Fantasy & Betting

The 2018 winner has five additional Top-10 finishes at Bay Hill, and Rory McIlroy’s approach game is dialed in to complement his elite distance off the tee. The Dick Wilson\Joe Lee design is a true test that also rewards course knowledge and experience, and Bay Hill also ranks among the most predictive tracks on the PGA Tour schedule. The winner has finished Top 3 in true strokes gained tee-to-green in three of the past five years, after all. Add the potential for gusty Florida winds to have a say to Bay Hill requiring far more long approaches , 49.95% from 175 yards or longer in 2025, than the typical course, and elite tee-to-green play has historically been paramount to success.

So let’s get into the nuts and bolts and see if we can figure out who will win this year and slip on the most prestigious green jacket in the history of sport. Additionally — Svensson has only played in two major championships, including missing the cut in the 2024 Open. Viktor Hovland ranks second on tour in strokes gained approach and 25th in total strokes gained this season. It’d be ideal if Dean Burmester were heading to Royal Portrush in better form, but it’s also why we’re landing a nice number in this market. He’s coming off a T2 at the Genesis and a T6 at the Travelers, and he’s gained true strokes across the board in both starts.

British Open Betting Preview: Picks, Predictions, Odds for Royal Birkdale

• A lefty hasn’t won the Masters since Bubba Watson’s second green jacket in 2014 — but Bhatia will be my pick from this year’s contingent.
• The 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational is being played at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida.
• The Swede has the distance and tee-to-green game to conquer this course, and Ludvig Aberg will also be playing this event for the fourth time following three straight Top 25s here.
• Last year’s result was despite losing 0.48 strokes off the tee per round, and he’s corrected that this season with 0.60 strokes gained per round.
• There are also variations on the usual starting procedure where everyone begins from the first tee and plays all holes in order, through to the eighteenth.
• In two of the past three years — the 2018 Masters champion has placed in the top 4 here, even when his golfing performance was not at the high level witnessed so far in 2026.

The 2026 championship course is listed as a par 70 measuring 7,223 yards. The venue last staged the championship in 2017 — when Jordan Spieth survived a dramatic final round to defeat Matt Kuchar. The 154th Open Championship will be played from Thursday, July 16, through Sunday, July 19, at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England. His natural links-game instincts (left-handed shot shape), and ability to play in changing conditions give him a reliable placement ceiling. He grew up near Royal Birkdale (has extensive links experience), and does not need to carry the pressure of a winner-only ticket for the bet to cash. Robert MacIntyre is the preferred top-20 selection — while Tom Kim deserves placement consideration after winning the Genesis Scottish Open with a bogey-free final-round 64.

It is a par-72 of 7,565 yards that plays longer than its listed yardage. Winners of tournaments on the PGA Tour between the 2025 Masters and the 2026 Masters The greatest legends in the history of golf have graced these grounds over the years. The Masters is the only major championship played at the same venue each year. After his Grand Slam in 1930 — Jones acquired the former plant nursery and co-designed Augusta National with course architect Alister MacKenzie.

Speaking of form (perhaps no one is in better form than 2023 Masters champion Jon Rahm (11-1)), who has played only five events overseas to start the LIV Golf season. Though he missed the cut in last week’s DP World Tour Hero Indian Open as his final tune-up for the Masters he had a run of five straight finishes of T-16 or better on the PGA Tour that included his win in the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The 34-year-old is also in terrific form with consecutive top-15 finishes in his two most recent starts.

Variations include the popular Stableford scoring system, and various team formats. There are betting and predictions many variations in scoring and playing formats in the game of golf, some officially defined in the Rules of Golf. Factors affecting the calculation include altitude, gradient of the land from the tee to green, and forced “lay-ups” due to dog-legs , sharp bends, or obstacles (e.g. bunkers, water hazards).

Golf Picks This Week

While Hall’s performance may not match that of Gotterup (Bridgeman), and Marco Penge, his style of play should be more compatible with the Masters compared to any other rookie. Conners boasts superior course history compared to any player in this range, making him a hard find. I’m more than willing to bet on a player at 40/1 who has achieved a victory (three top-10 finishes), and nine top-25 results throughout his Augusta career. We will begin with the frontrunners (progress to the long shots), and then provide some props and fades to prepare you for a unique tradition. Although Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau are displaying excellent form (they continue to participate in LIV), leaving uncertainty about how to interpret those outcomes. Among this year’s competitors, McIlroy holds the best scoring average in Masters history , 71.45,, given a minimum of 50 rounds played.

DeChambeau has won back-to-back LIV events in Singapore and South Africa — where he defeated Rahm in the playoff. Bryson DeChambeau (11-1) got his first taste of what it was like to be in contention on Masters Sunday and briefly held the lead last year while in the final pairing with McIlroy before finishing T-5. However, he does have a victory and three runners-up in five events with an average finish of 2.4. Rory McIlroy (12-1) arrives with his own cargo in tow, his green jacket and Champions Dinner menu as McIlroy finally completed the career Grand Slam and won the Masters for the first time last year. The reigning PGA and British Open champion had a historic season in 2025 — and he has been a little down from that to start the 2026 campaign.

Enter your bet amount and an unlimited number of bets in any odds format. Justin Thomas is a former winner at Quail Hollow, and he is among Ryan Pohle’s top betting picks for the Truist Championship this week. With events sometimes containing 100+ participants — it’s not uncommon for golf betting sites to offer lofty odds. Redeem any of the best sportsbook promos detailed below to activate generous sign-up bonuses and offers to use on this week’s golf betting odds.

Despite a season plagued by injuries in 2025, Schauffele secured a late-season victory at the Baycurrent Classic in Japan and achieved top-10 finishes in both the Masters and British Open. This year, he arrives with a victory and may thrive on the grand stage after competing worldwide during U.S. nighttime hours with minimal attention. Leading LIV in Total Birdies and Greens in Regulation, Rahm also stands fourth in Scrambling and Driving Distance. Of the par-4 holes (six have lengths ranging from 450 to 500 yards), with two measuring 440 yards. Who could guide us through his final round at Augusta National Golf Club last year (hole by hole), better than Rory McIlroy, the defending Masters champion, in this video? The fairways — averaging 54 yards in width—the widest on the PGA Tour—are overseeded with Perennial Ryegrass over a Bermudagrass foundation.

McIlroy finished tied for seventh at the Scottish Open after closing with a 64. His controlled European-style game, strong short game, and ability to compete in difficult conditions make him useful in top-20 or top-30 markets. He won the 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale after one of the championship’s most memorable final rounds. A top-20 bet allows bettors to use Kim’s recent form without requiring him to repeat the best performance in the field.

Key stats & player profiles to target

He is engaged in a full-time schedule with the DP World Tour, where he holds a lifetime membership. Since last September — Lee has accumulated six top-10 finishes over his past two tournaments. Nonetheless, he is enjoying his finest golf in several years. Yet, after the conclusion of the “West Coast Swing,” his performance began to improve significantly. It appears he is reaching his peak at an opportune moment (likely on the verge of winning another significant title), possibly this week. In five of the last seven years, he has secured a top 10 finish at Augusta National.