The Open Championship is one of my favorite golf tournaments of the year because it’s just different. You never quite know what’s going to happen. The weather gets involved, the course asks different questions than we see most weeks, and all of a sudden you’ll have a guy nobody expected sitting near the top of the leaderboard on Sunday.
That unpredictability is part of what makes this major so great. That said, there are a few guys I’m coming into the week really high on. These are the players whose recent form, skill sets, and betting value stand out the most to me. Let’s breakdown my favorite top finisher bets for the British Open on Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook.
British Open Pick: Matt Fitzpatrick Top 10 (+165)
This is my favorite bet on the board. Matt Fitzpatrick Top 10 at +165 odds is an auto hammer.
If Matt wins this tournament, I honestly think he’d have Player of the Year wrapped up. He’d have a major, four wins this season, four other top-five finishes, and every single week it feels like you’re watching him thinking, “Matt Fitzpatrick could win.”
When he’s playing like this, you remember just how talented he is.
Over the last month alone he’s finished:
- Runner-up at the Canadian Open
- T22 at the U.S. Open
- Fourth at the Travelers Championship
- T3 at the Genesis Scottish Open
Earlier this season he also beat Scottie Scheffler head-to-head in a playoff, hitting one of the best shots I’ve seen all year – a four iron from around 210 yards straight into the wind that finished about seven feet away.
I’ll sprinkle a little on him outright because if you’re betting him Top 5, you might as well just bet him to win. But Top 10 at +165 is the bet I’m hammering. I fully expect his name to be on the leaderboard all weekend.
Open Championship Prediction: Chris Gotterup Top 10 (+325)
The other guy I absolutely love this week is Chris Gotterup.
His recent form speaks for itself. He won the John Deere Classic and then finished third at the Genesis Scottish Open. He’s coming into this tournament as hot as anybody in the world.
What’s interesting is he followed almost this exact path last year, too. He won the Scottish Open and then carried that form into a great Open Championship.
For whatever reason, playing overseas just seems to suit him.
In theory he’s a big bomber, but what impresses me is how well he’s able to control his ball flight. He can keep it down in the wind, let the ball run on these firm fairways, and that’s exactly what you need at an Open Championship.
You can get him Top 10 at +325, and I think that’s tremendous value.
He’s also sitting around 30/1 to win, which honestly isn’t the craziest outright bet on the board.
Best Top 20 Bet for The Open: Viktor Hovland Top 20 (+140)
Early in the season Viktor Hovland wasn’t playing very well, but that’s changed in a hurry.
Over the last month he’s finished:
- Third
- First
- T13
He’s clearly trending in the right direction.
If Royal Birkdale turns into a second-shot golf course – which I think it very well could – Hovland is exactly the type of player I want to be backing with plus money.
Top 20 at +140 is a bet I like quite a bit.
Don’t Sleep on Cam Young
I’m not officially betting Cam Young this week, but it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if we look up on Saturday and he’s right there.
At the beginning of the season I thought this guy felt like a lock to eventually win a major. Everybody’s cooled on him because he hasn’t played as well recently, and now he’s drifted all the way to around 30/1.
The talent hasn’t disappeared. I’m not rushing to bet him, but I also won’t be shocked if he’s in contention.
John Middlekauff’s British Open Betting Card
As I’m building my card this week, here’s where I’m starting:
- Matt Fitzpatrick Top 10 (+165)
- Chris Gotterup Top 10 (+325)
- Viktor Hovland Top 20 (+140)
I’ll also have a little bit on Matt Fitzpatrick outright.
What I’m Hoping to See at The Open
One of the reasons The Open is so much fun is because it always seems to produce a few unexpected names near the top of the leaderboard.
I actually like that. I don’t necessarily want one of those guys to win, but I do enjoy seeing someone like Aaron Rai hanging around late on Sunday before one of the stars ultimately takes over.
At the end of the day, we’re watching majors because we want the best players in the world battling on the biggest stage.
If Rory McIlroy is standing there Sunday afternoon with a chance to win the Claret Jug while a couple of surprise contenders are trying to chase him down, that’s about as good as it gets.
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