The Open Championship 2026: Odds, Favorites & Betting Preview

The 2026 Open Championship brings the final major of the season to Royal Birkdale Golf Club from July 16-19. Scottie Scheffler returns as the defending champion and Betcris Arizona lists him as the +625 favorite, followed by Rory McIlroy at +852. For bettors following the golf Open Championship, the field also includes a strong group of English contenders, led by Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood at +1603. Firm fairways, deep bunkers, smaller greens and a changing wind forecast should reward control more than pure power. The picks focus on golfers whose recent form, links record and approach play fit the demands of Royal Birkdale.

 

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What Is the Open Championship and Why Does It Matter?

The Open Championship is golf’s oldest major and one of the sport’s defining tests. It combines history, international prestige and a style of golf that players rarely face during the rest of the season. Winning the Claret Jug places a golfer among the game’s most respected champions.

The History Behind Golf’s Oldest Major

The Open was first played at Prestwick in 1860, with Willie Park Sr. winning the inaugural tournament. Harry Vardon still holds the record with six victories. The champion is formally introduced as the “Champion Golfer of the Year” and receives the Claret Jug.

How the Open Championship Differs From Other Majors

The Open is the only men’s major played outside the United States and is always contested on a links course. Firm turf creates extra roll, pot bunkers punish poor positioning and wind can change the same hole from one round to the next.

Why Bettors Pay Special Attention to Links Golf

Links golf places less emphasis on raw distance than many PGA Tour events. Approach control, scrambling, putting and the ability to change ball flight can matter more. Experience also carries weight because the conditions are so different from a typical American course. Seventeen of the last 20 Open winners had previously recorded a top-10 finish in the championship.

When and Where Is the 2026 Open Championship?

The answer to when is the Open Championship is July 16-19, 2026. The tournament will be played at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England, where the 156-player field will compete over four rounds for the final major title of the season.

2026 Open Championship Dates and Tournament Schedule

• Thursday, July 16 — First round
• Friday, July 17 — Second round and cut
• Saturday, July 18 — Third round
• Sunday, July 19 — Final round

After 36 holes, the top 70 golfers and ties advance to the weekend. Coverage is available through NBC, USA Network, Peacock, NBC Sports and TheOpen.com. The winner receives 750 FedExCup points.

Royal Birkdale Course Breakdown for Bettors

For anyone asking where is the Open Championship, Royal Birkdale is in Southport, England and is a par-70 course measuring 7,223 yards. It goes between high dunes and is known for strategically placed fairway bunkers, thick rough and smaller greens. The fairways are flatter than those at many links venues, but firm ground and wind can make them difficult to hold.

Several holes have changed since 2017. The fourth now plays as a 219-yard par 3, the fifth has been shortened into a drivable par 4, the 14th is a 602-yard par 5 and the 15th is a 241-yard par 3.

Previous Open Championships Held at Royal Birkdale

This is Royal Birkdale’s 11th Open. Previous winners include Peter Thomson, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson, Ian Baker-Finch, Mark O’Meara, Padraig Harrington and Jordan Spieth. Spieth won the most recent edition here in 2017, while Harrington won at 3-over in difficult conditions in 2008.

What Makes the Open Championship Unpredictable?

The Open Championship is difficult to predict because weather, course firmness and tee-time timing can change the test quickly. A golfer who plays in calmer conditions may see a very different Royal Birkdale from someone who tees off only a few hours later.

Weather Changes and Scoring Conditions

The early forecast points toward firm and fast conditions after a UK heatwave. Practice-round gusts could reach 24 to 28 mph, while Thursday may bring gusts near 20 mph. Winds are expected to ease later in the week, with only a limited chance of scattered showers Friday and Saturday.

Anyone following Open Championship live coverage should watch the wind as closely as the leaderboard. Firm turf adds roll, but it also makes fairways and greens harder to hold.

