This year’s British Open is taking place at Royal Liverpool Golf Course from July 20 to July 23. British Open odds for the 2023 golf major are in constant flux with the tournament well underway. Scottie Scheffler checked in as the favorite at +650 while Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka had initial 2023 Open Championship odds ranging from +750 to +1800. With a five-stroke lead after 36 holes, Brian Harman (+140) tops the board with Tommy Fleetwood (+500) second on the board, heading into the third round Saturday.
Cameron Smith is looking to defend his Open Championship title. Smith won last year’s British Open with +2000 pre-tournament odds. He was +2200 heading into this year’s Open Championship.
British Open odds
Live British Open odds for the 2023 tournament are now available to wager on at top US sportsbooks.
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Scottie Scheffler (+650): The World No. 1 continues to put together some remarkable consistency with now 18 consecutive finishes of 12th or better since the CJ Cup in October. He also has 6 straight Top 5s which includes the PGA and U.S. Open. He’s only played 2 Open Championships with an 8th and T21 so far, but it’s the only one he hasn’t gotten super in the mix at.
Rory McIlroy (+750): McIlroy was bumped off the top of British Open odds boards in the days leading up to the start of the event. Rory will look to defend his title at Royal Liverpool from 2014. He’s logged 4 more Top 5s at The Open since, and he’s threatened at each of the last 2 majors this year. The game looks to really be clicking in all facets currently, but the pressure of winning another major remains.
Jon Rahm (+900): Outside of a 3rd at Royal St. George’s, The Open has been a tough test overall for Rahm. He has just 2 finishes better than 34th, and he seems to struggle on and around these links greens. Outside of that, the form has been a bit volatile since his impressive run early this year, so his start in the Scottish Open will be interesting.
Brooks Koepka (+1400): Koepka looked in fine form at Valderrama in a LIV event that didn’t necessarily fit his gamne. Though he was disappointed with a T17 at the U.S. Open, it’s clear that Koepka is in fine form, and he’ll be looking to cross off one more leg of a career Grand Slam at Liverpool. Has 4 Top 10s in his last 6 Open Championship starts.
Cameron Smith (+1500): The defending champion has been in decent enough form overall to warrant a potential run at it again. He’s finished no worse than 12th in his last 7 starts, which includes the PGA and U.S. Open along with 5 LIV events. The irons were clicking nicely in both majors, but he’ll need to lock the driver down if he wants to lift the Claret Jug again.
Xander Schauffele (+2000): Outside of his T2 at Carnoustie in 2018, Schauffele hasn’t gotten too much going at The Open Championship. It’s also been a mostly uneventful year for him despite being in contention seemingly every week. He’s struggled on weekends and continues to show a high floor but lower ceiling compared to other stars in the game.
Viktor Hovland (+2000): Hovland has been 12th and T4 in his first 2 Open Championship appearances … showing that he’s taken a liking to the links golf so far. Already heavily contending in 2 majors and winning the Memorial, it’s been a strong 2023 for the young Norwegian. With his improved scrambling and putting, it’s clear that he can win any weeks we see the irons pop.
Jordan Spieth (+2000): For all of the talk about his play at the Masters, it’s been The Open where Spieth has looked really strong of late. Since winning in 2017 at Birkdale, he’s logged a T9, 2nd and T8. He also played Liverpool in 2014 and finished T36 at just 20 years old. The recent form has been volatile, though, and he hasn’t played since a MC at the U.S. Open.
Collin Morikawa (+2200): Slowly, Morikawa seems to be rounding into some form here heading into a major that he won in 2021 as a debutant. He did miss the cut in his title defense, but Morikawa is showing signs the game is finding its way. The irons are starting to consistently get closer to their ceiling, and the putter has gained in 4 consecutive starts.
Rickie Fowler (+2200): It’s crazy to see Folwer priced this low considering he didn’t even qualify for this tournament last year, but he’s playing some of the best golf in the world right now. His win in Detroit finally broke the drought, and he’s finished outside of the top 20 just twice since Torrey Pines. Also finished T2 here at Liverpool in 2014 in a great Sunday battle with Rory and Sergio.
Tommy Fleetwood (+2500): This price feels a bit low for Fleetwood despite the great golf he’s played this year. His MC at the Travelers continued to show that Tommy regularly just doesn’t have it from time to time. And he continues to struggle closing out tournaments when he does. The Open history is strong for him with a 2nd and T4 in the last 3 years.
