2026 The Open Championship Odds: British Open Futures Markets
The Open Championship, also known as the British Open, is the fourth and final major of the PGA Tour season. The 2026 edition heads to Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England and is set to begin on Thursday, July 16. Check out the latest betting markets, odds, analysis, prediction markets and much more surrounding the 2026 Open Championship below!
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Odds Markets
Below is a list of the various betting markets surrounding the 2026 Open Championship along with expert insights from our golf betting expert John Haslbauer.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) To Win Outright Odds
The Open has secured its identity as a test of adaptability. While played across a rotation of courses, they all bear in common a consistent influence from the elements. To succeed at The Open, players must be comfortable playing a variety of different shot types from tee-to-green, and be able to commit to shots when wind and rain intervene.
Of all the courses on The Open rota, Royal Birkdale may be the least variable of them all. It is on the shorter side of all Open rota venues and features some of the flattest fairways of the bunch as well. The list of former champions at Royal Birkdale is almost entirely full of hall of famers, supporting the notion that this is a championship venue that fairly rewards the best overall players in their era. Jordan Spieth was the World No. 2 in the OWGR rankings leading into this event last we were here in 2017, and he left Royal Birkdale as an Open Champion and newly minted World No. 1.
In addition to Spieth, the last five Open Championship winners include Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Brian Harman, Cameron Smith, and Collin Morikawa. The blueprint to win at Royal Birkdale is not dissimilar from the other courses on The Open rota, absent St. Andrews. Every winner of The Open since 2012 has ranked inside the OWGR top-40, supporting that the best all-around players who are in complete control of their ball striking stand the best chance to score on the Open links.
With fairly calm scoring conditions in store, elite approach play and driving accuracy will be required to win the 2026 Open Championship. That, as always, makes Scottie Scheffler the most dangerous man in this field, and he’ll have a very legitimate chance to go back-to-back after dominating the field at Royal Portrush in 2025. Other elite approach players who may surprise as contenders at the 2026 U.S. Open include Matt Fitzpatrick, Collin Morikawa, and Russel Henley.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Top 5 Finish Odds
The top 5 market, particularly in majors, is one I tend to target for players who fit the profile to play well at Royal Birkdale, but may lack the experience or pedigree needed to close a major championship. Players like Ludvig Aberg, Tommy Fleetwood, and Si Woo Kim have looked excellent in 2026, and suit Royal Birkdale perfectly, but have failed to convert on their opportunities on Sundays thus far.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Top 10 Finish Odds
The top 10 market is an opportunity for exposure for high-upside sleepers. Brooks Koepka, Joaquin Niemman, Justin Thomas, and Shane Lowry each have shown volatility this season, but possess top-10 upside, given their proven historic pedigree at this event.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Top 20 Finish Odds
Relative to the other placement markets, top-20 is where I find myself backing young or yet-to-be-proven talents who suit the course well, but have not yet had their moments on the major championship stage. Players like Maverick McNealy, Kristoffer Reitan, and David Puig fit that profile well as talented players who suit Shinnecock Hills well.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Leader After Round 1 Odds
I will be monitoring the weather closely when it comes to First Round Leader bets at The Open. A links course like Royal Birkdale lies heavily exposed to the wind, creating potential weather wave advantages for those who play when gusts are down. If this does become a competition of flighted shots into gusting winds, look for sleepers like Aaron Rai, Daniel Berger, or Akshay Bhatia to emerge as high-upside First Round Leader candidates.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Top American Odds
Scottie Scheffler is the prohibitive favorite in this market, but Xander Schauffele is a challenger to watch closely at Royal Birkdale. Amongst those chasing the Claret Jug, none have a better history than Schauffele, who has finished in the top 20 in each of his last four appearances.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Top European Odds
This may be the most competitive Top European contests we’ve seen in years. Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Ludvig Aberg all enter in elite form. In the next tier, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton, and Viktor Hovland also have clear lanes to contend at Royal Birkdale.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Top Englishman Odds
If you want to remove the Scandinavian, Spanish, and Irish threats from the prior market at more conservative odds, Tyrrell Hatton becomes a very intriguing option here. As the third-favorite in this market, Hatton has a great history on the Open links, including a T16 finish last year at Royal Portrush.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Top Australian Odds
