After the stunning finish to the 2008 U.S. Open, golf betting enthusiasts are now focusing on the next Major tournament, next month’s British Open.

And bettors will have a wide-open field to choose from, with no runaway favorites, as World No. 1 Tiger Woods announced he will miss the remainder of the 2008 PGA golf season due to a knee injury.

Woods, fresh off his third U.S. Open win, had been a +150 moneyline favorite to win the British Open.

With Woods out, Ernie Els is now the favorite, at 10-1 odds at Bodog. Sergio Garcia is 12-1 and Phil Mickelson is 14-1.

Other golfers rounding out the top 10, with odds, are: Padraig Harrington (16-1), Justin Rose (20-1), Lee Westwood (20-1), Adam Scott (22-1), Retief Goosen (25-1), Vijay Singh (25-1), and Robert Karlsson (28-1).

Longshots include John Daly, Richard Finch, Charl Schwartzel, Damien McGrane, and Paul Lawrie, all at 150-1.

The 137th British Open Championship starts July 17th at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club in England, the site of eight previous British Opens.