Another marquee week in the golf world is here, with the British Open Championship set to begin. The final major of the season sends all the world’s best across the pond, and links golf produces tons of drama. There are all sorts of unique factors that the British Open Championship brings into play, which is a blessing and a curse in the betting markets. For starters, the ability to have weather play such a big factor creates all sorts of unknowns, but generally it makes the board much more wide open. Plenty can and will change as Thursday approaches. Let’s look at some 2023 British Open odds and find a few names to put at the top of the card to kick off this week.
2023 British Open Championship Odds & Bets
2023 British Open Outright Bet: Xander Schauffele (25-1, FanDuel)
The interest in Rory McIlroy makes sense after he picked up the win last week in Scotland, but +650 is not ideal. The good news is the McIlroy’s and Scottie Scheffler’s presences give the rest of the board a nice boost odds-wise. Xander Schauffele is on the growing list of elite talents looking for their first major victory. It is hard to separate the crowded 20-1 range this week, but Schauffele checks a lot of boxes.
Schauffele has been very consistent but does not have any victories in 2023. He is riding a hot putter into Royal Liverpool, and if the course plays a little longer, that can only help him. There are no worries about his off-tee game, and this course should suit his strengths well if driving becomes a major factor. Schauffele’s best result this year was a runner-up at Wells Fargo, which is played at a course that does not allow anyone to get away with erratic ball striking. At 25-1, Schauffele can put himself in position once again with the right draw.
2023 British Open Outright Bet: Dustin Johnson (33-1, FanDuel)
There is a theme this week that driving ability will play a major role, so Dustin Johnson is on the short list. His odds are 33-1, and given Johnson’s tee-to-green game, he has to be in consideration. Last time he played outside of LIV, Johnson finished 10th at the U.S. Open despite losing strokes with the putter. Any type of improvement with the short game will have him squarely in the hunt for another major victory.
Course-wise, this should be a good fit for Johnson, and there is nothing overly concerning outside of the unknown of the weather. Johnson sports two straight top-10s in British Opens, and although that is not overly predictive, it is clear he can handle and thrive in links-style layouts. Add in two straight quality showing on LIV, and Johnson is poised to contend here at a pretty generous number in the outright market.
2023 British Open Longshot Bet: Justin Thomas (75-1, DraftKings)
I have attacked worse spots before, but this feels bad. Hideki Matsuyama is also lurking in the 75-1 to 100-1 range and probably deserves some consideration. However, seeing Justin Thomas this far down the board is worth some interest, even if it is clear he comes in not playing even close to his best golf.
Let’s start with a few positives before breaking down the red flags with Thomas’ game. First, he found the weekend last week in Scotland even though a final-round 73 landed him outside the top 50. Just a few starts ago at the Travelers, he gained 11 strokes tee to green en route to a top-10 finish despite being negative in the putting department. Speaking of the flat stick, Thomas has not shown much of anything all year, which is part of the reason the upside has been limited. The results in the majors have been nothing short of atrocious, and it is easy to see why his number has drifted this far. Still, Thomas is a proven winner who, with the right conditions and some much-needed relief on the greens, could provide a sweat further down the board this week.
