PGA Tour British Open: Golf Odds and Predictions
British Open History
The British Open used to be the third of four majors on the annual PGA Tour/European Tour schedule, but the PGA Championship was moved from August to May this year for a few reasons. One was to get the golf majors out of the way before the American football preseason (the PGA was often overlooked in its old spot by U.S. golf fans) and also to have an anchor tournament in May. After this week, there are just three events left on the PGA Tour before the season-ending FedExCup playoffs, which have been shortened from four tournaments to three.
For the most part, the British Open rotates among 10 courses in the United Kingdom except for five-year intervals at St. Andrews, the home of golf. The only time the Open Championship, as it’s officially called, has been held outside of England or Scotland was in 1951 at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, which gets the chance to host again this week. It’s easily the biggest event in that country in years and already has sold out all four days. England’s Max Faulkner won that 1951 Open Championship at 3-under 285.
Royal Portrush did host the 2012 Irish Open on the European Tour, which was won by Wales’ Jamie Donaldson at 18-under 270. The course has been overhauled and lengthened since then, and there’s no chance any golfer gets that far under par this week. More likely the winner is in single digits. Royal Portrush, which dates to 1888, will play to par 72 at about 7,300 yards.
British Open Betting Favourites
Rory McIlroy is the +800 Sports Interaction favourite and no one will know the course better than the Northern Irishman. He holds the course record of 61 at the North of Ireland Amateur when McIlroy was just 16 years old. Rory has been in the Top 5 in his past four visits to the Open Championship, including a win in 2014.
World No. 1 Brooks Koepka, who always plays well in major championships, is +900 with Dustin Johnson and Spain’s Jon Rahm both at +1400. Koepka was 39th at last year’s Open Championship but Top 10 his previous two. He hasn’t played well since his runner-up at the U.S. Open, though. Johnson was T2 at the 2011 Open Championship but didn’t contend the past two years. Rahm hasn’t been a factor in this tournament the past three years.
Tiger Woods, teeing it up for the first time since missing the cut at the U.S. Open, is +1600. Woods is making his 21st start in the Open Championship and has won three times, last in 2006. Defending champion Francesco Molinari of Italy is +2200. He won last year by two shots at Carnoustie.
Canadian Golfer Odds
No Canadian has won the Open Championship or even finished runner-up. Adam Hadwin is +20000 this week. He was 35th last year but comes off a T4 two weeks ago. Corey Conners is +30000 with Austin Connelly at +50000. On the prop for top Canadian finisher, Hadwin is -125 with Conners at +187 and Connelly at +350.
There is an opposite-field event this week, the Barbasol Championship in Kentucky where some other Canadians are playing.
British Open Predictions
Take McIlroy and Adam Scott for Top 10s, but the winner is Xander Schauffele at +2500. He has upped his game in majors of late, a runner-up at the 2018 Open Championship and this year’s Masters along with a T3 at the U.S. Open.
