The next Golf Major of the year is here as the focus will all be on the links of Carnoustie. This is the first time that The Open has been back there since 2007 and not only is there the individual battles that the players will be going through to win the tournament, but also between Europe and the USA. The USA has been dominant at the recent Majors, so will a European player be able to rise to the top and claim the title?
This will be the eighth time that Carnoustie has hosted and overall this is the 147th edition of the Open Championship. The start date is July 19th and it will be drawing to its conclusion on the 22nd. We have a par 71 course playing at 7,402 yards which is the second-longest that it has played at from its previous hosting of the tournament.
Twelve months ago Jordan Spieth strolled his way to the title at Royal Birkdale. Will he be able to contend in his title defence? It is fellow American Dustin Johnson who is the 14/1 odds outright winner favourite* (betting odds taken from July 16th, 2018 at 8:13 pm).
2018 Open Championship Winner Odds*
Dustin Johnson 12/1
Justin Rose 16/1
Rickie Fowler 18/1
Rory Mcilroy 18/1
John Rahm 20/1
Jordan Spieth 20/1
Tommy Fleetwood 22/1
Brooks Koepka 22/1
Justin Thomas 25/1
Tiger Woods 25/1
Alex Noren 28/1
Sergio Garcia 28/1
Henrik Stenson 30/1
Francesco Molinari 30/1
Jason Day 30/1
Patrick Reed 40/1
Tyrrell Hatton 40/1
Paul Casey 40/1
Randen Grace 401/
Marc Leishman 50/1
Hideki Matsuyama 50/1
Phil Mickelson 60/1
Bar 66/1
* (betting odds taken from Bet365 on July 16th, 2018 at 8:13 pm)
Main Contenders
Each of the last five Major championships in golf has been won by an American. Each of those was under 30 as well. So there seems to be a bit of a trend going at the moment in the big events and if you look towards the head of the market then The Open Championship Betting 2018 – Golf Winner Odds & Predictions (British Open)* (betting odds taken from July 16th, 2018 at 8:13 pm) and will appeal to a lot of punters. Fowler has had a top-twenty finish in each of his last four events on the Tour, hitting a 6th last time out. He has been one of the more consistent performers in recent Majors, with a T5 at the US Open and the PGA Championship last year and a second place finish at the Masters earlier this year. His best finish at The Open was a T2 in 2014. Will this be his time?
It is Dustin Johnson who is out in front but he hasn’t been in action for a while but was in cracking form before he had to step away for a break. He does have a solid enough record at The Open with three top ten finishes during his career, his best a T2 in 2011. With his track record at this year’s Majors, punters will be looking at him. Justin Rose will be hoping that his meticulously detailed approach to the game will bring him some success on the links. Rose is the current number three in the world and he had one of his career moments at Carnoustie back in 1988 when he finished T4 as a 17 year old amateur.
Rory McIlroy is usually pretty dialled in when it comes to link play. He is a former Open champion of course and his last three starts at The Open have all seen him come home in the top five. That’s a good strong trend behind him and he can be backed at 3/1 odds for a top-five finish* (betting odds taken from July 16th, 2018 at 8:13 pm). Going into the action at Carnoustie this week McIlroy though really hasn’t been on top of his game, but this is Major time and he should have no trouble finding his feet at the course.
After a good outing at the Irish Open recently, Jon Rahm will be taking some good confidence forward to The Open 2018. He has had back to back top five finishes now in his last two outings this season and should be fresh and be chomping at the bit. The Spaniard really doesn’t seem to care too much what is playing in front of him, he will just get on with it. This will be just his third crack at The Open as a professional so really doesn’t have much history or track record behind him. But he has the imagination to produce the goods here.
Jordan Spieth is the defending champion and he has been talking up the talk about successfully defending the crown. A bit like Rory Mcilroy, Spieth hasn’t been on top of his game recently as he has missed three cuts in his last seven events. That was on the back of a good challenge at The Masters where he finished third. He missed the cut at the US Open though and has been trying to dial back his time to refresh and recharge a little bit. He fits the bill again of being an American under 30 and he is a 20/1 shot* (betting odds taken from July 16th, 2018 at 8:13 pm) to launch a title defect.
Notable Challengers
A golf field is always going to offer plenty of depth and The Open 2018 is no different. England’s Tommy Fleetwood isn’t a bad choice at 22/1 odds* (betting odds taken from July 16th, 2018 at 8:13 pm) to be the one to back the American dominance in Majors at the moment. Fleetwood so nearly got his Major breakthrough at Shinnecock Hills at the US Open this summer, missing out by one shot. But he showed big temperament with a record round of 63 on Sunday but missed at selling eight-foot putt for a birdie on the 18th.
Francesco Molinari is probably not a name that you would immediately lean on, but the Italian has been producing some cracking form. In his last five tournaments, he has taken two wins and two second-place finishes as well. What more can you ask for in terms of form? Molinari is at 13/2 for a top-five finish* (betting odds taken from July 16th, 2018 at 8:13 pm). He doesn’t have the kind of track record at The Open that would inspire much but he’s hard to beat on current form.
Australia’s Marc Leishman is worth a look as well if you are looking for a nice long price at 50/1 odds* (betting odds taken from July 16th, 2018 at 8:13 pm) to win outright. There’s a decent each-way shot for you. The Australian does alright on links courses and in his last four appearances at The Open he has banked three top-six finishes. So there’s no reason why he couldn’t put himself in the picture if he is in a confident mood.
Oh yes, and there is Tiger Woods who is at three times former champion at The Open. He last won it back in 2005 but two of his last four appearances at The Open have yelled top six finished (2102 and 2013). This will be his first date back with The Open since missing the cut in 2015. That was just her second time in 19 previous attempts at the tournament that he has missed the cut at The Open Championship.
Prediction
Jon Rahm looks a good fit for the links. He has the imagination and just such a good natural feel for the game that it should help him out and he can get himself in the running. Spieth, nor McIlroy really appeals all that much and Johnson has had a long time away from the game so can’t really be considered too hotly. Justin Rose is consistent and hasn’t been outside of the top 25 at a tournament since the Masters. He is a good price as well go back, so those are our two main threats from the leading pack for The Open Championship 2018 predictions.
We like a good golf outsider and we can’t look past Leishman to pull something out of his hat. He has some good form at The Open going and he is a decent 8/1 jolly* (betting odds taken from July 16th, 2018 at 8:13 pm) to finish in the top five this weekend at Carnoustie or you can back him as a good each-way option to five places with bet365.