Adam Scott is set to make his 101st consecutive major start this week, a mind-bending achievement for the veteran Aussie. He may be the favorite in this market, but I’m not convinced I can trust his putter on these nuanced greens. Since short game is so emphasized at Shinnecock, Cameron Smith is a player to watch if the winds really do pick up, as he still possesses the most polished short game in this field. Min Woo Lee will be a popular choice to consider as well, fresh off a runner-up finish at last week’s Genesis Scottish Open.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Top Oceanic Odds
Does Ryan Fox’s inclusion in this prop alter the equation for the Australian hopefuls? Likely not. As strong as Fox has played of late, this market may offer an opportunity to get a better price on your favorite Australian golfer.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Top African Odds
Aldrich Potgieter’s late entry into this field as 1st alternate has shaken up this market, as he now stands as the No. 1 contender from Africa. From a value standpoint, Casey Jarvis is the name to watch in this group, as he’s displayed a high ceiling this season on shorter courses that reward accuracy.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Top Asian Odds
Hideki Matsuyama has been a constant favorite in this market, but this week, he’s been surpassed by red-hot Si Woo Kim and Tom Kim. Si Woo has been fantastic all season from tee-to-green, and is a deserving favorite in Top Asian odds. Tom Kim is my choice in this market, however, as I believe he is only getting started after his impressive victory at the Renaissance Club last week.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Top Spaniard Odds
All of the Spaniards will be riding high off of their fellow countrymen punching their ticket to the World Cup final. Jon Rahm’s dominance has made this market unbettable in past majors, but having missed the cut in two of the first three majors this season, there is a conceivable path for young hopeuls like Eugenio Chacarra or David Puig to catch him in Royal Birkdale.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Top Irish Odds
Rory McIlroy is the clear man to beat in this market, even if his approach play has looked suspect in recent weeks. If there is a player who can truly challenge McIlroy in this market, it would have to be Shane Lowry, who profiles well for Royal Birkdale’s short, positional setup.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Top Frenchman Odds
While Victor Wembanyama and Kylian Mbappé may already be at the top of the game their respective sports, the French still have a long way to go before they catch up to the international talent pool in golf.
When it comes to links golf, Victor Perez holds a unique edge compared to the rest of his countrymen, as he spent years living in Scotland to polish up his him in these elements. His win at the 2019 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is a testament to his love for this style of golf. Links venues or not, Perez’s game has remained sharp for months, with seven top-20 finishes over his last eight starts. That combination of recent form and links experience put him well above the likes of Antoine Rozner, Adrien Saddier, and Martin Couvre in this market.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Top South Korean Odds
At the Presidents Cup two years ago, Tom Kim has already begun to separate himself as the best all-around Korean player at the age of just 22. It has been anything but a linear ascent since then, but two years later, he’s surpassed his countrymen in this market as the winningest Korean player on the PGA Tour (4).
Kim is scorching hot leading into Open Championship week, fresh off of a win at the Genesis Scottish Open, and 3rd place finish at the US Open two starts prior. Royal Birkdale demands accuracy, and that has been the foundation to Kim’s success throughout this run of hot form; he ranks top-5 in the field in both Driving Accuracy and SG: APP. Si Woo Kim and Sungjae Im are formidable talents in their own right, but I’m not going to bet against the momentum Tom Kim is sustaining now.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Top Nordic Odds
The competition is heating up in Scandinavia, with players like Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg, and Kristoffer Reitan emerging as legitimate major contenders this week. I give a slight edge to Hovland in this market, considering his most recent win at the Travelers Championship, and this course’s emphasis on accurate ball striking.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Top Danish Odds
By technicality, Chris Gotterup is a dual Danish citizen and would be the sensible choice in this market. But alas, when choosing from the purebred Danes, in this field, it’s Nicolai Hojgaard who stands in a class of his own over the two Rasmuses.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Top Swede Odds
Ludvig Aberg is in a class of his own in this market, although Alex Noren has enjoyed his share of success over the years at The Open. I’ll take youth over experience here, and back the supremely talented 26-year-old.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Top Former Winner Odds
Of all the courses on the Open rota, I believe it’s Royal St. George’s which plays most similarly to Royal Birkdale. Each play to a similar, short yardage, virtually eliminates any advantage to be had for bombers, and features relatively flat fairways by links standards. In other words, they are both ideal venues for the best, most accurate ball strikers in the field to separate. In that regard, it’s no surprise that Collin Morikawa’s Open Championship victory came in his 2021 debut appearance at a venue that, in calm conditions, favored the best ball-strikers over the best scramblers. It is perhaps no coincidence, either, that the 2017 champion at Royal Birkdale, Jordan Spieth, finished runner-up at Royal St. George’s in 2021.
