Tiger Woods has announced that he will be returning at the Memorial Tournament as part of his preparation for the summer’s US Open, in June. Take advantage of the American’s favourable odds with sports betting at www.betvictor.com.

The former world number one finished well down the field in his last appearance at the Players Championship, and he has struggled to recapture any consistent form, despite showing glimpses of his past best over the last six months.

Woods has picked up one victory on the PGA Tour so far in 2012, at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club in Orlando, back in April, but he might fancy his chances at the Memorial, having won the title four times previously.

The golfing icon has unveiled his commitment to six upcoming tournaments, including two Majors, in the shape of the US Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, in June, and the British Open championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club, from July 19th-22nd.

Woods has won 14 Major tournaments throughout his career and, despite high profile off-the-course problems, and a massive swing overhaul, tries to peak for the four big competitions.

There is no reason the American could not add to his three US Open or three British Open titles, over the coming months, especially if he can stay fit and stop niggling problems from sneaking into his newly mechanised swing.

“I’m excited about my schedule and looking forward to competing”, said Woods.

Dustin Johnson has also announced he is making a comeback at the Memorial Tournament, after missing the last few months with a back problem. He is eyeing a spot in the US Ryder Cup team for September and, even if he doesn’t qualify automatically, is regarded as a potential wildcard pick for Davis Love III.

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American golf sensation, Rickie Fowler, is often quoted in the top half of the betting for the bigger tournaments, despite not yet realising his true potential. Mind you, he has only been on the professional circuit since 2009, having made his name when helping the United States to lift the 2007 Walker Cup, winning three of his four matches.

So, basically, he was a professional level golfer playing against inferior rivals, a point rammed home when he won all four Walker Cup matches in 2009, to guide his team to an easy victory. By then, he had already appeared in the 2008 US Open, finishing an extremely creditable tied 60th, so it was with some anticipation that he turned professional.

As a marketable young man, the endorsements came flooding in; it appeared that the golfing world was at his feet. The Californian produced a string of decent efforts in his first season, and, despite failing to open his account, moved inside the world top 50. He beat Rory Mcllroy in 2010 as well; not on the course, but as Rookie of the Year.

Could he cut it when it really mattered though? Well, he answered any critics calling him an overnight wonder by finishing tied fifth in the 2011 Open at Royal St George’s. Later that year, he rose to 28 in the world on the back of a placed effort in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, and that much-needed first pro win at the Korean Open.

Fowler’s best effort this year was a tied 7th in the Honda Classic, in April. More recently, he finished tied 10th in the Zurich Classic, in which he carded a second round of 65. If the 23-year-old can keep his feet on the ground, I imagine that he will relish the test presented by Royal Lytham & St Annes, and another bold showing is anticipated.

Fowler is a 50-66/1 bet in the British Open golf odds.

The European Tour moves back to Spain, this week, as the Real Club de Golf de Sevilla plays host to the Open de Espana.

As expected, there is a strong local challenge, in an event that coincides with the anniversary of the death of the greatest of Spanish golfers, Seve Ballesteros, who sadly passed away on 7th May, last year.

He himself was successful three times in this tournament, which was, in fact, the first official European Tour event in 1972, and a lot of the home-grown talent lining up this week grew up idolising and wanting to emulate the five-time Major winner.

In yet another landmark, the Open de Espana celebrates its centenary, this year, and one man hoping to do well is countryman Alvaro Quiros, successful here in 2010.

Winner of six European Tour events, to date, including twice in Dubai, last year, he possesses a big swing that should help round this course as it did two years ago.

Jose Maria Olazabal was a good friend of Ballesteros, so it would be somewhat fitting if the useful Ryder Cup player proves triumphant. Fellow Spaniard, Miguel Angel Jimenez, has amassed 18 European Tour titles, including four in his home country, but, as yet, this one has eluded him.

Jimenez finished a respectable fifth in the Ballantine’s in Korea, last week, but at the age of 48, is time against him? The great Arnold Palmer is the oldest player to have won here, as a 45-year-old, in 1975. In contrast, Sergio Garcia was the youngest, at just 22 when successful, 10 years ago.

Finally, it is always folly to rule out the defending champion, so a mention is given to South African, Thomas Aiken, although history is against him.

No player has doubled up since the event became part of the European Tour, and, in fact, the last player to complete the feat in the event was a certain Max Faulkner, in 1952-53.

The Open de Espana will almost certainly play host to players that recently ranked highly in the US Masters odds, making the event something of a must-see for golf fans.

