British Open 2024: Betting odds, picks, perception for Royal Troon

We are lower than 24 hours from the start of The Open Championship, maybe essentially the most unpredictable main of all of them. It additionally occurs to be the ultimate main of the season, after the PGA Championship shifted from August to May in 2019.

As such, this marks the final occasion that each PGA Tour and LIV Golf gamers will compete side-by-side till Augusta National—until an settlement between the 2 sides involves fruition earlier than then. It might occur, however all concerned nonetheless have lots extra to work out. Yet, in his pre-Open Championship press convention on Tuesday, Tiger Woods famous that progress between the tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF)—LIV Golf’s beneficiary—continues to be made.

Nevertheless, this 12 months’s Open at Royal Troon encompasses a robust discipline once more. Hopefully, that leads golf followers to see some drama—a lot not like final 12 months, when Brian Harman ran away from the sphere and gained by six. But no person noticed Harman doing what he did final 12 months. Nor did anybody envision Henrik Stenson decimating Royal Troon in 2016, capturing 20-under par to defeat Phil Mickelson by three in among the finest duels ever. I don’t suppose anybody predicted Todd Hamilton profitable in a playoff over Ernie Els at Troon in 2004, both.

Photo by Bill Murray/Getty Images

The Open Championship Odds:

Here are the most recent odds for gamers to win the 2024 Open Championship, courtesy of DraftKings:

Scottie Scheffler +450

Rory McIlroy +850

Xander Schauffele +1100

Ludvig Åberg +1600

Collin Morikawa +1600

Bryson DeChambeau +1800

Tommy Fleetwood +2200

Jon Rahm +2500

Tyrrell Hatton +2800

Viktor Hovland +3000

Brooks Koepka +3000

Shane Lowry +4000

Robert MacIntyre +4000

Patrick Cantlay +4000

Tony Finau +4500

Tom Kim +4500

Hideki Matsuyama +4500

Cameron Smith +4500

Joaquin Niemann +5500

Wyndham Clark +6000

Sahith Theegala +6000

Matt Fitzpatrick +6000

Louis Oosthuizen +6000

Jordan Spieth +6000

Corey Conners +6000

Cameron Young +600

Sungjae Im +6500

Brian Harman +6500

Adam Scott +6500

Aaron Rai +6500

Justin Thomas +7000

Min Woo Lee +7500

Alex Noren +9000

Akshay Bhatia +9000

Si Woo Kim +10000

Sepp Straka +10000

Jason Day +10000

Davis Thompson +10000

Sam Burns +11000

Russell Henley +11000

Max Homa +11000

Photo by Oisin Keniry/R&A through Getty Images

Picks, Predictions, Insight

Avoid Jordan Spieth, Viktor Hovland

Jordan Spieth has a powerful historical past at this championship, profitable the Claret Jug in 2017 and ending no worse than thirtieth in his final eight appearances. But Spieth has struggled this 12 months, as he has not posted a top-10 end for the reason that Valero Texas Open. Poor iron play helps clarify that. He missed the minimize at The Masters and didn’t contend at Valhalla or Pinehurst. The Texan didn’t make the weekend on the Genesis Scottish Open both, proving that his sport is in dire straits.

In an identical vein, Viktor Hovland has appeared nothing just like the participant who gained the 2023 FedEx Cup. His brief sport has utterly deserted him, and his method play has taken a noticeable dip.

After ending solo third on the PGA Championship, it appeared like Hovland had turned a nook. He posted a pair of 69s to start the Memorial Tournament, however a poor weekend introduced him again and right into a tie for fifteenth. The younger Norwegian then missed the minimize on the U.S. Open and most not too long ago tied for forty sixth on the Scottish Open.

Avoiding Spieth and Hovland this week is a obligatory play.

Photo by Steve Welsh/Getty Images

A trio of Top 10 picks we love

This is the week for Sungjae Im, who will contend in a serious for the primary time this season. Im has had a outstanding season, posting six high 10s, 5 of which have come since April. But considerably inexplicably, Im has missed the minimize in all three majors.

Since capturing 77-74 at Augusta, Im has completed T-12, T-4, MC, T-9, T-8, MC, T-3, T-12, and most not too long ago tied for fourth on the Scottish Open. Yet, we imagine Im has some further motivation to play properly this week and can end within the high 10 at +550.

