Golf punter demands payout on Tommy Fleetwood "open" bet

A golf fan who punted £500 with William Hill back in 2007 on Tommy Fleetwood winning "an open championship on the PGA Tour" before the end of 2017 is demanding he is paid out. 

The article, which first appeared in the Southport Champion, explains how John Murray wagered his stake at odds of 66/1 with the high street bookmaker little more than 10 years ago when Fleetwood was just 15 years old. 

Following Fleetwood's victory at the Open de France this July, Murray believes he should now be entitled to £33,500. 

William Hill, rightly so, has contended Murray's bet was for golf's third major of the season, the Open Championship, and that tournament alone.

“Mr. Murray has since presented his bet to William Hill who have refused to settle the bet,” Murray’s legal counsel said.

“They argue that the bet was in respect of the Open Championship and and not any other. Mr. Murray argues that winning ‘an open golf championship’ referred to Mr. Fleetwood attaining first place in any championship which was open to all pro golfers on the PGA Tour.”

Unfortunately for Murray, the Independent Betting Adjudication Service has sided with William Hill, but he continues to fight on.

Let's hope William Hill has also pointed out to Mr Murray that the Open de France is a European Tour event, and not on the PGA Tour. 

And where was he when Tommy won the 2011 Kazakhstan Open on the Challenge Tour?

If Mr Murray really wants to stake his claim for the bet, he will need Fleetwood to win the PGA Tour's Safeway Open in October or the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in November. Then again, he will unlikely be playing in either of those. 

Come on John, you're clutching at straws. We all know you were referring to the Open Championship. 

Given Rory McIlroy's father took the same bet on his 15-year-old son winning The Open within 10 years and got 500/1, you have to feel Mr Murray received a shocking price on Fleetwood in the first place.