With winds not appearing to be too overbearing at Birkdale this week, this looks to be an ideal setup for Morikawa once again. If the elements do intervene, however, he’s proven he can handle that too. Morikawa picked up a win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am at the top of this season, just as Spieth did in 2017. With six top-10 finishes over his last 10 starts, Morikawa is playing major champion-caliber golf right now, and presents appealing value in this market.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Top Debutant Odds
Michael Thorbjornsen was one of the last men outside of US Open qualifying last month, and was nearly in the exact same position again at The Open before punching his ticket with a T7 finish at the Genesis Scottish Open. That marked the 24-year-old’s fifth top-15 finish of the season, in what has proven to be a very boom-or-bust 2026.
It’s that volatility that draws me to Thorbjornsen in this market in particular, as he’s proven he can get hot when all facets of his game are clicking. He also has an ace in the hole on his bag this week, as unlike the other debutants, he’ll have the valuable guidance of JJ Jakovac, who helped Collin Morikawa win The Open in 2021.
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Golf Schedule
Thursday, July 16
- Round 1 – 1:30 a.m., Peacock
- Round 1 – 4:00 a.m., USA
Friday, July 17
- Round 2 – 1:30 a.m., Peacock
- Round 2 – 4:00 a.m., USA
Saturday, July 18
- Round 3 – 5:00 a.m., USA
- Round 3 – 7:00 a.m., NBC
Sunday, July 19
- Round 4 – 4:00 a.m., USA
- Round 4 – 7:00 a.m., NBC
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Contenders
Below is a list of top contenders to win the 2026 Open Championship.
Scottie Scheffler
The defending Open champion is trending in a very different direction now than a year ago at Royal Portrush. While he’s left no doubts about whether his stateside dominance can translate to the unpredictable elements of the Open links, it’s been several months since Scheffler truly looked the part of a dominant World No. 1 force. In his final audition before The Open at the Genesis Scottish Open, Scheffler put up a dud, with his first missed cut in nearly four years.
The sky is not falling for Scheffler, though, as easy as it may be for us to overreact to a 6-month winless stretch. He is just one start removed from a playoff loss at the Travelers Championship, a venue that produces a similar number of intermediate approach shots. Considering he has six top-5 finishes over his last nine starts, Scheffler is still, to me, the deserving favorite at Royal Birkdale this week, as this venue still caters well to his strengths of precise ball striking.
Best Odds:
Rory McIlroy
As far as Open auditions go, McIlroy’s was markedly better than Scheffler’s at the Genesis Scottish Open. He finished T7, and rallied nicely for a final round 64 after a dreadful third round. McIlroy has been a mainstay atop the Race To Dubai rankings year over year, and finds himself in second this year despite only playing three DP World Tour events in 2026. That consistency is a credit to the rabid support McIlroy always receives on familiar European soil, and he’ll once again have the crowd on his side at Royal Birkdale.
McIlroy is a one-time Open champion, hoisting the Claret Jug at Royal Liverpool in 2014. He was very much a factor the last time The Open was contested at Royal Birkdale as well, finishing T4 here in 2o17. McIlroy has gained plenty of steam this week, climbing up to a co-favorite on select sportsbooks. His iron play has been a bit of a concern to me to justify backing him at his current odds, but it would still not surprise me to see the 2026 Masters champion in the mix this weekend.
Best Odds:
Matthew Fitzpatrick
The hottest player in the world right now may very well be Matt Fitzpatrick, and he’ll have plenty of support on his side back home in England. Fitzpatrick finished T3 at last week’s Genesis Scottish Open, his seventh top-5 finish of 2026, and third over his last four starts.
His best career Open Championship finish came last year at Royal Portrush, where he finished T3. With three wins already this season, he is exactly the type of player who Royal Birkdale has historically rewarded. There are no holes in Fitzpatrick’s game at the moment, and in my opinion, he is the man to beat at the 154th Open after Scheffler and McIlroy.
Best Odds:
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Sleepers
Below is a list of top sleepers to win the 2026 Open Championship.
Robert MacIntyre
If Robert MacIntyre is to win a major in his career, everyone’s first guess would be for it to come at The Open. MacIntyre finished T7 at Royal Portrush last year, already his third career top-10 finish at this event in six career appearances. The Scot was raised playing links golf and is one of the few exceptions among PGA Tour players who still live overseas. That should give him a slight familiarity edge playing on the English coast.
He’ll make the short trip from Edinburgh to northern England this week, riding some good momentum after a T3 finish at the Genesis Scottish Open. MacIntyre is an excellent wind player and has made significant strides with his ball striking this season. He’s peaking at the right time now with three top-15 finishes over his last four starts leading into The Open.
