The USPGA has started and the spread betting public will likely be out in force once again due to the open nature of the tournament without Tiger.

Sporting Index have a plethora of markets and specials on the tournament and sellers of Phil Mickelson’s finishing position at 26 will be feeling confident, as he was the last player to win the tournament after Tiger’s two consecutive victories. The USPGA initially started as a match play tournament before it changed to stroke play in 1958. Buyers of British or European players in the leaderboard index will have to be concerned, as no European player has ever won the tournament. Incredibly, the USA have won 41 of the 49 tournaments and Vijay Singh (finishing position spread 32-25) was the last non-US winner in 2004.

It will be no surprise to many that only one golfer has ever finished the tournament with a figure as good as 18 under – Tiger Woods, who has done it twice. Sporting Index have set a spread of 277.5-278.5 for this year’s winning score and sellers will be pleased to hear that six of the last eight years have been under this figure. However, three of those victories have come from Mr Woods, but surprisingly the best figure ever recorded was David Toms victory at the Atlanta Athletic Club in 2001, when he posted just 265 shots to win. This year the tournament takes place at the Oakland Hills Country Club for the first time since 1979. Interestingly, the player who won that year was David Graham from Australia, which may be a boost to those selling fellow countryman Stuart Appleby’s finishing position at 40. Graham won with a total of 272 strokes.