Gary Woodland Fends Off Brooks Koepka to Win US Open, Longshot Opened at 80/1

Posted on: June 17, 2019, 07:49h. 

Last updated on: June 17, 2019, 07:49h.

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Gary Woodland is the 2019 US Open champion after winning at Pebble Beach, a feat that few saw coming.

Gary Woodland US Open golf odds
Gary Woodland is a major champion after winning the 119th playing of the US Open. (Image: Matt York/AP)

Oddsmakers in Las Vegas opened lines on the 35-year-old as long as 80/1 prior to the tournament. Fast-forward through four rounds of play in which the long-hitting Kansas native dominated Pebble Beach, and bettors who took the initial odds netted $8,000 for every $100 wagered.

I never let myself get ahead,” Woodland said of keeping his emotions in check. “Once that went in (final putt), it all came out of me. It’s special to finish it off here at Pebble Beach.”

Woodland fended off Brooks Koepka, the two-time defending US Open winner and also the current two-time PGA Championship victor. Koepka became the first player in US Open history to shoot all four rounds in the 60s without winning.

“Gary played a hell of a round today,” Koepka said. “Props to him to hang in there. To go out in style like that is pretty cool.”

Favorites Don’t Deliver

Heading into the 119th US Open, the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas had Dustin Johnson the frontrunner at 13/2 (+650). The 2016 US Open champ has a rich resume at Pebble, as he won both the 2009 and 2010 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am there, and was in contention on the course during the 2010 US Open before a disastrous final round 82.

However, it wasn’t DJ’s week, as he finished +1. The SuperBook said more money was wagered on Johnson than any other player in the 156-man field.

Tiger Woods of course attracted plenty of action, too. But the Masters champ was never in contention at Pebble, and a ho-hum week led to a T21 finish at -2.

2011 US Open winner Rory McIlroy also garnered much attention. But the Northern Irishman had a disappointing Sunday round of even par, not the kind of finish he needed to chase down Woodland.

Open Odds

The world’s best players have a month to prepare for the final major of the year. The Open Championship will be contested beginning July 18 at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland.

It comes as little surprise that Koepka is the odds-on favorite. The SuperBook has him at 6/1 to win the Claret Jug. Brooks’ best Open finish came in 2017 when placed tied for sixth.

Playing in his native homeland, McIlroy has the next shortest odds at 10/1. He won the 2014 Open when it was played at Royal Liverpool in England.

Johnson and Woods are at 12/1, and Justin Rose is at 16/1. Despite his victory at Pebble, Woodland opens at a distant 50/1.

The 2019 Open Championship will be the second time Royal Portrush has hosted the world’s oldest major. Max Faulkner won in 1951 with a score of 285 (-3). His win paid him ￡300 ($377). Next month, the Open purse will total $10.25 million, with the winner receiving nearly $2 million.