As the tournament celebrates its 150th year, The Open Championship returns to the legendary St. Andrews Links. Early betting lines have opened and some of golf’s best sit atop the list of favorites to take home the coveted major championship.
Rory McIlroy heads up a star-studded list of favorites
There is truly no other event like The Open Championship, especially when it is played on the iconic Old Course at St. Andrews. Golf purists consider it to be the premier event of the season, and it holds a special place of reverence among the all time greats. The event is home to some of the most unforgettable moments in golf’s rich history. The 150th Open Championship begins on July 14, and anticipation is high with the possibility of Tiger Woods joining the field. The
top online sportsbooks
have released their opening lines and have begun taking wagers, and the talented Rory McIlroy is the early favorite among a star-studded field.
McIlroy has been on fire as of late, having won the RBC Canadian Open and placing fifth in the US Open. Overall he has placed in the top 10 in five of the last seven tournaments he has entered, and his excellent play has vaulted him to second in the World Golf Rankings and makes him +800 and the favorite to win this year’s Open Championship. McIlroy has traditionally played well at the event, winning the coveted major title in 2014 and boasting four other top-10 finishes including a 3rd place finish at St. Andrews in 2010. Jon Rahm and world number one ranked Scottie Scheffler round out the top three betting favorites with +1100 and +1200 odds respectively.
LIV Tour golfers in the field
Controversy surrounding the new Saudi-backed LIV Golf has sparked interest in golf and also caused a rift between players and the organizations that have served as stewards of the sport for generations. While the PGA and DP World Tour have imposed sanctions on golfers who made the jump, since they do not have control over The Open Championship, LIV Golf players will be competing in the field. The inclusion of those golfers will surely ruffle the feathers of some fans, media members, and their fellow competitors, but it also ensures that the talent pool is not diluted and that this tournament will truly be a battle between all of the best golfers in the world.
Dustin Johnson is the highest-ranked golfer to jump to LIV Golf, with his 19th overall ranking. He is also the LIV Golf player with the best odds to win, sitting at +2500 and 12th-best overall. Rumors abound that some other elite golfers will be joining him, but at the time, the very best golfers in the field remain loyal to the PGA and DP World Tour.
Plenty more ways to win
There will certainly be a lot of money laid out on individual golfers to win, but there will be no shortage of ways for savvy golf fans to win on this year’s Open Championship. Sportsbooks are constantly innovating with a wide array of creative prop bets, head-to-head markets, and other non-player-related props. In addition to traditional
US sports betting, golf is more popular than ever among
daily fantasy sports
enthusiasts. DraftKings is hosting a fantasy tournament that offers a $1 million first place prize to the winner among a field of as many as 142,243 entries for a modest $25 entry fee. A $100,000 prize is also available in a tournament that features an entry fee of just $5.
No matter how fans choose to place their wagers, there will be some incredible golf and thrilling action at this prestigious tournament. The field features lots of talent and big names, especially if Tiger Woods is able to make good on his desire to join the field. Golf fans and sports bettors are in for a wonderful weekend of golf at arguably the best course on Earth.
