McIlroy Odds Firm for Open Championship Despite Major Meltdown
Rory McIlroy was heartbreakingly close to winning the U.S. Open at Pinehurst, but that hasn’t stopped bettors from backing him for the Open Championship.
Open Championship odds have McIlroy at +800, behind only Scottie Scheffler, so there is good betting support for the Northern Irishman.
Bryson DeChambeau is +1100 coming off his win in the U.S. Open, so there is excellent value with Open Championship markets.
It tees off July 18, so bettors have a month to place wagers.
It Would Be Fitting for McIlroy
Breaking a 10-year major drought isn’t easy, as we saw at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst.
McIlroy choked – there’s no other way to describe it. He missed two short putts on the final three holes to lose the championship to DeChambeau.
The heartbreak was evident on McIlroy’s face as he stormed off the course without hanging around for the ceremony.
However, his focus now turns to The Open Championship, and he gets that the fan support in Britain will be on his side.
I feel so bad pic.twitter.com/1t5887eF4A
— Rory McIlroy Tracker (@RMTracker) June 16, 2024
Having not won a major for a decade adds to the pressure levels for McIlroy, and it only gets harder the longer it goes. However, McIlroy will attract attention in betting markets and the +800 odds could firm to +600.
It would be a fitting victory at The Open Championship, and McIlroy is hitting the ball well enough to win. Some of his iron shots are still wayward, especially with wedge in his hand, but the overall consistency is there.
He’s also putting well, so we’re not surprised by the odds available.
No Surprise to See Scheffler Atop Odds
The conditions and the course at The Open Championship don’t really suit Scheffler, but he was always going to be favored to win.
The world No. 1 struggled at Pinehurst, which is a course that is similar to Royal Troon with tricky and fast greens.
Scheffler has never won this late in the year, but the +350 odds were expected. However, they are far too short for a major championship.
Not since Tiger Woods has a player been at such short odds to win majors, and as we saw at the 2024 U.S. Open, when Scheffler paid +290, it’s not warranted.
He is only a two-time major winner, both coming at Augusta National, which could be any more different than the layout at Royal Troon.
Scheffler’s best performance at The Open Championship was T8 in 2021, followed by T21 and T23 the next two years, so take the short odds at your peril.
DeChambeau Still at Value Odds
We thought DeChambeau would be around +800 to win following his U.S. Open victory, so the +1100 odds are value.
There is no hotter commodity in world golf than DeChambeau, who electrified the crowds at Pinehurst No. 2.
It’s something the PGA Tour doesn’t get to see anymore. Most tour players, including Scheffler, are robotic and devoid of personality on the course.
However, DeChambeau is amped and ready to bring the crowd with him on the journey.
There is no reason why he can’t win The Open Championship at value odds. He has a full head of steam and Royal Troon plays into his strengths.
DeChambeau doesn’t like the courses where length doesn’t matter, and the openness of Royal Troon suits him.
Given his popularity, we expect his odds to firm. He could firm into the solo second favorite, so take the generous odds available.
LIV Stars Respected in Betting Markets
Following DeChambeau’s win, there has been more respect shown for LIV players.
Brooks Koepka is always well-fancied with golf odds, but there has been solid support for Joaquim Niemann, despite his poor record at the majors.
He doesn’t have the best record in Grand Slam events, but the Chilean is a +2800 chance, which is shorter than the likes of Jordan Spieth, former champion Shane Lowry, Justin Thomas and Tony Finau.
It’s good to see LIV players getting the respect they deserve, and bettors are starting to see the light.
Expect more money to come for LIV’s stars with golf betting odds.
Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.
Questions Of The Day
What is Scottie Scheffler paying to win the 2024 Open Championship?
Scheffler is the tournament favorite at +350 to win The Open Championship at Royal Troon.
What odds for Bryson DeChambeau to win The Open Championship?
2024 U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau is paying +1100 to win consecutive majors at The Open Championship.