Best Odds:
Russell Henley
Royal Birkdale is a short course that rewards a straight ball flight. It keeps everything right in front of you, and simply asks players to execute accurate drives and consistent iron play from inside 200 yards over and over again. That is Russell Henley’s game in a nutshell, and especially with calm conditions in store, this may be his best opportunity yet to claim a major championship.
Henley has proven his game can translate on the Open links, regardless of weather conditions, finishing top-10 in each of his last two starts at The Open. Henley is just four starts removed from beating a strong field at the Charles Schwab Challenge, which demands a similar premium on accuracy. With six top-15 finishes on the 2026 season, his game looks ready to chase his third consecutive top-10 finish at The Open this week.
Best Odds:
Viktor Hovland
The European Ryder Cup standout star may be peaking at the right time, as he continues his quest for his first career major victory. Hovland has had a long history of excelling in windy conditions, a skill set he credits to his upbringing in Norway and his collegiate days in Oklahoma. Navigating the wind will be crucial at Royal Birkdale, and that’s a skill set I believe Hovland will have a distinct edge in next week; he ranks top-10 in the field in SG: APP over the last 36 rounds and has really turned a corner with his total driving over the last month.
Hovland broke a 15-month winless drought at the Travelers Championship, going toe-to-toe with Scottie Scheffler to prevail in a playoff. That marked his second top-3 finish over his last three starts, as he also contended at the RBC Canadian Open earlier in June. Hovland’s track record at The Open has been excellent, with three top-15 finishes over five career appearances. That includes a T4 finish at St. Andrews in 2022, where he entered Sunday in the final pairing alongside Rory McIlroy.
Best Odds:
2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Longshots
Below is a list of top longshots to win the 2026 Open Championship.
Akshay Bhatia
Just add wind, and Akshay Bhatia suddenly becomes one of the fiercest competitors on the PGA Tour. His two most recent wins have come when battling difficult conditions in high winds at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Valero Texas Open. The results have not quite materialized yet for Bhatia on the links, but he’s improved with each year of experience, posting a career-best T30 finish at Royal Portrush last year.
Bhatia has been excellent on U.S. comp courses that reward creative shot-shaping, accurate ball-striking, and managing the wind. He finished T5 in his most recent start at the Travelers Championship. The same event Jordan Spieth won in his last start before triumphing at Royal Birkdale. He’s also finished top-15 in each of his last two appearances at THE PLAYERS Championship. A T17 finisher at the U.S. Open last month, Bhatia seems to be rounding into the peak form he displayed at the top of this season, which culminated in a huge Signature Event victory at Bay Hill.
Best Odds:
Tom Kim
Tom Kim seems to be on his way to another good week at the Genesis Scottish Open, sitting T1 through the first round as of Thursday evening. He is chasing his fifth consecutive top-20 finish at the Genesis Scottish Open this week, and he achieves that, I expect we’ll see these odds worsen by Monday of Open Championship week. Kim’s resumé at The Open is less perfect, but it does include the high-water mark of a T2 finish at Royal Liverpool in 2023.
Royal Birkdale, similar to most venues on The Open rota, is on the short side and favors precision off the tee and on approach. That is where Kim truly excels, as he ranks top-5 in both Driving Accuracy and SG: Approach over the last 36 rounds. The putter is the final piece of the puzzle Kim needs to figure out before he’s ready to claim his first major, but a 3rd place finish at Shinnecock Hills, in which he ranked 17th in SG: Putting, proves he is capable of dialing it in on the biggest stages.
Best Odds:
Sahith Theegala
Best Odds:
There are plenty of Spiethian qualities to Sahith Theegala’s game, and if you’re looking for a longshot future to hitch your wagon to, it’s conceivable to me that Theegala could follow in Jordan Spieth’s footsteps to claim victory at Royal Birkdale.
Like Spieth, it is always an exciting journey from tee-to-green for Theegala, but he prides himself on being an escape artist. With these fairways proving difficult to hold for even the most accurate players on Tour, I’m drawn to a player like Theegala, who can scramble his way to par when caught in nefarious positions. It was that escape artistry which propelled him to a T11 finish last month at Shinnecock Hills, and with five top-11 finishes and just one missed cut this season, Theegala has shown that his game is better than these odds suggest.
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2026 The Open Championship (British Open) Odds Comparison
Compare the best 2026 Open Championship odds with the top regulated books below.
