With other events dominating the world of golf let’s not forget we have one of the biggest tournaments of the year taking place this week. The PGA Tour and those players banned for participating in the LIV Golf Series who are eligible will assemble at the historic Country Club of Brookline for the 122nd U.S. Open. Fresh off his win in the RBC Canadian Open, Rory McIlroy has emerged as the betting favorite as one of four players on the opening list with odds shorter than 15/1. Defending champ Jon Rahm, who won at Torrey Pines last year, is one of those players along with Justin Thomas and Scottie Scheffler. Eligibility to play is determined by the USGA, which is allowing guys like Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson, among others, to compete. Lefty has a record six runner-up finishes in the U.S. Open and it’s the only event standing between him and the career Grand Slam. Visit BookMaker.eu for a complete updated list of betting odds when you’re ready to make a wager.
Odds to Win U.S. Open
Rory McIlroy +1050
Justin Thomas +1205
Scottie Scheffler +1325
Jon Rahm +1415
Cameron Smith +2051
Xander Schauffele +2051
Patrick Cantlay +2351
Jordan Spieth +2551
Sam Burns +2551
Matthew Fitzpatrick +2752
Will Zalatoris +2855
Collin Morikawa +3255
Tony Finau +3258
Shane Lowry +3357
Dustin Johnson +3557
Viktor Hovland +3787
Joaquin Niemann +3857
Sung-Jae Im +4050
Hideki Matsuyama +4450
Brooks Koepka +4550
Cameron Young +4850
Max Homa +5050
Daniel Berger +5350
Billy Horschel +6050
Corey Conners +6050
Tommy Fleetwood +6550
Aaron Wise +7050
Harold Varner III +7050
Abraham Ancer +7850
Davis Riley +8050
Mito Pereira +8050
Justin Rose +8050
Louis Oosthuizen +8750
Webb Simpson +8850
Odds Analysis
Brooks Koepka +4550
This is a pick based solely on Koepka’s past performance in majors and not on what he’s done recently. In fact the season has been a downer and there’s a chance that major mojo is no longer, but I still like Koepka’s game and feel confident he’s over the issues that plagued him. Besides, you just can’t look past a player with four major championships and nine other top-15s in his last 18 majors. I’ll overlook his MC at the Masters and T55 at the PGA Championship for now and put a small sum on Koepka at a decent price.
Shane Lowry +3357
Brookline has a linksy feel to it which could play into the hands of Lowry. And the Irishman comes in on a run of solid form giving him plenty of value at his price. He placed among the top-10 in seven of his last nine stroke-play events, including a podium finish at the Masters, and he closed in Canada with a 66 giving him a T10. He’s played the weekend in his last 10 majors with a win in the 2019 Open Championship along with three other top-10s.
Xander Schauffele +2051
The best player without a major championship, Schauffele gets another opportunity to end the skid. We saw Rahm win his first major in this event last year and the X-man has had a number of close calls during his career. And he appears to be playing with a chip on his shoulder after his MC at the Masters. He finished T18 of better in all four starts since with a team win in New Orleans and a T5 at the Byron Nelson. And he’s rested since a top-20 at the Memorial. I still think Schauffele is going to win a major soon, maybe even this week.
Jordan Spieth +2551
A consistent player since emerging from a slump a few years ago, Spieth is looking for his first major championship since 2017. Over the last two seasons he has 13 top-10s, including a pair of victories. He also won the U.S. Open in 2015. Part of his consistency lies in his ability to gain strokes. He ranks among the top-25 in nearly every strokes gained category, however his putting has let him down. If Spieth can find a groove with the flat stick he’s definitely a win contender.
Justin Thomas +1205
We gave Thomas a pass for his MC at the Schwab, which came a week after his second major win at the PGA Championship. That proved a good move since he closed in Canada with a 63-64 to finish solo third. With top-10s in nine of his 15 starts this season, Thomas has to be considered for the outright, and he’s looking for his first podium in a major other then the PGA.
Course: Country Club at Brookline – 7,264 yards, par 70
Playing host to the U.S. Open for the fourth time and first since 1988, Brookline isn’t a monster at less than 7,300 yards, but it does have its challenges. One of the five charter clubs founding the USGA, the course has been around for awhile undergoing many changes from its original form. It’s open off the tee allowing big hitters to swing away, however errant drives will be met with longer than normal rough. And finding the tiny greens will be a major component for those advancing to the weekend. As with every major the course will be a test requiring the use of every stick in the bag. As Will Zalatoris said of Brookline, “It was the hardest golf course I ever played. It was a big-boy golf course.”
TV Coverage: Golf Channel, NBC
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