Can Jordan Spieth defend his crown at the 2015 Australian Open?

November 26-29, The Australian Golf Club – watch live on Seven

STAR power is back in action at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney as Jordan Spieth leads a talented field in pursuit of back-to-back Australian Open titles.

The second leg of the Australian Golf Triple Crown has attracted slightly more international interest with the likes of Peter Uihlein, Lee Westwood and Ryan Fox, but the majority of fan support will be centered around 2015 US Masters winner Jordan Spieth, who has changed the face of golf.

Spieth had been taking things quietly in preparation for the Australian Open this week, but showed his desire to win back-to-back titles at media day on Wednesday and bookmakers are taking his word seriously.

“I believe my best is forward,” Spieth said.

“I believe that my prime is ahead of me. I have to believe that.”

Scary words for Spieth’s competitors, which is why the American is currently a $2.88 chance at Sportsbet.com.au.

Fellow US Masters winner Adam Scott will have plenty to say about that as he looks to put a disappointing day three at Huntingdale behind him.

Scott finished fifth and eight shots behind Spieth in this event last year, but it’s rare to see Scott paying $7 to win in Australia and we’re expecting punters to lap that price up.

It all kicks off this Thursday morning in Sydney and Sportsbet have plenty of exotic markets to bet on, so sign up and have some fun betting the best value sport around.

Australian Open tournament winner market

The best value betting golf comes in the tournament winner market. Because the odds are generally high, punters can back a few golfers before the tournament starts and then play around those selections throughout the four days of action.

For example; if you had backed Peter Senior to win the Australian Masters at $81, you could have backed a few golfers on the final day to secure a profit. That’s the best thing about betting golf and there’s always the big home-run bet that comes off.

Jordan Spieth is the outright favourite and that’s to be expected after a stellar victory last year. The two-time major winner shot a final round 63 to secure the victory and it’s something Spieth puts down to his mental game.

“It’s the mental edge come the weekend that I really could close the deal,” Spieth said. “I’ve had it kind of my whole life, then I lost it a bit on tour. So it was a bit of a learning curve. I was certainly working on it, trying to find something. You just need to be in position enough to have enough tries and find a solution, and I finally did.”

He thinks Adam Scott is “the guy to beat this week” and we’d have to agree. The price available for Scott is good value and he only needs to click into another gear to test Spieth.

Here are some of the leading fancies for the Australian Golf Open. For a full market, head to Sportsbet.com.au.

2015 Australian Open selected market:

Jordan Spieth – $2.88
Adam Scott – $7
Marc Leishman – $19
John Senden – $21
Matt Jones – $26
Peter Uihlein – $29
Marcus Fraser – $34
Steven Bowditch – $34
Lee Westwood – $34
Ryan Fox – $41
Bryson DeChambeau – $41
George McNeill – $41
Cameron Smith – $41
Brett Rumford – $41
Richard Green – $51
Jordan Niebrugge – $51
Matthew Millar – $51
Geoff Ogilvy – $61
Greg Chalmers – $67
Nicolas Colsaerts – $67
Wade Ormsby – $67
Michael Sim – $81 at Sportsbet.com.au
Peter Senior – $81
Nick Cullen – $81
Ashley Hall – $201
Peter Lonard – $251
Aaron Pike – $301

If you take Spieth out of the field, there is plenty of money to be made and it’s a good thing Sportsbet are offering a “without Spieth and Scott” betting option.

This is good for the punters which like a longer-odds golfer, but expect wither Jordan Spieth or Adam Scott to win. Some of the better chances are Marc Leishman ($10), Matt Jones ($17) and Bryson DeChambeau at $29. Betting this option give punters shorter odds, but plenty of security knowing they don’t have to worry about the two big-guns in the field.

Another quality betting market is the Big Guns vs. The Field and Spieth vs. The Field.

Jordan Spieth – $2.88
The Field – $1.38

The Field – $1.77
Big Guns (Spieth/Scott) – $1.97

There will likely be multi-bets placed on The Field at $1.38 against Jordan Spieth. Punters do have the statistical advantage betting this option. The Field is also favoured against both Spieth and Scott, which makes it tough, but again punters have the statistical advantage betting this option.