Shane Lowry (+2500): Lowry has gone 1st, 12th, 21st in his last 3 Open starts, and much like Fleetwood, this price feels a bit low overall. The form this year has been okay, but Lowry’s putter has often not cooperated even when the ball striking has been solid. His case would be much improved if the weather gets nasty.
Patrick Cantlay (+2500): Cantlay’s year has been a bit like Schauffele’s, except you get a nice discount here compared to his good friend. He seems to be in contention most weeks, but the upside just hasn’t quite clicked. The questions continue about his ability to get it done on a weekend in a major. Finished T8 at The Open last year for his best finish in the event.
Tyrrell Hatton (+2800): Needs to badly get over his Thursday blues in majors, as he’s played wonderful golf in the last 2 after looking like a missed cut in both following the opening round. Outside of a little lull in his scrambling of late, his game seems to be clicking all around, and there’s no reason to think he won’t strongly contend for an Open soon.
Matt Fitzpatrick (+2800): This has been Fitzpatrick’s worst major by a considerably margin so far. That may be surprising to some, but much of his success has come on more standardized courses than the trickiness of links golf. His overall form has been a bit all over the place since winning at Harbour Town in April.
Dustin Johnson (+2800): I don’t mind this spot for Johnson, who finished T10 at the U.S. Open despite having a fantastic week tee-to-green. He was T12 here at Liverpool in 2014, and he’s added an 8th and T6 at The Open in his last 2 tries at it. Seems to be a forgotten man at times due to LIV, but I still think he’s one of the more dependable players at a major.
Tony Finau (+3500): Finau is playing some of his worst golf in years currently, which is contributing to this big price for his talent. Since winning in Mexico, he’s finished better than 32nd just once, and both his driver and putter are failing him a bit right now. He has showed some promise at The Open with a 3rd in nasty conditions in 2019.
Justin Thomas (+3500): Interest will likely be low in Thomas at The Open, as he’s really struggled at this event even when he was a top player in the world. Outside of a decent T9 at the Travelers, Thomas has been in nightmare form with 3 MCs in his last 4 starts and some disastrous numbers throughout his bag in different starts.
Bryson DeChambeau (+3500): DeChambeau seems to have really figured it out as of late, as he contended heavily at the PGA before a solid T20 at the U.S. Open. He’s also been in contention nearly every start on LIV lately, including a 2nd at Valderrama – a course that doesn’t exactly fit his game. Finished T8 at St. Andrews last year for his best finish in The Open.
Jason Day (+3500): Outside of a T4 at St. Andrews in 2015 when he was at his best, Day has never exactly got on well with The Open Championship. He was T58 here at Liverpool in 2014, and his overall form is very poor since winning the Byron Nelson in May. He’ll need to show some life in Scotland to warrant this number.
Wyndham Clark (+3500): The U.S. Open winner made his only ever Open Championship start last year at St. Andrews and finished T76. This will be a new and difficult challenge for a guy who hasn’t experienced much of this style of golf. His high ball flight and aggressive play will need to be adapted a bit to maneuver successfully into links golf.
Max Homa (+4000): Homa made some promising strides in Detroit as he tries to work his way out a summer slump. He gained 7.3 strokes ball striking in a T21 that would have been much better if his putter cooperated. Homa tends to play well in poor weather, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see The Open eventually be a nice spot for him.
Hideki Matsuyama (+4000): Hideki has played some decent golf this year despite struggling through injuries. The irons are still great most weeks, but the driver and putter have been regularly failing him and keeping him out of contention. Hasn’t done anything at The Open since finishing T6 as a debutant in 2013. Finished T39 here at Liverpool.
Cameron Young (+4000): Finished runner-up at St. Andrews last year in his Open Championship debut. I’m not sure Young will be a regular at The Open as St. Andrews can play much differently than most, and his overall form in 2023 has been poor. He does have it going at the John Deere with the 36-hole lead, so we’ll see if it kicks off a late-year surge.
Justin Rose (+4000): You’d have to think this is a tournament Rose desperately wants to win as an Englishman that finished T4 as an amateur in 1998. But he’s added just 2 Top 10s since, including T2 in 2018. He was T23 at Liverpool in 2014. His form in 2023 has been excellent, and this will be on he feels he can win.
Sungjae Im (+5000): Sungjae infamously finished T81 at St. Andrews last year despite gaining 3.71 strokes tee-to-green. He lost more than 10 strokes putting, which is outrageous for a very strong putter. His form overall heading in has been quite poor, as he hasn’t logged a Top 10 since the Wells Fargo in May outside of a win on the Korean PGA.
