The first round of the 2024 Open Championship, which is the fourth and last major of the year, gets underway at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland on Thursday.
Xander Schauffele (+1300), Ludvig Åberg (+1400), Collin Morikawa (+1500), Scottie Scheffler (+1500), Rory McIlroy (+1800), and Bryson DeChambeau (+1600) are the next favorites.
Where is the value of the bet, then? Will the favorites win out? The specialists on golf and betting at ESPN dissect all the information you require to wager on the 2024 Open Championship.
knowledgeable selections
Mark Schlabach: Morikawa Collin. The two-time major champion will prioritize accuracy from the tee at Royal Troon since he shoots it straighter than others. On the west coast of Scotland, the summer has been wet, and the native regions are thick and filthy. Morikawa is ranked 12th in strokes gained around the green (.386) and second in driving accuracy (72%) on the PGA Tour. This year compared to previous years, his putter has been more consistent. At the Masters, PGA Championship, and U.S. Open, Morikawa tied for fourth place. He should add another Claret Jug now.
Brian Harman is Tory Barron. Harman was designed to do this. Since the weather at Royal Troon isn’t predicted to be ideal, Harman, who last year defeated Royal Liverpool in England with a six-shot victory, should be able to prosper in a snow game much like the New England Patriots under Tom Brady. I realize it’s a strange comparison for a person from Georgia, but accept it.
Tony Finau as Elizabeth Baugh: Where is he right now? T-18 or higher in his last five outings. His short game fits Troon well, and he’s done well in six of his last seven Open Championships. It’s his moment.
Michael Collins : Åberg Ludvig. He’s prepared to make the next major move toward prominence. Aside from his missed cut at the PGA Championship, Ludvig’s consistency shows how well he plays different courses under different circumstances. The reason he’s prepared to win his first major of the career is that he thrives under pressure.
Riddell, Peter Lawrence: Rory McIlroy. Why not? After his heartbreaking loss at the U.S. Open, only McIlroy truly knows where he stands, but a T-4 result at the Scottish Open last week was encouraging. Perhaps it’s too soon following the setback at Pinehurst, but a victory for Rory at Royal Troon would be a great way to cap off the year.
Paolo Uggetti: Fleetwood Tommy. One of the sport’s top ball strikers, unseen and at ease on a links course, makes his way to Troon in good form, desperate to win his long-overdue first major. Fleetwood has been this close on a number of occasions in the past, most notably at the Open last year, where he tied for 10th, his eighth career top-10 major finish and his fifth in the previous three years. Put differently, the time has come.
Adam Scott is Andy North: Scottie is my choice for every major. Once more, I’m choosing a Scottie, but Adam Scott this time. At the Scottish Open last week, he came in second place. As a birthday present and fascinating story, it would be ideal for Scott, who turned 44 on Tuesday.
Strange, Curtis: Scheffler: Royal Troon is a precise course, made even more so by bad weather. The world’s greatest ball striker is Scheffler.
