2026 Open Championship odds: Picks, predictions by model that's nailed 17 majors
The 2026 Open Championship is set to begin at Royal Birkdale, with Scottie Scheffler entering as the defending champion and betting favorite. A proprietary computer model has released its projections for the tournament, highlighting potential upsets for top contenders like Tommy Fleetwood.
Why it matters
The integration of predictive modeling into sports betting has become a significant driver of engagement and revenue in the professional golf industry.
The 2026 Open Championship tees off on Thursday, July 16, at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England. The first tee times come at 1:35 a.m. ET. Scottie Scheffler, who tees off at 4:58 a.m. ET, is the defending Open Championship winner, while Jordan Spieth won this event the last time it was at Royal Birkdale in 2017. Scheffler is the +750 favorite (risk $100 to win $750) in the latest 2026 Open Championship odds. McIlroy is next on the PGA odds board this week at +850.
Englishmen Matt Fitzpatrick (+1300) and Tommy Fleetwood (+1500), Jon Rahm (+2000) and Xander Schauffele (+2500) are among the other top Open Championship 2026 contenders. Before locking in any 2026 Open Championship picks, be sure to see the 2026 British Open predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine .
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