The 150th Open Championship is riddled with storylines, from Tiger Woods (+6000) putting a peg in the ground on the first tee, where he’s won two of his three Open Championships, to Scottie Scheffler (+1400) potentially bookending a historic season with a win at St. Andrews. The legend of the Old Course grows with every round played, professionally or publicly; this week is no different — one golfer will go down in history.
Some of the betting trends at The Open Championship are rather poignant, like current form. Eight of the last 10 winners had at least a top-10 finish in one of their three previous starts. Sure, longshots can win in any golf tournament, but experience at St. Andrews is also essential, with nine of the last 10 winners recording a top-10 finish in a previous Open Championship start.
Like any coastal links course, this par 72 is susceptible to the forecast. Waiting until Wednesday will allow you to get the most updated forecast, but be prepared to potentially lose a favorable number on golfers who become popular throughout the week.
For a full course preview, key statistics breakdown and additional players to consider on DraftKings Sportsbook, refer to the DraftKings Preview on DraftKings Playbook. Here are the bets we should be considering this week.
All betting odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
Justin Thomas to Win (+1600)
A recent win at the PGA Championship should have a lasting impression on one of the best golfers on the planet right now. A 37th at the U.S. Open and an eighth at the Masters is quite the 2022 Majors resume. Thomas’ ability around the greens, ranking 18th over the previous 12 rounds, should get him out of trouble, as long as his putter cooperates. An early trip to St. Andrews with Woods last week could also prove worthwhile if he’s hoisting the Claret Jug on Sunday. Scottie Scheffler (+1400) is one of my favorite bets from the top, and his short-game magic will prove paramount if the conditions are hard and fast. Will Zalatoris (+3000, T5 +500) also needs to be considered, with back-to-back runner-up finishes at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open.
Hideki Matsuyama to Win (+5000) | Top 5 (+900) | Top 10 (+500)
A 7-over par in his first two rounds at the Scottish Open is uninspiring, which is why we’re getting a long number this week. Matsuyama’s best finishes are 14th (2017), 18th (2015) and a sixth-place on debut. He was inconsistent off the tee last week but finished strong, going three-under in his last six holes on Friday. Two top-4 finishes in his previous four events, which include a fourth-place at the U.S. Open, a top-15 at the Masters (2022) and a Masters win (2021), prove he’s able to play well in the most challenging conditions. Tony Finau (+3500, T5 +600) should also be considered as someone who could place come Sunday evening. Finau is one of five golfers who has back-to-back top 15s in the previous two Open Championships.
Padraig Harrington Top 20 (+450) | Top 40 (+150)
As I mentioned in the preview article, Harrington has multiple top-30 finishes on the DP World Tour, two Open Championship victories and six top-10 finishes to go with his two wins at the Alfred Dunhill Links, which has been played at the Old Course in a rotation with Carnoustie and Kingsbarns Golf Links.
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All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
The contents contained in this article do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups.
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