Top Amateur market

Sorting through the amateur players is never easy, but this year’s Australian Open features some quality young talent and there is money to be made betting them.

US Amateur winner Bryson DeChambeau played great golf in the Australian Masters and he’s a great chance, not only to win the tournament, but to be the highest finishing amateur.

There is plenty of competition coming from the well-performed Jordan Niebrugge who has played good golf all around the world and there has been strong money for him.

Top Amateur market:

Bryson DeChambeau – $2.75
Jordan Niebrugge – $3.50
Ryan Ruffels – $6
Zach Murray – $10
Austin Bautista – $11
Chun-An Yu – $13
Brett Coletta – $13
Matthew Lisk – $21
Takumi Kanaya – $26
Zhou-huan Yuan – $81

Bryson DeChambeau looks the best bet at $2.75 with CrownBet.com.au.

Australian Open multi-bet options

Just because golf offers big odds, it doesn’t mean multi-bet punters can’t take advantage. There is a Make/Miss Cut option which provides short and long odds for punters looking to multi up a few options.

Our best multi-bet inclusions are as follows:

Geoff Ogilvy to make the cut – $1.35
Steven Bowditch to make the cut – $1.20
Bryson DeChambeau to make the cut – $1.33
Matt Jones to make the cut – $1.20
Four bets combined = $2.58

Our best long-shot multi-bet inclusions:

Peter Senior to miss the cut – $3.14
Lee Westwood to miss the cut – $4
Ben Eccles to make the cut – $1.59

Three best combined = $19.97 at Sportsbet.com.au

Geoff Ogilvy recalling on past wins

Geoff Ogilvy hasn’t been putting in his best efforts of late, but the former Australian Open winner is vying to get his hands back on the Stonehaven Cup.

“In the past I’ve heard people describe winning their national Open as like a ‘fifth major,'” Ogilvy said. “But that isn’t quite how I feel about my victory. Right now, at this stage in my career, there are lots of tournaments that are more important for me to win than the Australian Open. There are the four Grand Slam events and the World Golf Championships. And any US Tour victory would bring with it a two-year exemption.

“But, looking back at the end of my playing days, there is no doubt that having won an Australian Open is going to be second only to my win at the US Open. Prize Money and exemptions and all that are temporary. But there can’t be many trophies in golf with better names on it than the Stonehaven Cup.”

There have been plenty of top-class winners of the Stonehaven Cup and that makes Ogilvy’s win in 2010 even more special.

“I’m so proud to be on there with the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Greg Norman, Steve Elkington, Bruce Devlin, Peter Thompson, Kel Nagle, Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott and Jordan Spieth,” Ogilvy said. “Every Aussie who has been any good has won it and almost every foreigner who has come to play has done the same.

“So, looking back when I am finished playing, I will always view winning in 2010 as one of the most important weeks of my career. Victories in places like Tucson and Reno are just not going to have quite the same resonance.”

Ogilvy is confident of a good showing this week and CrownBet.com.au have the Australian as a $61 chance.

“I’ve never hit the ball better than I am right now,” Ogilvy said. “I’ve probably spent the last two or three years obsessing about my swing too much. But I feel I’ve let go of that now. Now I ‘get’ my swing, why it went wrong when it went wrong and what’s going to make it go right. Now all I have to do is make a few putts.

“I’ve focused too much on my putting really. But I just have to play my way out of this whole thing. I’m better equipped to do so now, I think. My problems have been both temperamental and technical. As Ben Hogan wrote in his book, golf is a lot about trial and error. So that’s what I’ve been doing. I’ve experimented with all kinds of different moves and feels. What happens when I put the ball back in my stance? What happens when I am way right or left? It’s been a process of elimination really.

“What I’ve tried to do is what Michelangelo did with the block of marble he turned into a statue of David. He got rid of all the bits that did not look like David. I’ve tried to take away all the bits that don’t feel to me like my swing. A lot of the great swings don’t look as if they have many moving parts. And that’s what I’m trying to get to. Now it’s time for me to just go and play.”