The Open Championship betting

The Open Championship is the oldest of golf’s four majors. The first-ever edition was played back in 1860 and to this day, is one of the biggest events on the calendar year. Because the tournament is the only Major not be played in the USA, it creates that extra special buzz when it comes around. European fans get to see the best of the best duke it out for one of the top honours in the world game.

The first-ever edition of the tournament was played in Scotland at Prestwick Golf Club. It has no permanent home as the competition travels around Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The first time that it was hosted outside of Scotland was when the Royal St George’s Golf Club hosted in 1894. The first time was played outside of either Scotland or England was in 1951 when Royal Portrush had the honour of hosting in 1951.

The Open Championship, also known as just The Open or the British Open is played annually on the third Friday of July. The tournament is the only one of the four majors that is a links-only affair, presenting a difficult challenge to players from the usual fare.

Open Championship Courses

There are ten different clubs in rotation as hosts of The Open Championship.

Scotland: St Andrews, Muirfield, Troon, Carnoustie, Turnberry
England: Royal St George’s Golf Club, Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Royal Lytham & St Annes, Royal Birkdale
Northern Ireland: Royal Portrush

The Open Championship Format

The tournament is for a field of 156 players over the usual 72 holes of stroke play. Come the time of the cut only the top 70 (and ties) get to move forward into the weekend to compete for the title. If there is a tie for the title at the end of the regulation tournament holes than a four-hole aggregate playoff is initiated and if there is no one winner from that, a sudden death play is held.

Players play for the famous Claret Jug which is formally known as The Golf Champion Trophy. The winner is then secured an entry to all future Open Championship tournaments up until the age of 60. Other benefits of winning the major, along with the prestige and prize money includes guaranteed entry to the next five editions of the three other majors, and entry into other significant tournaments likes The Players Championship.

Former Winners

No player has won The Open Championship more times than Jersey’s Harry Vardon who claimed the title six times between 1896 and 1914. He, along with Scotland’s James Braid and England’s John Henry Taylor were the dominant triumvirate in that span between 1896 and 1914 inclusive, winning sixteen titles between them.

Other famous names of golf who have won the tournament multiple times include Australia’s Peter Thomson and America’s great Tom Watson who both claimed the title five times. There is a whos-who of golf when you look at payers who have claimed the Open Champions three times, including Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Seven Ballesteros.

Bobby Jones, Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer and Lee Travino add to a list of famous Americans to have claimed the title more than once. Jones coincidentally, is just one of two amateurs to have won the event, along with England’s Harold Hilton.

2018 Review

Italy’s Francesco Molinari took the title on the links at Carnoustie twelve months ago. He finished 8 under par, which was two shots clear of four players who were tied for second place. The big telling round that he put in was a 65 on Saturday. The victory gave the in-form Italian his first-ever major success. Molinari was also the first-ever Italian to win not only The Open Championship but any Major. He held his nerve in the final round to hold out for the win.

The then reigning champion Jordan Spieth was a joint leader at the close of the third round on 9 under par. But he collapsed to finish just -4 under par, not being able to sustain the challenge in his title defence. Spieth didn’t get a birdie in his final round. The American had started the final day of action level at the top of the leaderboard with Kevin Kinser and Zander Schauffele. In that third round, Justin Rose equalled the record for the lowest score at an Open Championship of 64.

In the final round, Tiger Woods was in contention at one point, actually sitting level with Molinari and when he picked up a couple of birdies on the front nine on Sunday, he took over the lead at one point. But then it went wrong from the 11th onwards. Joint fourth-round leader Xander Schauffele dropped four shots on holes 5 through 7 in his final round to drop from convention. As for Kisner, he slammed a double bogey on the second hole of his final round to set him back.

All the while Molinari was ticking along nicely and the Italian didn’t bogey any of his last 37 holes at the tournament. Rory McIlroy showed up with a steady 70 in the final round and an eagle on the 14th saw him take a share of the lead. He couldn’t get any more on the board though to close out the round and get pressure on Molinari. Justin Rose joined McIlroy tied for second, despite almost missing the cut. Kisner and Schaufelle took their shares of second. Tiger Woods was T6.

2019 Preview

68 years after hosting The Open, Royal Portrush in County Antrim, Northern Ireland plays host to the 2019 Open. This is Rory McIlroy’s home stomping ground and he is the outright favourite at 8/1 with bet365 to collect the victory* (betting odds taken from bet365 on July 13th, 2019 at 4:45 pm). That puts him quite a way ahead of the bulk of the field. McIlroy has won the tournament before, taking the title in 2014 by 2 strokes at Royal Liverpool. He has produced a wonderful career at the Major.

From his eight previous appearances, he taken one win and four other two five finishes. He came close to landing his second Open title last year when he was tied for second. Given that he has a strong affinity with the club, coupled with powerful form for the season then the bookmaker have made him the one to beat. The player closest in the betting market to McIlroy is Brooks Koepka who at the time of writing was industry best of 11/1 with Betfred* (betting odds taken from bet365 on July 13th, 2019 at 4:45 pm).

Koepka is a Majors beast. In the last six Major golf events, he has posted two wins, two-second places and a misfired at last year’s Open Championship. He needs The Open title to complete a career slam of having won all Majors at least once. This will be his sixth attempt at The Open with two previous top ten finishes from those previous efforts. His best was a T6 in 2017. Tiger Woods will no doubt pique some interest again after his Masters win this year. Woods is a three-time Open Champion, his most recent title coming in 2006.

Other players nestling among the group of main contenders are Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm and Justin Rose. Reigning champion Francesco Molinari can be backed at 25/1 with BetVictor to successfully defending* (betting odds taken from Betvictor on July 13th, 2019 at 4:45 pm). The last player to defend was Padraig Harrington in 2008 which was just after Tiger Woods had managed a title defence in 2006.