PGA FBR Open Preview – TPC Scottsdale
This week’s stop on the PGA Tour is at the TPC of Scottsdale for the FBR Open. With Tiger Woods still sidelined golf betting remains wide open with great golf odds available.
Last’s week tour event was the Bob Hope Classic, which is played on three different courses – Silver Rock, Bermuda Dunes, and West Nicklaus. Pat Perez claimed his first-career PGA Tour win after shooting 33-under par over the five-round event. It looked like Steve Stricker was on his way to victory heading into the final round, but a five-over meltdown on the last day ended his title chances and he finished tied for third place, five strokes back. Perez was a huge underdog on the golf odds last week and considering he’s only won once in nearly seven years on the Tour it’s probably too much to expect back-to-back victories this weekend in Arizona.
Last year at the FBR Open J.B. Holmes and Phil Mickelson faced off in a playoff after they both finished 72 holes at 14-under. On the first playoff hole Holmes recorded a birdie, while Mickelson could only muster a par giving Holmes the tournament title. That was Holmes’ second career win at the FBR Open, as he also finished atop the leaderboard in 2006. Despite failing to capture the title last season Mickelson has also had success at the FBR in the past with tournament wins at the TPC of Scottsdale in 2005 and 1996.
The only other multiple winners of this event still on the tour are Mark Calcavecchia and Vijay Singh. Calcavecchia, a three time winner of this event in 1989, 1992, and 2001, is scheduled to return to TPC of Scottsdale to go for four this week. Singh, a two-time winner in 1995 and 2003, won’t be teeing it up in Arizona this week while he continues to recover from knee surgery.
One of the favorites this week should be Anthony Kim, as long he remains in the field. Kim was forced to pull out of last week’s Bob Hope Classic due to a sore shoulder, but he was expected to return to the course in Arizona. Other golfers ranked in the Top 10 right now slated to play this weekend include No. 3 Geoff Ogilvy (who won the Mercedes-Benz Championship earlier this month) and No. 10 Camilo Villegas.
Betus 2009 FBR Open Betting Odds
Phil Mickelson -160
Anthony Kim +110
Geoff Ogilvy +125
Camilo Villegas +125
Mike Weir +150
Zach Johnson +175
David Toms +175
Justin Leonard +225
Steve Stricker +225
Kenny Perry +275
Hunter Mahan +300
J.B. Holmes +300