Moving Day and Weekend Pressure

Royal Birkdale has produced both low-scoring tournaments and survival tests. Spieth won at 12-under in 2017, while Harrington finished at 3-over in 2008. Saturday is especially important because all 10 previous Royal Birkdale champions were first or second entering the final round.

Why the Leaderboard Can Change Quickly

One awkward bounce or one ball finding a fairway bunker can change a round. Smaller greens also create more pressure on approach shots and scrambling. Players who remain patient and adjust to changing conditions should have the best chance to stay in contention.

Open Championship Odds and Betting Outlook

The Open Championship odds show a clear top tier, but this major has also produced successful longshots. Betcris Arizona makes Scheffler and McIlroy the favorites, while Fitzpatrick, Fleetwood and several in-form contenders offer more attractive prices. Open Championship picks balance course fit, recent form and links experience.

Early Favorites Entering the Championship

Scheffler is the +625 favorite after winning the 2025 Open at Royal Portrush by four strokes. McIlroy follows at +852 and brings a 2014 Open victory plus a fourth-place finish at Royal Birkdale in 2017.

Fitzpatrick and Fleetwood are both +1603. Fitzpatrick has won three times this season and leads the provided list in approach performance to smaller greens. Fleetwood knows Royal Birkdale extremely well, has strong links credentials and enters with a consistent season behind him.

Rory McIlroy, Cameron Young and Robert MacIntyre also rate well off the tee when conditions become difficult.

Contenders, Dark Horses, and Potential Value

The best outright pick is Matt Fitzpatrick at +1603. His recent form, accuracy, short game and performance on smaller greens give him the strongest overall fit among the leading contenders.

Si Woo Kim is the top value option at +5357. He has five top-10 finishes in his last 10 starts, ranks third on Tour in strokes gained on approach and finished tied for ninth at the Scottish Open.

Shane Lowry at +6515 offers Open experience and strong iron play. Patrick Cantlay at +7016 brings a balanced profile and strong bogey avoidance. Hideki Matsuyama at +9715 is the most appealing deep longshot after finishing T13 and T16 in two of his last three Opens.

Factors That Could Influence the Market

Firm conditions should increase the value of controlled approach play, scrambling and putting on slower greens. Distance will still help, but only if players avoid the deeper rough and fairway bunkers.

Recent links preparation also matters. Ten of the last 14 Open winners played the Scottish Open beforehand, and nine of the last 11 had already won earlier in the season. Previous Open form remains another major indicator.

Popular Open Championship Betting Markets

Betcris Arizona is offering outright winner, Top 10 and Top 20 betting, matchups and more.

Everyone else is listed at odds of +10000 or more.

• Best outright pick: Matt Fitzpatrick +1603.
• Best Top 10 pick: Si Woo Kim +650.
• Best Top 20 pick: Hideki Matsuyama +340.

Open Championship Venues Through the Years

Open Championship venues rotate among coastal links courses in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Each course shares the basic links characteristics of wind, firm turf and natural terrain, but each presents a different betting challenge.

The Courses in the Open Rotation

The current rotation includes St Andrews, Muirfield, Carnoustie, Royal Troon, Royal St George’s, Royal Liverpool, Royal Lytham & St Annes, Royal Birkdale and Royal Portrush. Turnberry remains outside the current schedule, while Prestwick, Musselburgh, Royal Cinque Ports and Prince’s are former hosts.

What Makes Certain Venues More Challenging for Bettors

St Andrews can produce low scores in calm weather, while Carnoustie is known for a punishing finish. Royal Troon features the short Postage Stamp eighth, and Royal St George’s has some of the deepest bunkering in the rotation. Bettors must consider the specific course rather than treating all Open Championships as the same test.

How Royal Birkdale Compares to Other Open Championship Venues

Royal Birkdale is considered a demanding but fair course because most of the trouble is visible from the tee. Its fairways run between dunes instead of across them, but bunkers remain in play throughout. Smaller greens increase the importance of approach accuracy and scrambling, while firm ground and wind can make even the flatter fairways difficult to hold.

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