The Open 2024: Who Will Conquer Royal Troon? Unveiling Early PGA Odds & Top Contenders

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Overview

The 2023 major season begins in just over two months when the best golfers in the world descend on the hallowed grounds of Augusta National Golf Club for the 2023 Masters. Ending the major season is The Open in late July at Royal Liverpool in Hoylake, England. Our betting predictions take a look at this year’s final major, and potential players who have the best shot at claiming the Claret Jug and being named the Champion Golfer of the Year.

The Open returns to Royal Liverpool for the 13th time and first since 2014 when Rory McIlroy (-17) took home his first and only Claret Jug. The win was McIlroy’s third major title, defeating Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia by two strokes. McIlroy was just the sixth golfer to win the championship, going wire-to-wire over the four days.

Last season, Cameron Smith (-20) won his first major title defeating Cameron Young by one shot at the Old Course at St. Andrews. McIlroy finished third, two shots behind Smith, while Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland ended tied for fourth.

The golf course plays as a par-72 with a length of just over 7,200 yards. Established in 1869, Royal Liverpool will be the oldest golf course the pros play this season. 

Robert Chambers and George Morris were the two individuals that designed the original course, which was later extended to 18 holes in 1871. Harry Colt went on to redesign the track in the early 20th century, which has been updated over time due to the advancement in technology.

 A traditional links course, the layout is a tough and challenging 18 holes, especially if the wind is up. Prior to the 2023 Championship, the course underwent numerous changes in preparation for the tournament. The 17th hole is a completely new par 3 that will be featured this year.

The Open Championship Field

The field for the Open Championship is not finalized this early in the season, but there will be a field of 156 players. Like the U.S. Open, both amateur and professional players have the opportunity to qualify for the event through a qualifying process.

Most of the contenders for the tournament will be able to bypass the qualifying thanks to their status in the Official World Golf Rankings, performance in past Opens, performance in other majors, or performance in high-profile tournaments.

Betting Favorites

While it is early in the year, currently, McIlroy (+800) is the early betting favorite. McIlroy’s history here can’t be forgotten after picking up his Claret Jug here almost nine years ago. 

Behind McIlroy is Spaniard Jon Rahm at (+1200). Rahm, winner of the 2021 U.S. Open, remains with just one major victory. Rahm’s best finish at an Open Championship was a T3 in 2021.

Rounding out the top five favorites is Scottie Scheffler (+1400), last year’s winner Cameron Smith (+1600), and two-time PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas (+1600). While these odds can change leading up to July’s event, it is likely these five players will remain favorites for the majority of the season.

All eyes will be on McIlroy as the current no. 1 ranked player in the world tries to get back to winning major titles in 2023.

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With the 2023 calendar turning to July, it is time to look ahead to the final major of the season and the 2023 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England. The event marks the 151st playing of the Open Championship, with tournament play to begin on Thursday, July 20th, and run through Sunday, July 23rd.

The field of 156 players will consist of the top players in the world, along with professional and amateur golfers who qualified for the championship via Open Qualifying Series and regional and final qualifying events. Those who qualify for the tournament will battle over four days for the chance to hoist the Claret Jug at the conclusion of Sunday’s final round.

With the tournament just a few weeks away, let’s take a look at the top players for the 2023 The Open Championship so you can wager against their PGA Tour betting odds.

2023 The Open Championship Betting Odds, Favorites to Win and Analysis | MyBookie Golf Preview

The Open Championship | 151st edition of the PGA Tour golf tournament
Royal Liverpool Golf Club | Wirral, England
Sunday, July 16th, 2023 – Sunday, July 23rd, 2023

Early The Open Championship Bettings Odds

The Open Championship was played at this venue eight years ago, with Rory McIlroy defeating Sergio Garica and Rickie Fowler by two shots for his first and only Open Championship title. McIlroy (+800) is the early betting favorite to lock up his fifth major victory and first since 2014.

Trailing McIlroy is Jon Rahm (+900). Rahm, the no. 2 ranked player in the world, won his second major title earlier this season at the Masters. Rahm’s highest finish at an Open Championship was a T3 in 2021 at Royal St. George’s Golf Course.

World no. 1 Scottie Scheffler (+1000) has the third-best odds as we enter the month of July. Scheffler has been the most consistent golfer on the PGA Tour this season and is riding a streak of six consecutive finishes of T5 or better.