Tom Kim (+5000): Kim looked like he may be breaking out of a slump with a T8 at the U.S. Open, but his missed cut in Detroit was disappointing in a weak field. Finished T47 at The Open last year as a debutant. If he can get the irons going like they were in Los Angeles, he could contend, but the putter has been ice cold.
Sam Burns (+6500): Burns has done nothing in majors despite already logging 5 wins on the PGA Tour. Part of it seems to be that Burns struggles on more difficult courses, but I’d also expect things could change soon. I’m not sure The Open is the spot it happens though, as he’s been way off in a couple tries.
Min Woo Lee (+6500): Finished T21 at The Open last year at St. Andrews. With his contention at the PLAYERS, PGA and U.S. Open now, Lee seems to relish the moment in big tournaments as a young player. The driver is an absolute weapon along with the putter, meaning some hot irons could bring him a huge trophy.
Adam Scott (+6500): The veteran Australian is having a solid year, but he’s mostly lacked some upside even when the putter is scorching hot. I’d like to see the irons show more life from such a great ball striker in his career, but he’s finished T5 and T8 in 2 tries at Liverpool, making him a potential factor this year.
British Open odds movement
Here is a look at the movement for British Open odds for the 2023 tournament as well as how the prices change in the days during the tournament.
| Golfer | British Open Odds: June 28 | British Open Odds: July 17 | British Open Odds: July 19 | British Open Odds: July 21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rory McIlroy | +750 | +525 | +750 | +1100 |
| Scottie Scheffler | +900 | +750 | +650 | +12500 |
| Jon Rahm | +900 | +1200 | +1200 | +10000 |
| Brooks Koepka | +1400 | +1600 | +1800 | +27500 |
| Cameron Smith | +1800 | +1500 | +2200 | +15000 |
| Xander Schauffele | +2000 | +2000 | +2500 | +20000 |
| Viktor Hovland | +2000 | +1500 | +2500 | +5000 |
| Jordan Spieth | +2000 | +3000 | +3000 | +1600 |
| Collin Morikawa | +2200 | +2800 | +3000 | +100000 |
| Tommy Fleetwood | +2500 | +1500 | +3000 | +400 |
| Shane Lowry | +2500 | +3000 | +4500 | +40000 |
| Patrick Cantlay | +2500 | +3000 | +2200 | +40000 |
| Tyrrell Hatton | +2800 | +2500 | +2800 | +20000 |
| Matthew Fitzpatrick | +2800 | +3500 | +5000 | +35000 |
| Dustin Johnson | +2800 | +3000 | +3300 | — |
| Tony Finau | +3500 | +5000 | +5000 | +500000 |
| Justin Thomas | +3500 | +5500 | +8000 | — |
| Jason Day | +3500 | +6500 | +8000 | +1800 |
| Rickie Fowler | +3500 | +1200 | +2800 | +40000 |
| Wyndham Clark | +3500 | +5000 | +4500 | +3500 |
| Max Homa | +4000 | +5000 | +6000 | +4500 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | +4000 | +6500 | +6000 | +9000 |
| Cameron Young | +4000 | +4500 | +7000 | +3000 |
| Justin Rose | +4000 | +4500 | +6000 | +500000 |
| Sungjae Im | +5000 | +8000 | +10000 | +50000 |
| Joohyung Kim | +5000 | +3300 | +7500 | +10000 |
| Bryson DeChambeau | +5000 | +5000 | +6000 | +35000 |
| Sam Burns | +6500 | +7000 | +7500 | +500000 |
| Patrick Reed | +6500 | +8500 | +8000 | +50000 |
| Brian Harman | +140 |
Below is a futures report with British Open odds for each golfer listed. Some of the top contenders and longshots to win at Royal Liverpool will be highlighted below.
Odds to win the British Open: Course Preview
Here is a course preview for Royal Liverpool with golf betting information.
Royal Liverpool is next up in The Open rotation and will host for the 13th time in 2023. Although first hosting The Open back in 1897, Royal Liverpool has only been called upon twice since 1967; in 2006 when Tiger Woods famously won by using driver just once, and most recently in 2014 when a young Rory McIlroy cruised to victory at -17 over a distant Sergio Garcia and Rickie Fowler. Adjustments have been made to the course since 2014 to add a bit more bite to Royal Liverpool, but as always, it’s the weather that will dictate how scorable the course will play. While The Open Championship futures odds are available year round, this is the one Major Championship that serves best to wait until close to tournament week, as different players are more suitable to calm or inclement weather conditions.
