Phil Mickelson Enters Northern Trust Open as the Favorite
Following a miraculous comeback last week at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, where he was paired with Tiger Woods on Sunday, Phil Mickelson enters this week’s Northern Trust Open as the prohibitive favorite in Vegas. The lefty opens at 9-to-1 to win on Bodog.com playing at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, CA, where Mickelson won back-to-back Northern Trust Opens in 2008 and 2009.
Phil Mickelson, of course, is riding a wave of momentum on the heels of a final round 64 at Pebble Beach on Sunday that allowed the 41-year old to pick up his 40th PGA Tour victory. It was only Phil’s second victory in the 22 months since he won his third Masters in 2010, and apparently it’s revived Phil’s status as a Vegas cash-cow.
World No. 1 Luke Donald comes in just behind Phil at 14-to-1, while bomber Dustin Johnson is saddled with 20-to-1 odds to win the 86th installment of this tournament, which originally began as the Los Angeles Open in 1926.
Since then the tournament has transformed into the Nissan Open before taking its latest incarnation as the Northern Trust Open in 2008, but the tournament has been one of the most prestigious on the PGA Tour since it began its relationship with Riviera Country Club in 1973.
One long-shot to watch would be last year’s PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, Keegan Bradley. The defending PGA champion, Bradley is getting 50-to-1 to win the tournament outright and he features a well-rounded tee-to-green game that has helped guys like Aaron Baddeley, Steve Stricker and Mickelson win in recent years.
The Northern Trust Open kicks off today with coverage airing on the Golf Channel beginning at 3:00 p.m.