Rounding out the top five early favorites are Brooks Koepka (+1400) and last year’s Open winner Cameron Smith (+1800). Koepka captured his fifth major title of his career at the PGA Championship in May, while Smith has a pair of top 10 finishes this year at the PGA Championship (T9) and U.S. Open (4th).

Other notables near the top of the list include Viktor Hovland (+1800), Jordan Spieth (+2000), Rickie Fowler (+2000), and Collin Morikawa (+2000). Morikawa’s last professional victory was in 2021 at the Open Championship.

Early Analysis

McIlroy and Tiger Woods are the previous two winners of the Open Championship played at this venue. McIlroy shot a four-day score of 271 (17-under) in 2014, while Woods fired a 270 (18-under) in 2006.

Like many of the Open Championship venues, the weather has a huge impact on tournament scoring. Wind will play a major factor at Royal Liverpool, with the layout situated on the northwest corner of the Wirral Peninsula.

Strategic play will be necessary to be able to put yourself in a scoring position off the tee. When Woods won here in 2006, he only hit his driver once throughout the four rounds of competition. Players with elite ball striking and accuracy will have a leg-up on the field.

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The final PGA major tournament of the year, the 2023 Open Championship, tees off on Thursday. Rory McIlroy is close to a co-favorite with Scottie Scheffler. Rory won the Scottish Genesis Open in the last. Jon Rahm is a +1250 third choice followed by 2022 The Open Championship winner, Cameron Smith, the fourth choice.

As the tournament nears, let’s look at some of the most intriguing The Open Championship updated golf odds to keep an eye on this week as well as free picks.

2023 The Open Championship Odds Update Last Minute Analysis and Picks | MyBookie Golf Preview

The Open Championship | 151st edition of the PGA Tour golf tournament
Royal Liverpool Golf Club | Wirral, England
Thursday, July 20th, 2023 – Sunday, July 23rd, 2023

Odds Changes include Brooks’ Rising and Rory Falling

McIlroy opened at +900 or so. The day before the first tee off at Royal Liverpool, Rory has fallen to almost even terms with Scottie Scheffler.

Scheffler continues to be the favorite even though McIlroy has more experience playing over a links course. Rory knows Royal Liverpool. So don’t be surprised if McIlroy tees off the chalk on Thursday.

Jon Rahm’s odds have risen past +1200 after opening a co-second choice with Rory. Brooks Koepka’s are also on the rise, as are Tommy Fleetwood’s. Viktor Hovland’s odds have fallen to close to +2000 after Hovland opened at +2800.

2023 The Open Championship PGA Tournament Picks

Top Pick: Rory McIlroy +760

It’s almost never wise to back chalk, but in this case, riding Rory’s hot sticks make sense. McIlroy has played great golf pretty much since the PGA Championship in May. Rory finished seventh in the PGA Championship.

At the U.S. Open, McIlroy finished second. There was also the seventh place finish at the Travelers and the win last Sunday at the Scottish Genesis Open. McIlroy is playing like the best golfer on the planet.

He knows how to have success over links courses, meaning Rory should be in the running for the victory on Sunday. Again, it’s never fun to back chalk, but McIlroy should get it done.

The Open Championship Top Pick: Bet Rory McIlroy To Win
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Tournament

Second Pick: Brooks Koepka +1950

This year’s PGA Championship winner finished second at the Masters before lifting the PGA trophy. Then in the last major tournament, the U.S. Open, Brooks finished seventeenth.

Koepka is playing well enough to win, but we can’t endorse ahead of Rory. The issue? Brooks’ best finish at The Open Championship was a fourteenth in 2019.

For sure, Koepka can get it done because he’s motivated. Also, the odds are great. So if you think Brooks breaks through this Sunday, consider.

The Open Championship Second Pick: Bet Brooks Koepka To Win
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Tournament

Third Pick: Cameron Smith +1750

The 2022 The Open Championship winner is playing well enough for the repeat. Smith won the LIV Golf Invitational London in early July.

In June, Smith finished fourth at the U.S. Open. Cameron finished ninth at the PGA Championship. So the third choice could win this. But it’s difficult to win The Open in two straight years. So we made Smith our third choice.

