You want matchups, the PGA Tour has matchups. With the world’s greatest golfers assembled in Northern Ireland this week for the 148th Open Championship, there is a bevy of matchup choices as the field goes for the fourth major title of the year and possession of the Claret Jug. Tiger Woods pegs it up for the first time since the U.S. Open and has plus odds in a number of his matchups. There is money to be made should the Big Cat rise to the occasion, like he tends to do in majors. This is a home game for Rory McIlroy, who opened as the betting favorite at offshore sportsbooks. Below is a sampling of some matchup odds with a full list available at BookMaker.eu.
The Open Championship Matchup Odds at BookMaker.eu
Phil Mickelson +114 vs. Brandt Snedeker -144
Sergio Garcia +105 vs. Rafael Cabrera Bello -135
Matthew Fitzpatrick -134 vs. Tony Finau +104
Phil Mickelson -103 vs. Alex Noren -127
Eddie Pepperell +111 vs. Tony Finau -141
Bubba Watson -115 vs. Joaquin Niemann -115
Chez Reavie -115 vs. Eddie Pepperell -115
Bryson Dechambeau -139 vs. Matt Wallace +109
Gary Woodland -113 vs. Ian Poulter -117
Henrik Stenson -116 vs. Rickie Fowler -114
Justin Thomas -185 vs. Jordan Spieth +146
Jordan Spieth +151 vs. Patrick Cantlay -191
Bryson Dechambeau -132 vs. Louis Oosthuizen +102
Tommy Fleetwood -141 vs. Rickie Fowler +111
Xander Schauffele -105 vs. Henrik Stenson -124
Webb Simpson -137 vs. Patrick Reed +107
Tommy Fleetwood -145 vs. Adam Scott +115
Xander Schauffele +116 vs. Tommy Fleetwood -146
Francesco Molinari -101 vs. Rickie Fowler -129
Hideki Matsuyama -108 vs. Matt Kuchar -122
Francesco Molinari +101 vs. Henrik Stenson -131
Tommy Fleetwood -137 vs. Henrik Stenson +107
Bernd Wiesberger -112 vs. Marc Leishman -118
Francesco Molinari -112 vs. Xander Schauffele -118
Jon Rahm -132 vs. Justin Rose +102
Dustin Johnson -137 vs. Tiger Woods +107
Brooks Koepka -118 vs. Justin Rose -112
Dustin Johnson -120 vs. Justin Rose -110
Brooks Koepka -133 vs. Tiger Woods +103
Rory McIlroy -166 vs. Dustin Johnson +132
Brooks Koepka -101 vs. Jon Rahm -129
Rory McIlroy -200 vs. Tiger Woods +158
Jon Rahm -127 vs. Dustin Johnson -103
Tiger Woods +102 vs. Justin Rose -132
Francesco Molinari +126 vs. Tommy Fleetwood -158
Xander Schauffele -108 vs. Rickie Fowler -122
Jordan Spieth +129 vs. Bryson Dechambeau -162
Jason Day -102 vs. Matt Kuchar -128
Rafael Cabrera Bello -140 vs. Tony Finau +110
Gary Woodland -185 vs. Graeme McDowell +146
Sergio Garcia -103 vs. Webb Simpson -127
Patrick Reed -125 vs. Lee Westwood -105
Need to Know
Like most of the golfers, I was just getting warmed up for The Open last week. I had a few near misses on my picks and ended with a 2-3 record from the Scottish Open. I did go with Bernd Wiesberger at +115 and not only did the Austrian cash in on the matchup he also won the tournament, which was another pick of mine. This week features 49 of the top-50 golfers according to the latest OWGR, and any one of them has the potential to win this event. Leveling the playing field is the Royal Portrush layout, which will host for the first time since 1951. It hasn’t been used a lot by the field, but it’s a typical links-style course situated on rolling terrain with undulating greens and deep bunkers. Located on the coast we’ll see gusty winds be a factor, which is how things go on the links.
The Open Championship Matchup Picks
Graeme McDowell +146 vs. Gary Woodland
The major hangover is still present in Woodland and for that reason I’m fading him. Actually, there are a few other reasons. McDowell is frolicking on home turf this week and he’s been a consistent visitor to Royal Portrush over the years. If anything he knows the course better than most if not all of the field, and that should be an advantage. He won’t deal with as many distractions as McIlroy, which should make the transition an easy one. And McDowell had a solid T16 in the 2012 Irish Open here. I think the home field edge will be enough to carry McDowell in this matchup.
Xander Schauffele -108 vs. Rickie Fowler
The X-man showed he can compete with the big boys. Now he just has to beat them. Schauffele has done plenty of damage in major championships finishing among the top-six in half of his 10 starts. He tied for runner-up honors last year at Carnoustie and in April at the Masters, and he was T3 at the U.S. Open in his most recent major start. Schauffele was T20 in his Open debut at Birkdale in 2017 and he’s a major champ waiting to happen.
Bernd Wiesberger -112 vs. Marc Leishman
It was just a matter of time before Wiesberger got back in form. Well, that time has come. He may well be the hottest golfer entering The Open with a T16, T2 and a victory at the Scottish Open in his last three starts. Any concerns over his play on links courses was wiped away with his runner-up at the Irish Open and were laid to rest after last week. The Austrian moved to the top of the Race to Dubai standings and is currently at No. 40 by OWGR.
Brooks Koepka -118 vs. Justin Rose
Wager at your own peril, but I’m not making the same mistake of fading Koepka in a major. He won the PGA Championship a few months ago for his fourth major championship in his last nine starts, and he was runner-up at the U.S. Open and Masters. He’s finished among the top-10 11 times in his last 20 majors with only three finishes outside the top-30. Toss in a caddie who’s more familiar with Royal Portrush than 90 percent of the field, and Koepka looks like a lock.
Phil Mickelson +114 vs. Brandt Snedeker
I’m tossing this one in as a bonus pick and a charity to Mickelson, who has been all over the place lately. Unhappy with his game and things in his personal life, Lefty did something about it. He went on a diet and lost upwards of 15 pounds. Mickelson will show off his svelte figure for the first time looking to gain some consistency since winning the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. If he can drop strokes like he did pounds, Lefty will be back in the saddle looking for a sixth major championship.
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