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U.S. Open odds: Vegas makes Jordan Spieth one of the favorites at Pebble Beach after hot start at the Memorial
Sam Greenwood
Despite not having won since the 2017 Open Championship, Jordan Spieth has been elevated to one of the favorites at next month's U.S. Open. Apparently, in Las Vegas, three hot weeks outweighs nearly two cold years.
Of course, there's more to the story than that. Spieth's Open victory at Royal Birkdale made him the only golfer other than Jack Nicklaus with three majors before turning 24. But his surprising drought dropped him to underdog status at the year's second major, the PGA Championship, earlier this month.
Spieth teed off at Bethpage Black at 40-to-1 odds, but he wound up finishing tied for third place, his first top 20 in 15 PGA Tour starts dating back to last year. Spieth followed that up with a T-8 at Colonial before opening with a 66 at the Memorial on Thursday. Following his latest impressive round, Westgate Las Vegas Superbook golf oddsmaker Jeff Sherman upgraded Spieth from 18-to-1 odds to 14-to-1 odds, placing him only behind favorite Brooks Koepka (6/1), Dustin Johnson (7/1), and Tiger Woods (12/1).
Spieth won the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay during a historic campaign in which he also finished one shot out of a playoff at the Open and finished runner-up at the PGA. He has no other top-15 finishes in the U.S. Open in six other starts.
Spieth's putting has carried him in recent weeks. After leading the field in strokes gained: putting at the PGA, he set personal bests for most strokes gained in a single round and most feet of putts holed for a tournament at Colonial last week. He's moved up to No. 4 in strokes gained: putting this season on the PGA Tour.
The 2019 U.S. Open is scheduled for June 13-16 at Pebble Beach. Spieth was only 16 the last time this major was held on the Monterey Peninsula, but he did win the 2017 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am by four shots.