Open Championship Betting Tips
Paddy Power is paying out on the Top 10 places before Thursday’s tee off.
Viktor Hovland
Shane Lowry
Dustin Johnson
Talor Gooch
Ewen Ferguson
All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
Jon Rahm bagged the Green Jacket at Augusta for his first Masters win and now the final Major of the year tees off on Thursday with the 151st playing of the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.
The course has played host to the Open twice this century, in 2006 when Tiger Woods triumphed on a sun-baked track and in 2014 when Rory McIlroy – who won the Scottish Open at the weekend – came out on top.
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Open Championship 2023
Measuring just under 7,400 yards featuring three par fives and four par threes, the course has undergone a redesign since McIlroy’s win meaning the course will play to a par 71 this time around. It has seen some length added, bunkers strategically repositioned and a new par three 17th hole created.
McIlroy arrives on the back of a superb win in Scotland so his confidence will be sky high, however he has not won a Major since that golden summer of 2014. That fact alone is enough to put me off at the current odds.
The American Scottie Scheffler has finished in the top 12 in each of his last 18 starts dating back to October, an incredible run of consistency driven by his superb tee-to-green game. His putter is still letting him down once too often for my liking though.
With Jon Rahm’s record in this Major underwhelming and the pressure on the defending champ Cameron Smith likely to be huge – neither are for me at prices.
I’m hoping these 5 can bring us some reward come Sunday evening.
1. Viktor Hovland
I will start our team with Viktor Hovland. After the disappointment of the final day at St Andrews last year the Norwegian has pushed on in the Majors, particularly at the PGA where he went toe-to-toe with Brooks Koepka on Sunday.
A winner of the US Amateur at Pebble Beach, in Mexico [twice], in Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas, Hovland clearly comes to life by the sea and this test looks perfect for his all-round game. Having finished twelfth and fourth in his two Open starts to date, this Major has always struck me as the best fir for the 25-year-old.
A winner Stateside at the Memorial in June, Hovland had the perfect low-key warm up in Scotland finishing 25th and he is a must for me.
2. Shane Lowry
Shane Lowry’s links pedigree is well documented. What really catches my eye this week though is his stellar record on Harry Colt designed courses. Colt was responsible for the original Hoylake design and was also behind Portrush, where the Irishman lifted the Claret Jug in 2019, and Wentworth where he landed the BMW PGA last year. Lowry finished ninth at Royal Liverpool in 2014 and he should be relishing his return.
Lowry struggled with his iron play in Scotland and shot a disappointing +3 on Sunday to finish T12. His putter – normally the weak link for him – fired strongly – so if he can just tidy up the approach play, normally a strength, I expect a big week.
3. Dustin Johnson
The American has always enjoyed the challenge of links golf and has five top 10 finishes in the Open, including 12th here in 2014. Dustin Johnson was tenth in the US Open last month and with two top 10’s on the LIV Tour since, he comes in with good momentum and this is the Major where experience most often counts. I can see DJ being a big factor come Sunday.
4. Talor Gooch
Talor Gooch. has been tearing it up on the LIV Tour this year posting three wins. A neat and tidy player whose lone PGA win was by the coast at the RSM Classic, Gooch has plenty of experience in windy conditions, having been brought up in Oklahoma.
Two solid efforts on his two Open appearances to date bode well and I can see him excelling this week at a nice price.
5. Ewen Ferguson
Paddy is paying to 10 places each-way on bets placed before Thursday’s tee off and I’ll chance Ewen Ferguson at big odds.
The Scotsman who won twice on the DP World Tour last year including in Qatar, an event which is often a great Open pointer, won the Amateur Boys Championship at Hoylake in 2013 so he should have great vibes returning now. Fourth at the recent British Masters and 12th in Scotland last week he has found his form at just the right time. He could just be this year’s shock contender at big odds.
Open Championship Betting Tips
Paddy Power is paying out on the Top 10 places
Viktor Hovland
Shane Lowry
Dustin Johnson
Talor Gooch
Ewen Ferguson
All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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