We additionally like two LIV Golf gamers—each of whom have gained Claret Jugs earlier than—to complete within the high 10.

Cameron Smith, who has among the finest brief video games on the planet, will return to Open competition this week. So will Louis Oosthuizen, who has not performed in a serious but this season. Oosthuizen, who gained twice on the DP World Tour this previous December, has seen his Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) so dramatically due to his standing on LIV that he didn’t qualify for another majors. That ought to encourage him to play properly this week.

Smith has a high 10 value of +400, whereas Oosthuizen is listed at +550.

Two main champions end amongst Top 5

Jon Rahm fights again with a vengeance this week to complete within the high 5 at +500.

One of the massive speaking factors of the 2024 season has been about Rahm’s struggles in main championships, maybe as a result of he determined to hitch LIV Golf in December. He performed poorly in his Masters title protection after which missed the minimize at Valhalla. Then, a foot an infection pressured him to withdraw from the U.S. Open, leaving Rahm watching from mattress at house. Thankfully, Rahm’s wound has healed, and he’ll play this week.

Reports point out that his kind at Troon appears stable, and he feels assured in himself, too. Rahm even mentioned he feels near replicating the shape he had when he gained the 2023 Masters. He additionally has a powerful historical past at The Open, posting two top-five finishes in his final three begins. We imagine one other one follows this week, and who is aware of, maybe he hoists the Claret Jug, taking after his hero Seve Ballesteros, who gained it 3 times.

Photo by Oisin Keniry/R&A through Getty Images

Another main champion that we imagine will end among the many high 5 is Xander Schauffele, who has had a terrific 2024 marketing campaign.

Schauffele prevailed by one stroke over Bryson DeChambeau at Valhalla, profitable his first main title. Since then, he has posted 4 straight top-15 finishes, together with a T-7 at Pinehurst No. 2., the place he shot just one spherical over par that week. The former San Diego State Aztech has no flaws in his sport, as his robust iron play and artful brief sport ought to have him contending in a serious as soon as once more. He is seemingly all the time there on the leaderboard. He tied for fifteenth final 12 months at Royal Liverpool, and his greatest end at The Open got here in 2018, when he tied for second at Carnoustie.

Give us Schauffele to complete within the high 5 at +260.

Possible winners, together with a longshot

We have 4 profitable picks for this week’s Open Championship.

First up is Tyrrell Hatton, who, at +2800, feels prepared to interrupt by and win a serious. Hatton is trending in the proper course, and his sport fits Royal Troon properly. The three-time Ryder Cupper has lengthy been one of many sport’s high ball-strikers, however his brief sport is underrated, too.

Photo by Pedro Salado/Getty Images

Another participant with an identical pedigree is Collin Morikawa, who has gained The Open earlier than. At +1600, Morikawa arrives at Royal Troon as one of many favorites, and he most actually can have a presence on the leaderboard come Sunday. But the query for him is that if he can shut out a last spherical, one thing he has struggled with in 2024.

Tommy Fleetwood is one other winner we like this week at +2200. The Englishman has not missed a minimize since firing an 80 at Bay Hill, though he has not contended in a serious since The Masters. But his final 4 finishes at The Open are solo second, T-33, T-4, and a T-10 one 12 months in the past. Fleetwood loves hyperlinks golf, and his imaginative brief sport and wedge play bode properly for Royal Troon. This may very well be his week.

And then, lastly, our longshot winner we like is a person who made it into the sphere on Sunday night: Englishman Aaron Rai.

Rai is trending in the proper course, having posted 5 straight top-20 finishes, which features a tie for second in Detroit. But this latest run is way from a fluke. Rai ranks 4th on the PGA Tour in total strokes gained. He has performed flawlessly, rating first in driver accuracy share at 72.97% and third in greens in regulation share at 72.47%. In the uncommon occasion he misses the inexperienced, Rai can stand up and down, too, rating tenth on tour in scrambling share. Putting has not been his robust swimsuit, however he nonetheless ranks 54th in strokes gained on the inexperienced.

Good ball-strikers and people with stable brief video games win Open Championships, and Rai suits that invoice. So why not take a shot on him at +6500?

Check out SB Nation’s DraftKings website for all different sports activities betting content material.

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be certain to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You can observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as properly.