No event in world golf - not even the British Open - attracts as many entrants as the US Open, which starts at Pebble Beach on Thursday. The numbers game is interesting: 8,457 players (with a highest handicap of 1.4) went to the trouble of attempting to qualify and, of that figure, only 156 of them have been given the chance to tee it up in the championship.

Not surprisingly, world number one Tiger Woods is a red-hot favourite to claim his first US Open on a course which has a tendency to produce quality winners: Jack Nicklaus in 1972, Tom Watson in 1982, and Tom Kite in 1992.

Woods, however, is almost impossible to back at odds of 5 to 2 - even if his strike-rate of victories is better than anyone else in the modern game.

The wind, as much as the demands of the course, could be a factor - and, such being the case, there has to be some sentiment for Colin Montgomerie. He made his US Open debut at Pebble Beach in 1992 and finished runner-up to Kite.

The Scot likes the course and likes the tough mental and physical conditions of the championship. At odds of 16 to 1, he represents decent value.

The only millstone for Monty - and 14 to 1 shots Phil Mickelson and David Duval, for that matter - is that he hasn't won a major.

In terms of betting, you just have to take Woods out of the equation this week - so Monty at 16 to 1 looks like someone who will provide value for money, while Jesper Parnevik at 33 to 1 represents good each-way odds.