2026 Open Championship Betting Preview: Royal Birkdale Awaits

The 154th Open Championship tees off this Thursday, July 16, at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England. This iconic course hosts for the 11th time. A massive $17 million purse is on the line, with $3.1 million going to the winner. Scottie Scheffler defends his title. The Favorites and Their Form Scottie Scheffler is the favorite at +700. He missed the cut at the Scottish Open last week. This was his first missed cut since 2022. Rory McIlroy follows at +850. He has not won the Claret Jug since 2014. However, he has four top-5 finishes at the Open since then. Tommy Fleetwood, a local favorite, is priced around +1500 to +1800. Matt Fitzpatrick is also at +1500. Jon Rahm is +2000 to +2200. Value Bets and Course Fit Royal Birkdale features 123 bunkers. Accuracy is paramount here. Jordan Spieth won here in 2017. He is a long shot at +10000. This offers significant value. Tom Kim won the Scottish Open last week. Only Phil Mickelson in 2013 has won both the Scottish Open and the Open in the same year. Kim is a dark horse to watch. Expert Picks to Consider SI Betting suggests Matt Fitzpatrick at +2050. He finished T3 at the Scottish Open. He led in Strokes Gained: Approach. Robert MacIntyre at +3900 is another strong pick. He has a history of strong Open performances. Wyndham Clark, the U.S. Open champion, is at +4300. He ranks third in total Strokes Gained. He finished T4 at last year's Open. An English golfer has not won a home Open in over 30 years. Could this be the year that streak ends? - Related: Weekly Recap: AI Picks Went 42-46 (47.7% Win Rate) — Jul 6 – Jul 12, 2026 Related: 2026 U.S. Open Betting Preview: Scheffler Chases the Career Grand Slam