The week of the Open Championship is here, and the best golfers in the world have one last shot on the 2023 golf schedule to take home a major championship and position themselves comfortably in the golf standings. After a nine-year absence, the Open returns to Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England.
The past two winners at Royal Liverpool include a pair of golf greats, Rory McIlroy (2014) and Tiger Woods (2006). Both golfers captured their Claret Jugs attacking the course differently, with Woods dominating the field using irons and fairway woods off the tee while McIlroy blitzed the softer conditions with his length off the tee.
With a considerable amount of rain recently in the area, expect the course to play softer like it did in 2014. Accuracy off the tee remains the key to success as trouble and internal out-of-bounds lurk just off the fairway.
The course had some major changes take place between 2014 and now, including the changing of the par 4 17th to a par 3 and the tenth hole playing as a par 4 instead of a par 5. Other notable changes include adding additional bunkers, re-routing fairways, and waste areas added off the fairways.
Before the opening round of the tournament, let’s take a look at players to watch this week and our favorite golf picks for the event. The Open players odds will be next to their names, giving you an idea of who is the betting favorite this week.
McIlroy Looks to Repeat
It is hard to believe we are nearly nine years removed since Rory McIlroy (+750) last won a major title. The 34-year-old comes to Royal Liverpool in excellent form and on the heels of taking home last week’s Genesis Scottish Open title.
His golf odds are the best of anyone in the field this week, and there is a for that. Since a T7 at the PGA Championship in May, the 24-time PGA Tour winner has finished inside the top 10 in six-straight events. With confidence, he can win here, there is no reason to believe McIlroy will have a setback after last week’s triumph.
Scheffler Aims for Career Major No. 2
The Open player odds for Scheffler (+800) fall just behind the betting favorite. While McIlroy has reeled off seven consecutive top-10 finishes, Scheffler’s feat is even more remarkable.
The 27-year-old has dominated the golf schedule, finishing inside the top 25 in 18-straight events. Scheffler has a pair of wins this year, capturing the WM Phoenix Open and THE PLAYERS Championship earlier this year.
Scheffler’s best result at an Open Championship was a T8 in 2021 at Royal St. George’s, but the No. 1 player in the world looked comfortable with links golf last week, finishing T3 at the Scottish Open.
Can Fowler Finally Win a Major?
Rickie Fowler (+2000) has flown up the odds board over the last two months with his recent play. Fowler returned to the winner’s circle last month with his triumph at the Rocket Mortgage Classic and appears to be back to his old form.
Fowler’s Open player odds are also high because he tied with Sergio Garcia here in 2014. The six-time PGA Tour winner has three career top 10s in 11 Open Championships, missing the cut just once. He played last week at the Genesis Scottish Open, finishing T42 after a quick start.
This season, in addition to his win in Detroit, Flower has 15 top-25 finishes in 21 events. Fowler missed the cut at the PGA Championship but performed well last month at the U.S. Open with a T5.
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