Who will win the Nissan Open?
I’ll take the 15-1 odds in Las Vegas on Jim Furyk to win L.A.’s pro golf tournament, which began this morning and runs through Sunday at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades.
Furyk is No. 2 in the official world rankings, and Whatsisname isn’t here.
More important, Furyk has three qualities that most recent Nissan Open winners have shared: he’s experienced (rather than a young phenom), he’s accurate off the tee (instead of a long driver), and he’s in good form (not just a big name).
Of the 20 golfers on which LasVegas Sports Consultants has posted odds – from 6-1 Phil Mickelson to 35-1 Robert Allenby (2001 Nissan winner) and Rory Sabbatini (2006) – Furyk and 30-1 David Toms are the only two to rate high on experience, accuracy and form.
Furyk, 36, is third in the PGA Tour’s drives-in-fairway percentage stat, and is coming off fourth- and sixth-place finishes. Toms, 40, was 30th in drives-in-fairway last season, and has finished eighth, 13th and eighth in his latest tournaments.
Looking good in two of the three key categories: Mickelson, Vijay Singh (8-1), Luke Donald (15-1), Stuart Appleby (25-1), Mike Weir (25-1), and Allenby.
Furyk tied for 12th in the Nissan last year.
Here are Las Vegas’ full Nissan odds (cribbed from the Daily Racing Form):
6-1 – Mickelson
8-1 – Singh
10-1 – Ernie Els
15-1 – Donald, Furyk, Retief Goosen, Adam Scott
20-1 – Sergio Garcia
25-1 – Appleby, Aaron Baddeley, Stewart Cink, Padraig Harrington, Trevor Immelman, Weir
30-1 – Chris DiMarco, Charles Howell III, Justin Rose, Toms
35-1 – Allenby, Sabbatini
2-1 – Everybody else