US Open 2019 betting preview : Peerless Koepka and great value Europeans

Last Updated : 10th June, 2019 By Alex M

VENUE

Pebble Beach, California

TIME

13-16 June

BROADCAST

Live on Sky Sports

See Stats

The third major of the golfing calendar comes around this week as the world’s best head to Pebble Beach, California for the US Open, running from Thursday to Sunday and there is one man with a great big target on his back.

The world number one and defending champion, Brooks Koepka, is undoubtedly the man to beat this week after a truly sensational couple of years on the PGA Tour.

The American was showing what he could do as early as 2014, when he tied fourth at the US Open and won his first European Tour event, but he kicked into life in 2017. That year he won the US Open for the first time, then defended it the following year, also winning the PGA Championship in 2018. 2019 has seen him tie second at the Masters and defend his PGA title. He heads to Pebble Beach trying to make it three giant silver cups in a row.

Although his most recent tournament saw him tie 50^th at the Canadian Open, his previous three were top five finishes, including the PGA Championship win. His form in recent years and in recent months has been more than good enough to add another major to his CV and further his quickly-growing dynasty in the game.

With this in mind it is somewhat baffling that Koepka is not the clear favourite for this one, with the bigger names of Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson getting in the way of that. Both are clearly threats in any event they enter and will be attracting plenty of bets, especially McIlroy after his stunning Canadian Open win at the weekend, but Koepka is still the more convincing argument.

Back Brooks Koepka to win the US Open at 9/1 with Betfair

Another man riding high near the top of the world rankings is Open champion Francesco Molinari, but the world number six looks incredibly good value in California this week.

The Italian hasn’t pulled up any trees in his last three events, with a tied 48^th at the PGA Championship especially disappointing, but he has had some remarkable results over the last year. The Open victory was sensational, but he has also won the Arnold Palmer Invitational and tied fifth at the recent Masters – his best ever finish.

Molinari actually has a woefully bad record at the US Open for a man of his talent, with a best finish of tied 23^rd back in 2014. This will be part of the reason he is out at such long odds this week, but he is a different player now than he was most of those years.

Considering what a threat he has proved to be in the big events over the last 12 months, Molinari looks enormous at 35/1.

If there is ever a man that should be backed each-way for a major tournament, but NEVER to win it, it is Matt Kuchar. The American has been such a consistent force in elite golf for the last 10 years, never managing to get over the line in a big one, but regularly managing to challenge to the final Sunday.

The 40-year-old has managed a top 10 finish at a major 12 times, dating back to the US Open in 2010 and doing so as recently as last month when he tied eighth at the PGA Championship. Kuchar’s consistency on the PGA Tour shows no signs of slipping away, with one win, two second places and four finishes between fourth and 10^th in 2019 – just one missed cut in that time.

He might not have the fireworks that superstars of the game have, but he is so reliable on the big stages. He finished tied fourth at the weekend at the Canadian Open and will be ready to challenge once again.

Kuchar also has the helpful experience of playing on this course the last time the US Open was held at Pebble Beach in 2010, and doing pretty well. Nine years ago, the world number 12 finished tied sixth here with a cracking final round of 68, the lowest of anyone in the top 10 that day.

He might not win it, but no one can question Kuchar’s ability to finish within spitting distance this weekend.

Matt Kuchar is available each-way at 55/1 with Black Type – paying seven places at 1/5 odds

Another man who has shown he can play this course before is Paul Casey, who had quite the opposite tournament to Kuchar back in 2010.

The Englishman led the way after the first round nine years ago after shooting an excellent 69 on the Thursday, however, it got worse every day from there. Scores of 73, 77 and 78 left him a million miles from success in tied 40^th.

Another man who has regularly challenged but never prospered at a major, with nine top 10 finishes and no titles, Casey has probably missed the boat for winning one of the big ones, but not for placing. He can still compete with the very best, as his world ranking of 15 suggests.

Six top 10 finishes on tour this year show that he is doing just that and at a massive 55/1 he is worth backing each-way.