3 Betting Trends to Know Before You Bet the U.S. Open
By Joe Summers
The 122nd edition of the U.S. Open takes place this weekend at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts. Jon Rahm emerged victorious last year for his first major, and over the last several years we've seen household names like Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, and Jordan Spieth hoist the hardware.
Our team at BetSided will have you set with coverage all week of the 2022 season's third major tournament, so lock in as we bring you actionable content and our favorite bets.
As is the case with any huge tournament, there's some key trends that bettors need to be aware of before filling our their bet slips over at WynnBET Sportsbook . Here are my three most important trends heading into the U.S. Open:
3 Best U.S. Open Betting Trends
Experience
Each of the last 10 U.S. Open winners had already posted a top-25 finish at the tournament. Rahm finished third in 2019 before winning last year, and it's clear having some familiarity with the major helps down the stretch.
Taking it a step further, each of the last three winners had a top-eight finish at their most recent major. While three is obviously a small sample size, it's obvious that having success at majors is a prerequisite to competing at the U.S. Open. That point is proven by eight of the last 10 winners having a top-10 in one of their two previous majors.
Current Form
Each of the last 10 U.S. Open winners had a top-eight finish within their last five PGA Tour events. That being said, previously winning a major is not a requirement, as seven of the last 10 winners had never won a major.
Even still, each of the last 10 winners were ranked inside the top 30 in the world rankings prior to the tournament. So we're looking for strong players that haven't quite reached the mountain-top.
Key Stats
The U.S. Open has traditionally set up well for players strong off-the-tee and players who hit greens well.
Eight of the last 10 champions ranked in the top-10 in driving distance, but eight of the last 10 winners also ranked in the top-32 in driving accuracy. It's important to put yourself in friendly positions to avoid bogeys, and that idea holds true when looking at another key statistic: Greens-In-Regulation (GIR).
Each winner from 2015-2019 ranked in the top-five on Tour in GIR. While Bryson DeChambeau broke the trend in 2020, he was so overwhelmingly better than the field at driving distance that he proved an exception. In 2021, Rahm was fifth in GIR before taking home the trophy.
As you're surveying the U.S. Open leaderboard over at WynnBET Sportsbook, remember these key trends as you're making your favorite selections.
You want a player that has performed well in majors and the U.S. Open in the past, has fared well in recent tournaments, and ranks well in driving statistics and GIR. We'll keep you updated throughout the week at BetSided with the top names that fit that criteria, but best of luck as we gear up for one of the best golf weekends of the season.
Follow all of Joe Summers' betting picks here.