Fade All LIV Players at 2022 U.S. Open (Stay Away from Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Louis Oosthuizen & More)
The 2022 U.S. Open has a special twist of drama and entertainment to it this week when the best golfers in the world tee it up at the Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.
If you didn't already know, LIV Golf, a new golf tour that's funded by the Saudi Arabian government, has poached a number of golfers from the PGA Tour. The move has been met with controversy, to put it lightly, as golfers who made the switch are being blamed for putting money ahead of morals and prestige.
Credit to CBS for addressing the massive elephant in the room…Jim Nantz used the word “betrayal” to describe the players who jumped to LIV Golf.
— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) June 11, 2022
LIV golfers have been suspended by the PGA Tour, but are still, for the moment, allowed to compete at the Majors. The Major tournaments are not run by the PGA Tour, and the U.S. Open has gone on record saying that they'll stick to their qualification standards.
USGA says those in the LIV Golf series will still be able to compete in next week's US Open. pic.twitter.com/PCwvOW8Gbu
— Ryan Lavner (@RyanLavnerGC) June 7, 2022
Let's start off by looking at the betting odds for the LIV golfers to win this week's US Open, and then I'll break down why you should fade them at the event. The odds listed below are via WynnBET Sportsbook.
LIV Golfers Odds to Win U.S. Open
- Dustin Johnson +2500
- Bryson DeChambeau +5000
- Louis Oosthuizen +6000
- Patrick Reed +6000
- Matthew Wolff +10000
- Sergio Garcia +10000
- Kevin Na +15000
- Talor Gooch +15000
- Branden Grace +20000
- Martin Kaymer +20000
- Phil Mickelson +20000
- Richard Bland +50000
Fade LIV Golfers at U.S. Open
There are many reasons why you shouldn't consider betting on any of the LIV golfers at this week's U.S. Open. Ironically, the winner of the first LIV event, Charl Schwartzel, isn't eligible to play in this week's Major. The best finishing golfer in this week's field, Branden Grace (+20000), finished T3 at the inaugural event.
If the golfers who made the switch to LIV Golf felt the pressure from the media last week, then they're in for a doozy this week at Brookline. The United States golf media has largely made its opinion known that they are very anti-LIV golf. Any golfer from LIV won't have their mental game where it needs to be after having to face the media this week. Not only that, but expect the fans in attendance to give them an ear-full.
Finally, these golfers will have to go from a tournament that felt like an exhibition in its strength of field and format, to one of the toughest challenges in all of golf. Now, they need to re-enter real competition. Their peers aren't going to make it a comforting welcome either, with many of them feeling betrayed.
"I'm sure it'll be awkward."
— Tim and Friends (@timandfriends) June 9, 2022
Speaking from the RBC Canadian Open, Justin Thomas speculates on what will go down next week at the US Open when the LIV Golf players cross paths with their former PGA Tour mates. 😬 pic.twitter.com/a16zo77cbU
The golfers who made the switch have made it abundantly clear, even without saying it, that they play golf solely for money. People who compete only for a paycheck will always get out-done by those who play for glory and for the love of competition.
Maybe you see the big odds on the board and chase after the money with some of the big names, but just like those golfers who left the PGA Tour, sometimes the (potential) money isn't everything.
Don't bet on LIV golfers this week.
You can track Iain's bets on Betstamp here.