2021 British Open: PGA Tour Betting Odds
Jon Rahm is favoured on the golf odds.
Royal St. George’s was to host the 2020 British Open, but that was cancelled due to the COVID pandemic; it was the first time the tournament wasn’t held since World War II. This will be the 15th time that The Open, as it is referred to overseas, will be held at the course. It last was in 2011 when Darren Clarke was a shocking winner of the Claret Jug at 5-under 275. It’s a par 70 at around 7,200 yards. Royal St. George’s was the first course in England to host The Open (1894).
Weather is often a major factor in the British Open, which of course is links-style golf. Rain is in the forecast all weekend in Sandwich. If there’s a playoff, it would be three-hole aggregate. If there’s no winner after that, it becomes sudden death. The last playoff was in 2015 when American Zach Johnson beat Aussie Marc Leishman and South African Louis Oosthuizen.
Johnson had to withdraw from this year’s event for COVID reasons. So did reigning Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama and two-time Masters winner Bubba Watson among a handful of others. COVID restrictions are much tighter in the U.K.
Two other fairly notable players withdrew from the tournament but not for COVID reasons: Sungjae Im and Si Woo Kim of South Korea, both of whom cited preparation for the upcoming Olympics. Why? Because South Korean athletes who win an Olympic medal are allowed to forgo a two-year military stint, which is mandatory for males between ages 18-28 in that country. Emiliano Grillo of Argentina and Keegan Bradley of the USA got their spots. Three-time British Open champion Tiger Woods remains sidelined by injury.
The defending British Open champion is Ireland’s Shane Lowry, who blew the doors off the field two years ago at Royal Portrush, finishing at 15-under 269 and six up on second-place Tommy Fleetwood of England. No Englishman has won this tournament since Nick Faldo did for a third time in 1992. Lowry is +3400 to become the first player since Padraig Harrington in 2008 to repeat at the British Open.
British Open Golf Odds
Spain’s Jon Rahm won his first major championship last month at the U.S. Open to temporarily take over the world No. 1 ranking but just fell back to No. 2 and is the clear-cut +728 favourite this week. His best result in this tournament was T11 two years ago. Rahm comes off a seventh-place finish at the Scottish Open.
Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka are both +1600. McIlroy won this tournament in 2014 at Royal Liverpool and was runner-up in 2018 but comes off a missed cut in Scotland (and had one of his clubs taken in a bizarre episode by a fan). Koepka’s best British Open finish was T4 two years ago. He hasn’t played in a couple of weeks.
Justin Thomas and Xander Schauffele are each +1700 with Jordan Spieth +1800 and Dustin Johnson +1900. Spieth won the 2017 British Open at Royal Birkdale. Schauffele was a co-runner-up in 2018. Thomas’ best result is T11. Johnson was a co-runner-up at this course 10 years ago and is back to No. 1 in the world.
No Canadian has won this tournament. Corey Conners is +10000. His lone British Open was two years ago when he missed the cut. Mackenzie Hughes is +29200 in his first British Open. Adam Hadwin is +29900. His best result in the tournament is T35.
British Open Golf Predictions
Take Rahm and McIlroy for Top 10s, but the winner at +4600 is Tony Finau. In four British Opens, his worst finish is T27 with two Top 10s. He also was Top 10 at this year’s Masters and PGA Championship.