The Open Championship Third Pick: Bet Cameron Smith To Win
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Tournament

Top Underdog: Tommy Fleetwood +2300

Fleetwood is dead on the board. Tommy opened a +1500 chalk. But a day before the tournament and Fleetwood is a +2300 favorite.

The odds make Tommy a slight overlay. Fleetwood finished second at the RBC Canadian Open, fifth at the U.S. Open, and sixth at the Scottish Genesis Open. Tommy can get it done at a higher number than we expected.

The Open Championship Underdog Pick: Bet Tommy Fleetwood To Win
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When you have a field that contains 156 of the best golfers in the world, choosing a single winner can be tough. After all, the eventual winner will need to play four rounds of nearly flawless golf, which also means being able to handle the pressure of playing in a major event. This Thursday, July 20, sees the start of the 2017 British Open, which will be held at the famed Royal Birkdale course in Southport, England. This will be the 10th time that the Open has been played at this course, and it is one that has been good to American golfers, with 5 of the previous 9 winners at Royal Birkdale hailing from this side of the pond.

The job that we have here is to handicap the field to try and determine who will be hoisting the Claret Jug on Sunday afternoon. There are a lot of factors that go into making that choice, not the least of which is trying to determine who might be able to play through any potential weather issues, which is often a problem in the UK.

What we are going to do is pick a winner, a top 5 (place), and someone with the potential to finish in the top 10 (show). These players can be played any way you see fit, or you can abandon these picks altogether and instead play the players who you believe will be atop the leaderboard this weekend.

The 2017 British Open Winning Picks (Win – Place – Show)

The 2017 British Open Show Prediction

What we are looking for here is a player who could put in a solid performance, but who will fall just short on the final day. It’s rather obvious that we will be looking at a crowd here who will be hoping for a British player to come up big, and if anyone is going to do that, it may well be Tommy Fleetwood.

This is a Cinderella story in the making, as this young man was born and raised in Southport, and is the one player in the field who has almost certainly played this course more than anyone else.

He will be well aware of all the traps and dangers that Royal Birkdale delivers, and it’s all just a matter of whether he will be able to handle the pressure that comes with playing in a tournament of this magnitude. Fleetwood is in at +1800 for the win, and you can get him at +160 for a top 10 finish.

The 2017 British Open Place Prediction

Things get a little bit tougher as we try to pick out a player destined to land in the top 5. I like John Rahm to land in this spot, even though the Spaniard has missed the cut in his last two tournaments.

Rahm was due for a bit of a slump, as he had been playing like a man on fire all season long, with no less than 7 top 10 finishes to his name. Prior to those last two tournaments, Rahm had 3 top 5 finished in 6 starts, proving that he knows how to consistently stay in the hunt over the course of four days.

Rahm has not played a competitive round since the US Open, so you know he is going to be coming into this one well rested and ready to go. Rahm is +1300 to win, and is +300 for a top 5 finish.

The 2017 British Open Win Prediction

Throughout his career, the knock on Sergio Garcia has been that he is not good enough to win the majors, but he finally put that to rest with a win at The Masters earlier this season.

Garcia has been consistent all season long, but there are some who have already counted him out of the Open because he is getting married later this month. The suggestion here is that his mind will be on his bride instead of making birdies.

I believe that the fact that he has been written off will remove a great deal of pressure from his shoulders, and that is what will propel him to another major. You can get Sergio Garcia for the win at a rather tasty +1500.

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With the start of the 2016 British Open just days away, online golf betting enthusiasts everywhere need to know all about the favorite, the smart pick and the longshot! Thanks to this insightful online golf betting analysis you’re about to get on all three, you’re going to have a great opportunity to cash in with a potentially winning wager. Now, let’s get started.

A Closer Look At My 2016 British Open Expert Picks & Odds

The Favorite Pick To Win The Open is Jason Day (+690)

28-year- old Jason Day is the outright favorite at many sportsbook while others have him tied as the favorite along with Rory McIlroy, Jordan Speith and Dustin Johnson.

The Australian-born Day has three tournament wins this season, including his impressive performance at the Player’s Championship in May, not to mention an eighth place finish at the U.S. Open a month later and a third place finish at last weekend’s WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

In five British Open events, Day had never finished better than tied for 32nd until finishing fourth at St. Andrews in 2015. Still, Day is the favorite and he’ll have a shot, whether he’s your pick to bring home the British Open hardware or not.

