast, does that mean it's time for Tiger Woods to win his first U.S. Open in five years? This isn't going to be an easy week for the world's No. 1 golfer. His putting isn't quite as good in recent weeks as he would like heading into arguably the toughest course with the fastest greens in North America. But he's also coming off strep throat; if he's recovered by now, he's still tied for 10th on the PGA Tour in putting accuracy this season. That's as good a reason as Lefty's injury for Woods supporters to smile.

There's every likelihood that someone else besides Tiger will win the Open. But who, specifically? The last nine tournaments on the PGA Tour were won by nine different golfers. Two of them, Boo Weekley and Nick Watney, were winless on the Tour before April. The closest thing to a hot streak on the Tour is Zach Johnson, who took the Masters and the AT&T Classic, both in Georgia, to raise his career championship total to three. With no one obvious challenger, Woods is yet again the pick of the Open litter for many bettors.

Woods is the favorite at the Bodog Sportsbook for this week's Open at 3/1. Mickelson is priced at 10/1, with Johnson in the middle of the contending pack at 33/1.

Get all your 2007 US Open odds from Bodog.com.

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