Steve Palmer's US Open spread betting preview and tips

Collin Morikawa made a hugely impressive start to life as a professional last week, finishing 14th in the Canadian Open, and the Los Angeles-born 22-year-old can make waves in a home-state US Open over the next four days.

Morikawa, a former world number amateur when starring at the University of California, qualified for the US Open from the sectional event in Columbus, Ohio, finishing seventh, courageously carding a second-round 66 to sneak in on the mark.

Bursting with potential and comfortable in the conditions, Morikawa looks a sensible US Open finishing-position sell at 53 with Sporting Index, with a maximum downside of 17 points should inexperience tell and he misses the halfway cut (make-up 70).

Justin Thomas did not play between the Masters and the Memorial, nursing a wrist injury, and he carded a second-round 80 on his way to missing the Memorial cut by six shots. He was better in Canada last week, sharing 20th spot, but still looks like he has plenty of rust and loose golf in him. A firm, fast Pebble Beach, where he missed the cut on his only previous visit, seems likely to prove too much and a buy of his finishing position at 38 is an appealing option.

Rory McIlroy has been a popular outright selection after his Canadian Open victory, but his US Open win came on a soft, long, relatively easy track in 2011. A firm, short, difficult Pebble Beach course is a much different and less suitable assignment. McIlroy has never won a tournament with a single-digit under-par score, which seems likely to be the mark this time, and he prefers easier tracks.

Dustin Johnson, a two-time Pebble champion who loves poa annua greens and has won six US Tour titles with a single-digit-under-par total, has a better record in this type of mission and can be supported against McIlroy in a 72-hole match.

Recommendations
Sell C Morikawa finishing position
at 53 Sporting Index
Buy J Thomas finishing position
at 38 Sporting Index
Buy D Johnson/R McIlroy 72-hole matchbet
at 1 Sporting Index

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