BEHIND THE LINES: Phil Mickelson favored at Scottish Open

[clevfan]

BEHIND THE LINES

Phil Mickelson favored at Scottish Open

Golfer, who has two victories this season, is listed at 7-1 odds for British Open tuneup.

July 10, 2008
Lonnie White
LA Times

As a tune-up to next week's British Open, Phil Mickelson will take his game Europe to play in this weekend's Barclays Scottish Open and oddsmakers have made him the golfer to beat.

Mickelson, who has two victories on the PGA Tour this season, is listed at 7-1 odds to win at Loch Lomond, according to Bodoglife.com.

Ernie Els has the second best odds at 11-1, followed by Adam Scott at 12-1, Lee Westwood at 14-1 and Soren Hansen, Henrik Stenson and Andres Romero at 25-1.

In matchup bets at Sportsbetting.com, Mickelson is listed at -120 over Els (-110); Westwood is listed at -125 over Scott (-105), and Stenson is listed at -135 over Hansen (even).

With Tiger Woods done for the season because of knee surgery, Mickelson, who has never won the British Open, has also emerged as one of the top betting favorites for the British Open, according to Golfodds.com.

Sergio Garcia is listed as the favorite with 10-1 odds, followed by Els at 12-1 and Mickelson and defending Open champion Padraig Harrington at 15-1.