In the absence of Course History, the top-5 players in terms of Event History at The Open Championship are Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Tony Finau, Robert Macintyre, and Henrik Stenson. This suggests a trend of success from players with a crafty short game and elite approach play to navigate difficult weather conditions.
What is The Open Championship golf tournament?
The Open Championship boasts itself as the most international of the four Majors. There will be over 150 golfers competing for the Claret Jug in mid-July, headlined by reigning champion Cameron Smith.
There are 28 categories to determine exemption from qualifying, while 46 spots will be awarded out of The Open Qualifying Series, which covers 16 events in 11 countries.
The 150-plus player field will be shrunk to the top 70 and ties following the conclusion of Round 2. If there’s a tie after 72 holes, there will be a four-hole aggregate playoff followed by sudden death, should the tie persist.
Betting strategy
The last true longshot to win the Open Championship came in 2019. Irishman Shane Lowry (+7000) won in Northern Ireland by 6-shots, proving that fairy tales come true when he lifted the Claret Jug in front or a roaring grandstand at Royal Portrush.
Will another longshot emerge at Royal Liverpool to capture the Claret Jug? If so, bettors who cash in will join the Open winner in celebration as the 2023 Open champion will also haul in more than $2 million.
Since the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) started in 1996, there have been four Open Championship winners ranked outside the top-100. Two of them won at Royal St. George’s, as Ben Curtis pulled off the most improbable win of all. Curtis was ranked 396 in the world at greater than 300-1 odds when he won in 2003.
The average age of the Champion Golfer of the Year is 35.7 – higher than the US PGA Championship (27.7), US Open (27.8), and Masters (34.7), according to Today’s Golfer.
Top favorites have not delivered since 2007 and second favorites have only won the Open Championship once. The average odds of an Open winner since 2011 is near +6000. So put some longshots in your bag, and lean on experienced players who are patient with some proven performances.
Expect the unexpected as weird things happen in links golf. There are strange bounces, pot bunker problems, players bothered by the weather and whacked by the wind.
Controlling ball flight and trajectory is more significant in windy conditions. Direction and distance control are crucial skills, particularly with the scoring clubs.
And before you think that bombers like Bryson DeChambeau have a major advantage, look at the moderate hitters who have won the Open more recently: Shane Lowry (2019), Francesco Molinari (2018), Jordan Spieth (2017), Henrik Stenson (2016) and Zach Johnson (2015).
ROYAL LIVERPOOL GOLF CLUB COURSE SPECS
- Yards: 7,383
- Par: 71 (4x 3s / 11x 4s / 3x 5s)
- Greens: Fescue, Bent and Poa Blend (Slow)
- Average Green Size: Above-average
- Fairway Width: Narrow
- Rough: Tall Fescue
- Comp Courses: Royal St. George’s, Royal Portrush, Royal Birkdale, Carnoustie, Renaissance Club, Royal Troon, St. Andrews Chambers Bay
- Other Non-Links Comps: TPC Sawgrass, TPC Summerlin, TPC Scottsdale
British Open betting history
When looking through the British Open winners over the last 10 years, there is room for slightly more volatility from its champions compared to the other Majors, with two of the last nine champions posting at 70-1 odds or longer. With that said, the other seven winners over that span have posted at 40-1 odds or shorter, so despite the volatility that severe weather can bring, it’s best for British Open bettors to back elite talents who are well-rounded from tee to green.
The below table tracks consensus pre-tournament outright odds for the last 10 winners of the British Open.
| Year | Winner | Pre-Tournament Odds | Winning Score | Field Median Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Cam Smith | +2000 | -20 | -7 |
| 2021 | Collin Morikawa | +4000 | -15 | -2 |
| 2020 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2019 | Shane Lowry | +7000 | -15 | +1 |
| 2018 | Francesco Molinari | +3300 | -8 | +1 |
| 2017 | Jordan Spieth | +1600 | -12 | +2 |
| 2016 | Henrik Stenson | +3300 | -20 | +3 |
| 2015 | Zach Johnson | +11000 | -15 | -6 |
| 2014 | Rory McIlroy | +1800 | -17 | -3 |
| 2013 | Phil Mickelson | +2000 | -3 | +9 |
How to watch the British Open on TV
The 2023 Open Championship will be the sixth year of a 12-year deal for NBC and Peacock to broadcast the event. The first two rounds will air on Peacock, with the weekend moving over to the more widely-accessible NBC.