The Smart Bet To Win The Open is Dustin Johnson (+1100)

For me, World No. 2 Dustin Johnson is the smart pick to win the 2016 British Open. The gifted ball-striker won the U.S. Open almost three weeks ago and backed that up by bagging the title at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational last weekend.

Hell, over his last four tournaments, Johnson has finished no worse than fifth while also finishing inside the Top 5 six times in his last nine events.

Johnson hasn’t missed a cut in six straight appearances at The Pen and should have won in 2011 at Royal St George's where he finished second. Day followed up that outing by finishing ninth in 2012 and has also recorded two other top-20 finishes in the age-old event.

The Longshot Pick To Win The Open is Zach Johnson (+5000)

If you think Zach Johnson’s 2015 British Open win was a thing of luck, then you had better think again! Johnson is the third player (besides D.J. and Adam Scott) to make each of the last five Open cuts. Not only that, but with last year’s Open win at St, Andrews, Johnson joined a group of five current and future Hall of Fame golfers as the only six to ever win at St. Andrews and Augusta National.

The names of the other five golfers is a virtual who’s who of all-time greats, which includes Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros and Tiger Woods.

While Johnson has largely struggled this year, he has also finished in the top 10 in two straight events coming into The Open. I also like the fact that Zach Johnson seems to play his best golf at the biggest events as illustrated by this expert betting preview.

In 2007, Johnson held off Tiger Woods, Rory Sabbatini and Retief Goosen by two strokes to become the first player ever ranked outside the top 50 to win a major title since the rankings began in 1986.

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The PGA heads home once again, as the British Open is back in Scotland at the Royal Troon course. This is the 9th time that the Open has been held in Ayrshire, and it will prove to be as challenging as always. Royal Troon is a links style course that sits along the coastline. Anyone who knows anything about golfing in Scotland will be well aware that wind and rain are likely to be major factors here. This is going to be a highly competitive field, with Zach Johnson looking to hold off all the biggest names in the sport in an attempt to retain his title. I’m not sure I like his chances, as there are other players who are sure to be better betting odds choices, and who will be better equipped to handle what Royal Troon has to throw at them. Let’s take a look at a few of the favorites.

A Closer Look At The PGA British Open Free Picks

Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy has to be considered the top dog here, as the Irishman is well aware of the havoc that the conditions can deliver in this part of the world. He won the Open two years ago, and picked up the Irish Open title earlier this season. McIlroys chances would almost certainly improve if the course got hot by rain, which is always a very distinct possibility in Scotland.

Jordan Spieth and Jason Day

Jordan Spieth and Jason Day tied for 4th at last year’s Open, and were just a shot off the pace set by the playoff finishers. Spieth has not been quite as magical as he was last season, but he always seems to be there or thereabouts. Day, on the other hand, has been magnificent all season long, and is thoroughly deserving of his world number one ranking. Either of these two men could well be in the mix on Sunday afternoon, although both would probably prefer if the conditions stayed a little milder.

Dustin Johnson

Dustin Johnson did not get his season off to a very good start, but he is rounding into form at just the right time. He has recently picked up a couple of very impressive tournament wins, and has to be considered a legitimate challenger here. There is perhaps no golfer in better form than he is at the moment, and momentum is often a major player when talking about the sport of golf.

These are the guys who are likely to get a fair chunk of the betting money at the online sportsbook, but this is a tournament that anyone can win, especially if Mother Nature decides that she doesn’t want to play ball. You always have to take a close look at the British players in the field, as they tend to have an edge when playing courses of this style. Justin Rose is a very decent longshot pick here, although I do not believe that he will win. My money is going to be on Rory McIlroy, as I really do believe that this is his tournament to lose. Let’s not forget that he missed the Open last year with a broken ankle, which means that he won it the last time he competed.

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The British Open is arguably the biggest event on the PGA Tour calendar this year, so it’s no real surprise that golf fans are a little excited about the 145th version of it taking place at Royal Troon in Scotland this coming weekend. This is one of those sporting events that draws bettors who normally give the sport in general a wide berth. There is something fun about making a wager on an event of this magnitude, and the good news is that there are certainly plenty of wagering options available for this one. I’m going to take a look at three of the betting options available here at MyBookie.ag, and give my picks for each. The betting odds for this event are great, so it’s definitely worth taking a shot.