The second week in June is a date for the diary as, a month before London 2012 gets under way, the second golf Major of the year tees off at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.

Some very famous names have graced the venue since the Lakeside course first played host to the event in 1955, the year that Ben Hogan was beaten in a play-off.

The legendary Arnold Palmer was beaten in 1966, and Tom Watson followed suit when the course next staged the tournament, in 1987, losing out to Scott Simpson.

The big-name hoodoo continued, in 1998, when Payne Stewart threw away a four-stroke lead, going down to a lesser-ranked rival in Lee Janzen.

If the likes of Mcllroy, Donald, and Westwood come up short, in June, fans should not be surprised.

An Englishman named Horace Rawlins, who collected the princely sum of $150, won the first ever US Open, staged in Rhode Island in 1895, but in its 116-year history, players from the home continent have dominated it.

Indeed, until Graeme McDowell broke the mould in 2010, followed 12 months ago by Mcllroy, the last ‘outsider’ to come good was our very own Tony Jacklin in Minnesota, in 1970.

Even he only picked up $30,000 as the winner’s prize, a miniscule amount compared to the cheque received by Mcllroy, last year, a staggering $1,440,000.

Four players, including the great Jack Nicklaus, have been successful four times, while Tiger Woods is currently on three wins, the last of which came at Torrey Pines in 2008. Woods is the favourite to claim his fourth Championship title in the Open odds.

After his much-publicised problems, the former world number one is starting to make his mark again, and it would be foolish to write him off.

Given the record of South African golfers in this event (five wins in all), it would come as no surprise if the likes of Louis Oosthuizen or Charl Scwartzel were to grab the glory stateside, come Sunday 17th June.

Louis Oosthuizen showed why he could be a favourite in US Open 2012 Golf Betting by June, by making a superb start at the Malaysian Open.

The 2010 Open Championship winner was beaten by Bubba Watson in a play-off at the US Masters, on Sunday, but he showed no ill effects during the first 18 holes at Kuala Lumpur.

He shot six birdies and an eagle in an opening-round 66, despite enduring a 30-hour flight from Augusta to Malaysia.

Last year’s Masters winner, and Oosthuizen’s fellow South African, Charl Schwartzel, was also in good form, shooting a 64 to hold the overnight lead.

Afterwards, Schwartzel, a popular gambit with people Betting on Golf, said: “I felt surprisingly good today. I got a good night’s sleep and woke up this morning before the alarm.

“I played very well today. It has been some time coming now because I have been working really hard for the last couple of months and I haven’t had anything happen for me.

“It could have been one or two lower, as I missed a couple of chances towards the end there, but I am happy with 64. I haven’t shot a number like that for a while.”

India’s Jeev Milkha Singh is one stroke further back in second while Oosthuizen is tied for third with American, Jason Knutzon.

Simon Dyson is in contention after going round the course in three-under while Martin Kaymer is on two-under alongside Tom Lewis and Matteo Manassero.

Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher impressed with a 67 but Ireland’s Peter Lawrie ended the day on one over and Michael Hoey is well down the field on six-over.

Padraig Harrington is going to have to create history if he is to win The Masters in Augusta this week, defying Masters golf odds in the process.

Harrington became the first player to win three par three titles at the Georgia venue but no player has ever won this preliminary tournament and then gone on to lift the main prize.

Just like in 2003, Harrington had to share the honour due to bad weather preventing a play-off. Nine years ago, he tied with David Toms while this time around, Jonathan Byrd tied with him. In 2004, he won outright, beating Eduardo Romero in sudden death.

Both Harrington and Byrd returned five-under-par scores of 22 in Wednesday’s event, which is deemed a little light relief ahead of the serious business, which starts on the Thursday.

Harrington missed the final green and was close to ditching his ball in the water, but he recovered with a dainty chip to save par. This will give him a boost ahead of The Masters – a competition he has never won. His best finish is a tied fifth in 2002 and 2008.

The Irishman has failed to make the cut in the last two years but has rediscovered his form in recent months.

In 2012, he has already finished joint top of the Pro-Am leaderboard at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am while tying for seventh in the tournament overall.

Meanwhile, last month he set a new course record of 61 at the Copperhead Course during the first round of the Transitions Championship. This was also his lowest ever round on the PGA Tour.

Keegan Bradley is looking forward to playing in the Majors in 2012 after winning the USPGA Championship last year.