How to bet the British Open in the US
Futures odds have been available for the 2023 Open Championship for well over a year. The British Open golf odds have been regularly updated based on golfer performance, health, and public favor. Several different players have held the honor as outright favorite over the last year, with Rory McIlroy now at the top of British Open odds boards.
The outright odds will fluctuate more over the run-up to the tournament, as more public betting money pours in. Closer to the date of the event, the books will release more Open Championship odds, including leaders after each round, and Top 5, Top 10 and Top 20 probabilities.
Golfers will also be placed in pools, usually in the week of the tournament, based on world ranking, general popularity, country of origin, or first- and second-round tee times, where bettors can back a single golfer out of head-to-head or group matchups. Prop bets will be set for things such as hole-in-ones or low score for the tournament.
Best British Open golf betting sites
The Open Championship Fun Facts
- Most wins: Harold Vardon won his record six Open titles from 1896-1914. Four players have won the event five times, including Tom Watson, who just missed out on his sixth championship in 2009 at the age of 59.
- Oldest winner: “Old” Tom Morris won The Open in 1867 at the age of 46 years, 99 days.
- Youngest winner: The following year, Morris’ son, “Young” Tom Morris, took the crown at the age of 17 years and 156 days. He also won the following three Open Championships for a record four in a row.
- Highest score on one hole: Herman Tissies, a German amateur, owns the dishonor of carding the highest score on a single hole in the history of The Open Championship. He fired a 15 on the 8th hole at Royal Troon in 1950. The hole played as a 120-yard par-3.
- Best comeback: Paul Lawrie completed a 10-stroke comeback in the final round to win the 1999 Open Championship at Carnoustie. The feat is much better known as Jean Van de Velde’s collapse, which included a triple-bogey on his 72nd hole.
Five of the biggest long shots in British Open history
Ben Curtis (2003)
Curtis entered the 2003 Open Championship at Royal St. George’s ranked No. 393 in the world. His win came by one stroke over runner-ups Vijay Singh and Thomas Bjorn, as the only player to finish under par. He went on to win three other PGA events and picked up three more top 10s in Majors.
Paul Lawrie (1999)
Lawrie was ranked 158th in the world when he was handed his Major title from Van de Velde. The Scotsman won a total of eight times on the European Tour but never again on the PGA circuit.
Darren Clarke (2011)
Clarke arrived at Royal St. George’s – a common venue for longshot winners – ranked 111th in 2011, after ranking as high as eighth in 2001. He finally captured his lone Major at the age of 41.
Todd Hamilton (2004)
Hamilton followed up Curtis’ surprise victory with another the following year at Royal Troon. He was ranked 56th in the world the previous week and vaulted to No. 16 after beating world No. 2 Ernie Els in a playoff.
Tom Kidd (1873)
Kidd’s lone career victory came in his debut at The Open Championship in 1873. He ended Tom Morris Jr.’s record streak of four straight Claret Jugs.
The Open Championship FAQ
Rory McIlroy (+750), Scottie Scheffler (+900), Jon Rahm (+900) and Brooks Koepka (+1400) are at the top of British Open odds boards.
Rory McIlroy is the British Open odds favorite with betting odds of +750.
Roughly 65 percent of the 156-player Open field is composed of exemptions based on 28 categories, such as former champions of select tournaments and those meeting certain cutoffs in the OWGR by certain dates. Another 46 spots come from The Open Qualifying Series – a selection of tournaments leading up to the event. The final spots are awarded to those who advance from Final Qualifying in the UK.
The Open returns to Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, Merseyside, England. It is the first Open Championship at Royal Liverpool since 2014 when Rory McIlroy was the winner.
The 2023 British Open has not yet taken place. Last year’s Open Championship winner was Cameron Smith.
The Open returns to Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, Merseyside, England. It is the first Open Championship at Royal Liverpool since 2014 when Rory McIlroy was the winner.
The British Open winner now wins over $2.5 million.
Padraig Harrington (2007-2008) is the most recent golfer to go back-to-back at The Open Championship. Tiger Woods accomplished the feat the two previous years, and nine others did so before him. Three players have won three in a row, and “Young” Tom Morris holds the all-time record of four straight titles.