British Open: Revised Betting Odds Have Leader Sergio Garcia Paying out $600

One of the most bet on events of the year, the British Open, offered up some quick revisions from online bookmakers the likes of Sportsbook.com which quickly listed Sergio Garcia with odds of 6 to 1 or a payout of $600 for every $100 bet should he win the 2007 British Open.  These odds were slashed from 30 to 1.

"If you bet on Sergio Garcia early at 30 to 1 odds and he holds pat to the very end, you would win $3000 for every $100 bet," explains Sports911.com Senior Editor, Payton O'Brien.

Tiger Woods, the favorite going and the early leader, now had odds of 9 to 4.  A $100 bet would pay out $225 and these odds were actually slashed somewhat.  That's because Woods remains in reach.

Tiger Woods got off to what he described as "an ideal start" in his quest to win a record-tying third straight title, fourth overall and 13th major.  

Leonard Shapiro of the Washington Post points out that Tiger Woods three previous British Open victories each began with a round in the under-par 60s, and when Woods eagled the 578-yard No. 6 with a 325-yard drive and a 15-foot putt, he was 3 under for the day on this 7,421-yard links, the longest course in Open history.

The middle of his round obviously was less than ideal, with bogeys at 12 and 13. But by the time play ended just after 9 p.m., his good work hours earlier left him only four shots behind Sergio Garcia, the 27-year-old Spaniard bidding to win his first major and become the first European major winner since Scotland's Paul Lawrie prevailed here in 1999.

For a period of time it was Irishman Paul McGinley, 67, who led.  By the end of Day One, Garcia enjoyed a two-shot lead over McGinley who Sportsbook.com maintained withint the 3-1 "field" odds offering. 

U.S. Open champion, Angel Cabrera of Argentina, and 2005 U.S. Open winner Michael Campbell of New Zealand, were only three back at 3-under 68 in a group of four players that included 18-year-old Northern Ireland amateur Rory McIlroy, with a bogey-free round. Jim Furyk, No. 3 in the world, was at 1-under 70 and No. 2 Phil Mickelson had even-par 71 despite bogeys on 18.