British Open 2024: Winner Odds, Picks & Expert Golf Predictions | Pickswise

Golf’s four-month Major season reaches its finale this week with the oldest and perhaps the most revered of them all – The Open Championship, also known as the British Open, which returns to Royal Troon for the first time since 2016. Most British Open venues have almost-mythical status in the game and Ayrshire venue Troon, while not quite on a par with St. Andrews’ Old Course, is no exception having held this grand old championship on 9 previous occasions.

Turnberry’s 1977 duel in the sun – a lengthy battle between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus which Watson went on to win – remains one of the most famous Opens but the conclusion of the 2016 tournament is often considered to be on a par with that great contest. Eight years ago, Henrik Stenson triumphed in a momentous tussle with Phil Mickelson, the Swede holding off Lefty to win his only Major with a 20-under-par total – 3 ahead of Mickelson and a massive 14 shots better than JB Holmes in third.

A par 71 measuring a total of 7,385 yards, Troon is a typical links test which puts emphasis on creativity, scrambling and also accuracy off the tee because errant shots can be severely penalized. The opening holes present scoring opportunities but Troon gets tougher as it goes on. The iconic 8th hole — the Postage Stamp — is just a flick of a wedge but it’s possible to rack up a huge number if straying off line. A combination of blind tee shots, extensive bunkering and fescue contribute to punishing mistakes on the back nine.

Course management is essential, as is touch around the greens, but length off the tee is not necessarily an advantage. Stenson deployed his trusty 3-wood to great effect in the 2016 British Open while Mickelson routinely clubbed down, hitting irons off many tees. As is always the case these days, world number one Scottie Scheffler tops the betting but the Open and links golf in general narrows the gap between the best in the sport and the chasing pack.

Scheffler’s British Open record — 8th in 2021, 21st in 2022 and 23rd last season — is respectable and he probably will win an Open one day, but he’s just +500 to do so despite the presence of a number of in-form rivals who will all have their eyes on lifting the Claret Jug. Rory McIlroy has something to prove after his devastating US Open collapse but he remains one of, if not the best exponent of links golf in the world and he was a fast-finishing 5th at Troon in 2016. Mental hurdles must be negotiated but McIlroy played well in Scotland last week and he’d be the pick of those at the very front of the market.

England’s soccer players fell short in their bid to put a long trophy drought to an end in Berlin on Sunday in the Euro 2024 final, but 2 men from that nation look to have an outstanding chance of becoming the first Englishman to lift the Claret Jug since Nick Faldo in 1992.

2024 British Open golf picks and predictions

Tyrrell Hatton to win the 2024 British Open (+2800)

Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing.

Tyrrell Hatton raised eyebrows with his switch to LIV Golf but the Englishman is enjoying life on the breakaway circuit, winning the Nashville title before finishing 3rd at Valderrama in last week’s Andalucia Masters. A trip to tight Valderrama might not appear ideal preparation for a windswept Scottish links but both venues require precision off the tee and Hatton, more so than perhaps any other LIV Golfer, knows how to handle links conditions.

The 32-year-old took to Troon in 2016, finishing 5th a week after a runner-up finish in the Scottish Open, and he has British Open form figures of 6-MC-11-20 from 2019 onwards. A 2-time winner of the Dunhill Links, Hatton has a poor Majors record for someone of his talent but he was 9th at the Masters in April and looks capable of winning the Claret Jug this week.

Find out our golf expert’s best British Open prop bets for this week

Tommy Fleetwood to win the 2024 British Open (+2500)

Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing.

Tommy Fleetwood is no stranger to contending for the Claret Jug and while he missed the cut at Troon in 2016, he’s since finished 27th, 12th, second, 33rd, 4th and 10th at the British Open and he once again has obvious claims.

The Southport swinger returned from a fortnight off with a 34th-placed finish at the Scottish, striking the ball well, and any improvement with the putter should see him mount a bold bid. Fleetwood finished 3rd at the Masters and has been typically steady since, and a return to a proper links set-up should benefit him while he also has caddie Ian Finnis back on the bag after heart surgery.

Tom Kim to win the 2024 British Open (+5000)

Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing.

Tom Kim marked himself out as a PGA Tour winner in waiting when he finished 3rd at the 2022 Scottish Open and then finished in a share of second behind Brian Harman at Hoylake last season. The Korean has been in fine form, finishing 4th in Canada and second at the Travelers, and he signed off in the Scottish Open with a final-round 64. His lack of power is not a problem at Troon.

Joaquin Niemann to win the 2024 British Open (+6000)

Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing.

Of Hatton’s fellow LIV Golfers, Joaquin Niemann looks overpriced. The Chilean has a remarkable 12 top-10 finishes from his last 16 starts, winning 3 titles and finishing 6th in Andalucia last week. He has a poor British Open record to overcome but his low ball-flight is ideal for links Golf.

Tom McKibbin to win the 2024 British Open (+22000)

Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing.

At huge odds, it could be worth taking a chance on Tom McKibbin, who makes his British Open debut this week but is certainly more experienced in these conditions than many who find themselves in the same situation. McKibbin missed the cut at the Scottish Open but he’s been a constant presence on DP World Tour leaderboards and he has the class to cope with the step up.