After a 24-month wait, the cream of golf return to home shores this week for the 149 th Open Championship at Royal St. George’s in Kent.
As Shane Lowry defends the Claret Jug he won at Royal Portrush in 2019, this will be the first time since 2011 the Open has taken place in the south of England.
So, who do the bookies fancy this weekend?
Smart money on Rahm
The undoubted favourite is World number one and US Open champion, Jon Rahm.
Bringing his wait for a major to an end last month at Torrey Pines, the Spaniard’s game is perfectly
suited to the Links of Royal St. Georges and with soft conditions and good weather expected, Rahm
is 17/2 with SportNation, but currently drifting.
Brooks Koepka meanwhile, looks in strong shape again, to win his fifth major. Having featured in both the PGA and US Open prominently this year, Koepka came home T4 in the Open two years back.
Still fetching 18/1 odds with MansionBet, William Hill and Bet365 though, the Floridian is approaching his best again and is worth a look.
As is Louis Oosthuizen, after finishing runner-up to Rahm at Torrey Pines. Returning to The Open as a previous winner – albeit over a decade ago – the South African has been one of the most consistent players around this season and with Bet365 offering a top-five at 13/2, some may also fancy his still encouraging price of 35/1 outright, with BetVictor.
Brit picks
For British fans and punters alike, the return of The Open needs a home horse to back so to speak,
and the best two nominees currently look like Lee Westwood and Matt Fitzpatrick – the latter of
whom lost in a playoff at the Aberdeen Scottish Open last weekend. Westwood in the same competition meanwhile, rather faded, but will have huge home support from the galleries in Kent.
If you’re keen to back either Englishman on home soil, MansionBet will give you 45/1 and 40/1 odds
respectively.
