Tiger: Shortest Odds ever

Is Tiger the 'dead cert' that the bookies think he is?

Martin Park
Wed, 23 Feb 2000

Although 'The Streak' has ended, Tiger Woods is still the man to beat in every tournament this year. The bookmakers were preparing for a potential disaster and as history dictates, Woods has a habit of putting bookies out of pocket.

At the Masters in 1997, Woods was 50/1 to win his first Major. Many punters picked up on those odds and cleaned up, not only with the win, but for the scoring records achieved along the way.

Ladbrokes Bookmakers have offered short prices on anyone placing bets on the World number one and Woods, according to the odds anyway, is a 'dead cert' to win one of the Majors this year.

Andy Clifton from Ladbrokes said:

"We have produced a string of special bets concerning Tiger and they have proved very popular with our customers. Tiger was 5/4 to win the Buick Open, the shortest odds on a golfer to win a PGA tour full field event in living memory. And he is 3/1 to win the Masters, 3/1 to win the US Open, 4/1 to win the Open, 4/1 to win the USPGA, and 1/3 to win any Major in 2000. And he is 80/1 to win the Grand Slam in 2000.

Originally Ladbrokes had quoted odds of 200/1 for Tiger to equal Byron Nelson's record and 500/1 to pass it. Thankfully for Ladbrokes and the rest of the bookmakers around the world, Phil Mickelson saved them from disaster.

"We took so much money that those odds shrunk to 100/1 and 200/1 respectively. It goes without saying that what Tiger is doing is great for the game and is introducing lots of new people to betting on golf". Said Clifton.

If there were ever to be a grand slam winner, Woods would be the ideal candidate. He has won at Augusta and Pebble Beach, his performance at the Dunhill Cup in St Andrews suggests he is Open Champion elect. The only unknown quantity will be at the USPGA at Valhalla. But if he were to win the previous three, who would dare back against it?