With an opening 65 at Pinehurst No. 2, Patrick Cantlay put himself in a strong position to win his first major championship and earn another huge payday. But thanks to his round, one gambler already achieved the latter.
At some point, someone put a live first-round-leader bet on Cantlay at 22-to-1 odds. Pretty sharp, huh? But it gets even better.
This wasn't just any wager, but one in the amount of $80,000. Yep, $80K! Now, here's where it gets even more brilliant.
Cantlay had the clubhouse lead for most of Day 1 at the U.S. Open, but at some point, fearing he'd be caught or passed by another player, this mystery gambler decided to cash out for nearly $1.2 MILLION. That proved to be a stroke of genius as Rory McIlroy wound up sharing the lead at 5 under by day's end. Have a look at this wild wager:
Must. Be. Nice.
So, to review, this gambler stood to win $1.76 million if Cantlay finished the day as solo leader, but he took the $1.183 million instead. Since Cantlay finished tied with one other player, the dead heat reduction would have cut his odds in half to 11/1, meaning a payout of $880K. So by cashing out early, this gambler earned himself an extra $300K.
Again, savvy. And what a feeling that must be. Not only to hit a million-dollar payday, but to do it on a Thursday. Unlike Cantlay, this person can take the rest of the tournament off.
The best of Golf Digest delivered daily
Sign UpWill be used in accordance with our PRIVACY POLICY