A Closer Look At The British Open Expert Picks and Tips

Who Will Win The 145th British Open?

When you play a links style course, the feeling among some is that you don’t have to be particularly accurate off the tee. Yes, these types of courses are generally big and wide, but any sort of miscue could see you in rough up to the knees or a bunker that is as deep as you are tall. There ae also the elements to consider here, as there is going to be wind whipping off the Ayrshire coast, as well as a distinct possibility of rain. The player that can best handle all of this will win, and that is why I am going with someone who has had plenty of experience in this style of golf: Rory McIlroy (+900).

Picking a Player To Land in the Top 5

Picking the winner of a PGA event is tough, as the fields ae huge, and there are just too many factors to come into play. The safer bet for those of you who don’t like the idea of trying to pick that lone winner is to choose someone to land in the top 5. This is still a tough bet, but you could essentially do the equivalent of an each way bet by taking McIlroy to win and land top 5. The odds are not particularly great for any of the favorites to land in the top 5, which is why you want to look for a little value here. I like Matt Kuchar (+900) here, as he has made a habit of landing in the top 10 all season. It’s not too much of a stretch to believe that he could be at or near the top on Sunday afternoon.

Picking an Opening Round Winner

There are going to be ways to wager on all 4 rounds of the Open, but for today, let’s take a look at the opening round. Dustin Johnson has the best opening round scoring average on the tour this year, but again, I am looking for value here. I want a player who averages low in the opening round, but who also has experience with links style gold. For me, that would be Justin Rose, and I will be taking him to be the opening round leader at betting odds of +3000.

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It’s an unusual week on the PGA Tour this week because there’s no tournament. That’s very rare this time of year but the scheduled Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia had to be canceled because of severe flooding in that area. Greenbrier County, where The Greenbrier Resort is located, has been particularly hard-hit by torrential rains. The Greenbrier Classic was set to be the final PGA Tour event before the British Open at Royal Troon. So let’s go ahead and look ahead to that tournament. And right now there’s a three-way tie on betting odds to win the third major of the year between Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy, all at +800.

Closer Look at the Early 2016 British Open Expert Betting Pick

Day, the world’s No. 1 player, is looking for his first British Open title. The Aussie was on track for a fourth win of the year and eighth win in 20 starts when he led the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club on Sunday with four holes to play, only to implode. Day missed a four-foot par putt on the 15th before butchering the par five 16th with a double-bogey seven. Needing to finish birdie-birdie to force a playoff Day’s effort from the fringe on the 17th came up short and then a wild drive on 18 ended any hopes of a miracle hole out. He finished tied for third with, among others, Spieth. Day says he will use that tournament as motivation for the British Open. He finished just out of a playoff last year.

Dustin Johnson won the WGC-Bridgestone, his second straight tournament win after also taking the U.S. Open for his first major title. He is now up to a career-high No. 2 in the world and is +850 to win the British Open.

“It’s the first time I’ve won two tournaments in a row,” Johnson said after his 1-shot victory over Scott Piercy. “I mean, that’s big. I’m excited and looking forward to going over to the British with the golf game in good form.”

The Open Championship, or simply the British Open, is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. Held in the United Kingdom, it is administered by The R&A and is the only major outside the United States. This will be the 145th British Open and for the ninth time Royal Troon will be the stage. Royal Troon Golf Club dates to 1878, when it debuted with a five-hole golf course. As with many Scottish courses, Troon is the name of the club and the town where it’s located.

Royal Troon will play 7,190 yards for the 2016 Open at a par 71 on nines of 36-35. This is 15 yards longer than it played for the 2004 Open Championship. Todd Hamilton was the unlikely winner that year. The past six Open Champions at Royal Troon have been American.

The defending champion is Zach Johnson and he’s +5500 on betting lines to repeat. He beat South African Louis Oosthuizen and Australian Marc Leishman in a playoff. Johnson closed with a 6-under 66 by holing a 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole in regulation. Spieth fell one shot short of the playoff, which would have given him an opportunity to clinch the third leg of the Grand Slam. It was the first British Open playoff since Stewart Cink beat Tom Watson at Turnberry in 2009.