Golfers to Watch And Popular Bets At 2021 U.S. Open

The toughest test in golf has arrived for the 2021 U.S. Open, and the players will be challenged and many trying to survive at Torrey Pines. I chip-in coverage from tee-to-green with Fairway’s favorites, longshots and golfers to watch. This week it’s more towards leading contenders at more moderate odds, but I add some longshots and dark horses with many other golfers under consideration.

Read more in the links to coverage I add at TheLines, OSGA, FanDuel, Forbes and TheDuel. A U.S. Open betting guide along with odds as they have changed.

Weather you’re looking for insight and information on leading favorites like Rory McIlroy, or major contenders like Jordan Spieth, Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau or longer shots like Gary Woodland, and rising stars and newcomers like Scottie Scheffler and Will Zalatoris, I chip-in with all the shots and a variety of U.S. Open coverage.

The golfers to watch article and additions at Offshore Gaming Association has more key stats info for review, and some leading contenders picks to win. I’ve added those to my initial 2021 U.S. Open betting coverage, which now includes some tournament match-up picks. Those are 17-6 this year leading into the U.S. Open.

Key Stats

Adding to this week’s U.S. Open coverage through our research and chip-ins from other sources and data, here are some golfers to watch that fit some stat profiles and have been playing well leading into the toughest tournament and examination of golf skills on TOUR.

The combination of distance and accuracy makes golfers Off-the-Tee game a significant stat for the US Open at Torrey Pines. Driving distance is a major factor for the championship. Accuracy is almost always key at a U.S. Open with more penalizing rough, and the wind can come into play more off the ocean. However, distance trumps accuracy significantly more at Torrey Pines.

Some key stats and strokes gained profiles to include and monitor in your handicapping and evaluation of golfers this week includes:

• Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee
• SG: Tee-to-Green
• Strokes Gained: Approach
• Strokes Gained Putting (Poa)
• Driving Distance
• Par 4 Efficiency
• Good Drives Gained
• Scrambling Gained

Some of the course layout for the 2021 US Open will include a little bit of graduated rough – intermediate, primary and secondary – mainly on the Par 4s, and three different heights.

Each of the last 5 winners came into the U.S. Open ranking Top 10 in Driving Distance.

The Top 10 golfers in driving distance entering the U.S. Open are:

• Bryson DeChambeau
• Cameron Champ
• Rory McIlroy
• Wyndham Clark
• Gary Woodland
• Jhonattan Vegas
• Joaquin Niemann
• Jason Kokrak
• Dustin Johnson
• Xander Schauffele. 

Key strokes gained categories for many PGA TOUR events include:

Off-the-Tee, Approach, Around the Green and Putting.

There are 10 players who enter the U.S. Open gaining strokes across each  of those key categories over their last 5 events:

• Patrick Cantlay
• Paul Casey
• Bryson DeChambeau
• Viktor Hovland
• Si Woo Kim
• Brooks Koepka
• Shane Lowry
• Patrick Reed
• Webb Simpson
• Jordan Spieth

From those 10 players, only Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry and Patrick Reed have also previously recorded a T10 finish at Torrey Pines.

I’ll be adding more longshots to the betting portfolio, along with select tournament match-ups, which are now 17-6 this year if you’re following along the posted picks each week. This week’s tournament match-ups are posted on the early U.S. Open preview.