It’s another major championship to savor this weekend, while also being the final one of the year.
We head to the Royal Troon Golf Club in the United Kingdom for the British Open, set to tee off early Thursday.
Could it finally be the breakthrough major tournament for Rory McIlroy to reclaim his past glory and set aside his latest retch at the U.S. Open?
The oddsmakers think it may be time, as BetRivers Sportsbook gives Mcllroy the second-best odds in the tournament (+750), narrowly behind Scottie Scheffler (+550).
McIlroy’s odds have climbed down slowly but surely, with +750 marking his best standing to win a tournament featuring Scheffler since he was 6/1 to win the BMW Championship in August 2023.
McIlroy’s odds have slipped to as high as 16/1 at the RBC Heritage and he is now dealing with the heartache from the U.S. Open.
However, coming into this major championship approaching favorite status shows just how serious of a contender he is closer to home soil.
2024 British Open odds
| Golfer | Odds |
|---|---|
| Scottie Scheffler | +500 |
| Rory McIlroy | +800 |
| Xander Schauffele | 12/1 |
| Bryson DeChambeau | 14/1 |
| Collin Morikawa | 14/1 |
| Ludvig Aberg | 16/1 |
| Jon Rahm | 25/1 |
| Tommy Fleetwood | 25/1 |
| Tyrrell Hatton | 25/1 |
| Robert Macintyre | 33/1 |
| Viktor Hovland | 33/1 |
| Brooks Koepka | 40/1 |
| Shane Lowry | 40/1 |
2024 British Open prediction
There are golfers who are intriguing wagers who seem to be unable to pull the trigger during these high-pressure major championship moments.
We already discussed McIlroy, but don’t forget Tommy Fleetwood and Tony Finau, neither of whom have won a major in their respective careers.
Could this time be different?
Fleetwood was the runner-up at The Open in 2019 to Shane Lowry and the runner-up to Brooks Koepka in the 2018 U.S. Open.
The English professional golfer knows this course very well.
Fleetwood has only been 25/1 or lower once in 2024 — the RBC Heritage where he placed tied for 49th at -3.
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It was a disappointing performance, but having caddie Ian Finnis back should help this week.
That factor, combined with home soil and strong play of late (top 20 in five of last seven), make him an intriguing play.
Meanwhile, Finau, who has been a disaster in several big moments through his career, is coming off three straight top-10 finishes.
Finau was tied for third in a heated U.S. Open tournament and looks ready to break through.
Someone looks ready for a breakthrough, but who will it be?
For now, we run on small bets on these two moderate long shots.
PICKS: Tommy Fleetwood (25/1, BetMGM) | Tony Finau (50/1, FanDuel)