The final major of the PGA Tour season is a dandy with the 148th playing of The Open Championship. We can also call it the British Open or just The Open, but it all means the same to the field of golfers assembling in Northern Ireland. Royal Portrush serves as host for the first time since 1951 and offers the field a typical links-style layout. All the big boys will be out battling for the Claret Jug with Rory McIlroy the betting favorite on the opening line at offshore sportsbooks. Major whiz Brooks Koepka is also listed among the favorites, and, of course, Tiger Woods will be swinging away. You can check odds for every player in the field at BookMaker.eu.
Odds to Win The Open Championship at BookMaker.eu
Rory McIlroy +645
Brooks Koepka +1015
Dustin Johnson +1415
Jon Rahm +1418
Tiger Woods +2253
Justin Rose +2253
Tommy Fleetwood +2253
Justin Thomas +2652
Xander Schauffele +2850
Patrick Cantlay +2850
Adam Scott +2856
Bryson Dechambeau +3010
Matt Kuchar +3010
Francesco Molinari +3258
Henrik Stenson +3258
Rickie Fowler +3320
Hideki Matsuyama +3560
Jason Day +4250
Jordan Spieth +4550
Matt Wallace +4550
Louis Oosthuizen +4550
Matthew Fitzpatrick +4550
Rafael Cabrera Bello +5250
Tyrrell Hatton +5250
Marc Leishman +5575
Bernd Wiesberger +6050
Paul Casey +6050
Shane Lowry +6550
Ian Poulter +7550
Tony Finau +8050
Webb Simpson +8050
Patrick Reed +8050
Haotong Li +8050
Gary Woodland +8550
Eddie Pepperell +9850
Thorbjorn Olesen +10000
Graeme McDowell +10250
Sergio Garcia +10250
Kevin Kisner +10250
Chez Reavie +10250
Keegan Bradley +10250
Erik Van Rooyen +10550
Joost Luiten +12500
Russell Knox +12550
Danny Willett +12787
Lee Westwood +13250
Andy Sullivan +13250
Thomas Pieters +13250
Sungjae Im +13500
Phil Mickelson +15250
Branden Grace +15250
Zach Johnson +15250
Charles Howell III +17250
Brandt Snedeker +17550
Aaron Wise +18550
Odds Analysis
Rory McIlroy +645
Not only has McIlroy been on fire this year, he’s also playing on home soil, and he’s ecstatic about the opportunity. That alone makes me think he’s got a shot at raising the Claret Jug. Oh, and he has the course record at Royal Potrtush with a 61 when he was a teenager. The course has changed since then, but you get the idea. He’s a pretty good links player. McIlroy has gone T5 or better in four straight Open Championships including his victory in 2014. I’d say he’s a pretty good pick.
Brooks Koepka +1015
When it comes to majors you can’t overlook what Koepka has done over the last few years. He’s finished first or second in five of the last six majors, telling us he gets up for the big tournaments. You might think that string of success can’t last, and you’d probably be right. However, Koepka’s caddie is a local and knows the course better than 90 percent of the field, so you know he’ll have a great game plan. And you just can’t overlook what he’s done in major championships.
Francesco Molinari +3258
Rising from a crowded pack, Molinari tamed Carnoustie to a bogey-free final round to win last year’s Open Championship. With 16 pars and a clinching birdie on the 18th, the Spaniard was the only player in the final four groups to break par. He entered last year’s event riding a run of nice form, but that hasn’t been the case this year. And we just don’t see back-to-back Open winners that often. That’s probably why Molinari can be had at a great price. A top-10 at the Irish Open at Royal Portrush has to be considered.
Xander Schauffele +2850
Like fellow American Koepka, the X-man has flourished in majors. He’s played in just 10 during his career and he’s finished among the top-10 in four of his last six. His most recent outing was a T3 at the U.S. Open, so he should be well rested without the rigors of a weekly grind. He grabbed a runner-up finish at last year’s Open and was top-20 in his first playing. Schauffele is one of the best on Tour in scoring average, but he’s not played a lot of links courses.
Marc Leishman +5575
Links courses, and particularly Royal Portrush, are at the mercy of Mother Nature, and she often lets her presence known. That’s likely the case this week and navigating the wind and blustery conditions is part of the game. Leishman plays the wind with confidence and he has five top-10s in majors, with three of those coming at The Open.
Course: Royal Portrush Golf Club – 7,337 yards, Par 71
Royal Portrush is the only Open venue located outside Scotland and England and will host its first major championship in 68 years. Two links courses cover the property with the field playing on the Dunluce Links layout. Two holes from the adjacent Valley course will be incorporated into the front nine with the 17th and 18th from the original design removed to house corporate bigwigs. Built on rolling terrain the course has a lot of play on the fairways, which can be deceptive. Some great shots could be impacted by the undulating grounds, and some not so good shots will end up looking better than they should. Situated on the coast the elements will also play a major role. That’s just how things shake out on the links.
TV Coverage: Golf Channel, NBC
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