The 25-year-old had been taking part in his first Major when he was a shock winner of the tournament that was played on the Highlands Course at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, Georgia.

He held his nerve to beat Jason Dufner in a three-hole play-off, despite being five shots adrift of his fellow American with only three holes to play.

However, successive birdies on the 16th and 17th for Bradley, combined with three consecutive bogeys by Dufner, led to the play-off which Bradley edged by one stroke; a result which delighted pundits who had taken advantage of golf betting odds.

Bradley, who became only the third man to win on his Major debut after Ben Curtis at the 2003 Open Championship and Francis Ouimet at the 1913 US Open, is looking forward to this week’s Masters, joking: “I’ve won every Major I’ve ever played in. I don’t think it’s that hard to be honest.

“I’m going to try as hard as I can to win it. Certainly experience is something I’m giving up at this tournament. There is a lot of first-time ignorance. You just go out and play the course and that can help sometimes.”

A first-time Masters player has not won the champion’s green jacket since Fuzzy Zoeller 33 years ago. However US Open golf betting suggests he may have a chance.

Bradley’s only other success on the PGA Tour came in May 2011 when he won the HP Byron Nelson Championship after beating Ryan Palmer in a play-off.

After the Masters, Bradley will take part in the US Open at San Francisco’s Olympic Club in June before going on to try his luck at his first Open at the Royal Lytham and St Annes Golf Club in July. He will then defend his USPGA title in August.

Lee Westwood is unhappy that all the talk in the build-up to this week’s Masters has been about Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.

The 38-year-old from Worksop, who has enjoyed two spells as the world’s number one despite failing to win a Major in 55 attempts, will tee off at Augusta on Thursday alongside 2000 champion Vijay Singh and 2003 US Open winner Jim Furyk; an event that will see many pundits try and take advantage of US open golf betting odds.

However, Westwood thinks all the hype surrounding Woods, who is looking to claim his 15th Major title, and 22-year-old US Open champion McIlroy, is unwarranted.

Westwood accepts that McIlroy can win the tournament, as he looks to make up for last April’s final round collapse when he lost a four-shot lead to finish 10 behind eventual winner Charl Schwartzel, but believes there are many other big-name players who have been written off by golf betting odds.

Westwood said: “Rory has never won here, Tiger’s not won here since 2005.

“I think everybody would have to be naive to think it was a two-horse race, wouldn’t they?

“I think Phil (Mickelson) might have a little bit of something to say about that. Luke (Donald) might. I might.”

Westwood was the runner-up at Augusta in 2010 and also came second at The Open Championship that year. He finished third at the US Open in 2008 and 2011 and was tied for third at the USPGA Championship in 2009.

McIlroy will play with Argentina’s Angel Cabrera for the first two rounds of the Masters, while Bubba Watson makes up the three-ball, while Woods’ bid for a fifth green jacket starts alongside Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez and Korean Bae Sang-moo.

The Masters will be considerably poorer without Ernie Els, even though the South African is struggling to qualify for the first Major of the year.

A fifth-place finish at the Transitions Championship in Florida last week has proven to be damaging as Els only moved up six places to 62nd in the world rankings. The world’s top 50 are invited to Augusta and so he will be hoping for better at the Arnold Palmer Invitational this week or next week’s Houston Open. Realistically, he will need to win at least one of them. Fans of Stan James should remember this.

Missing a four-foot putt on the final green as Els bogeyed the last two holes proved to be costly at the Transitions as he was leading before then. In the past, these sorts of shot would have been bread-and-butter for Els but after 2011′s poor season, perhaps some of his mental toughness has evaporated.

Els has twice been a runner-up at the Masters, in 2000 and 2004, and clearly knows how to play the course in Augusta. Furthermore, 2010 and 2011 showed a marked improvement over his form in previous years, which saw him miss the cut for three successive seasons between 2007 and 2009. www.stanjames.com

Any sportsman can’t really live off past glories and Els’s peak period was clearly in the early 2000s. However, losing by just one stroke in 2004 at the Masters demonstrates he has the potential to win there.

Although he has not won an event since December 2010, tying in second place with Retief Goosen after losing a play-off at the Volvo Golf Champions at the start of 2012 suggests that Els is at least competitive again. His fifth-place at the Transitions backs this up as he was ultimately two holes from winning.

Consequently, Els has the pedigree to succeed at the Masters and with his recent upturn in form, it would be a shame if he was missing from one of the biggest stages in world golf. Let’s hope he qualifies.