2016 Olympic odds: Henrik Stenson the betting favorite to win the Olympic gold medal in golf

For the first time since 1904, golf will be featured as an Olympic sport in Rio. The men’s tournament will feature 60 of the world’s top golfers and starts on Thursday, wrapping up with the final day of action on Sunday.

Henrik Stenson is the favorite to take home the gold in this historic event going off at +500 at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.

With the “big four” of Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, and Rory McIlroy all opting not to play in the Olympics, Stenson finds himself back in the spotlight as he was in the British Open. Stenson blew his opponents away with a masterful 20-under-par performance to win that major title, and he’ll try to add a gold medal to his big season this weekend.

Stenson’s biggest competition on the betting board is Spain’s Sergio Garcia going off at +700 to win this event. Garcia missed the cut at the PGA Championship, but before that had strung together three straight top-five performances with fifth-place finishes in the British Open and US Open and a win in the AT&T Byron Nelson.

Long considered to be one of the best golfers in the world without a major championship under his belt, Garcia has a prime opportunity to score a career win in the Olympics.

Justin Rose (+1000 to win the gold on the Rio Olympics odds) has the talent to win any tournament he participates in, especially in a watered-down field like this one. But after ending last season at No. 7 in the world rankings with five top-three finishes, Rose has cracked the top five only once this season and has been outside of the Top 15 in each of his last five tournaments.

Rose will need to take a big step forward to take home the gold, but he could provide some nice value for those willing to take a chance.

Other contenders in the mix to win the tournament include Rickie Fowler (+1400), Bubba Watson (+1400), Martin Kaymer (+1600), Patrick Reed (+1400), Matt Kuchar (+1600), Daniel Willett (+2200), Emiliano Grillo (+2500), and Rafael Cabrera Bello (+2800).

Willett hasn’t finished in the top 35 in any of his last four PGA Tour appearances since winning the Masters in April.