Tuesday, July 18
ST ANDREWS, Scotland -- Tiger Woods is the biggest-ever favorite to win the British Open, but Ernie Els is the player bookmakers fear most ahead of the championship which starts on Thursday. William Hill, who predicts that up to $15 million will be gambled on the tournament, faces a six-figure payout if Els wins the event. Following his victory at the Loch Lomond over the weekend, the odds on Els have tumbled from 20-1 to 14-1. He is now ranked second to win the Open, along with British duo Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood. "We've taken a stream of bets for Els since his victory in the Loch Lomond event at the weekend, and we're looking at a massive payout if he lands the Open," said Hills spokesman Graham Sharpe. Woods is the clear favorite, with Hills quoting him at 2-1. "If he had won The Masters and could still win the Grand Slam, he'd be an odds-on shot here," said Sharpe. Last year's winner Paul Lawrie is quoted at 125-1 by Hills, who offer Seve Ballesteros at 2-9 to miss the cut.
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