Upcoming Match-ups

2020 US Open 1st Round 3-Ball Betting Odds and Picks

Michael Harrison

by Michael Harrison in Golf

Updated Mar 5, 2021 · 10:09 AM PST

Tiger and Phil embrace
Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have intriguing odds boosts for this weekend's US Open (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire)
  • The US Open from Winged Foot Golf Club runs September 17th-20th in the year’s second major championship
  • There are plenty of marquee threesomes including Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Tony Finau
  • We’ve selected the best bets and value picks on 1st round three-ball matchups below

The US Open is finally upon us from Winged Foot Golf Club in New York ,and the course is an absolute brute – tight fairways, nasty rough and diabolical greens await he PGA Tour’s best.

Dustin Johnson is the favorite to win outright, in the US Open odds, followed by Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas.

There are plenty of fascinating three-ball matchups for the first round on Thursday, which we’ll dive into below.

Johnson/DeChambeau/Finau 1st Round 3-Ball Matchup Odds

Golfer Odds at DraftKings
Dustin Johnson +120
Bryson DeChambeau +210
Tony Finau +220

All odds taken September 15th

DJ Is on a Heater

Stop if you’ve heard this one before – Dustin Johnson is really good at golf. In his opening round, he’s competing in the same group as Bryson DeChambeau, who has cooled off after a tear that saw him post seven straight top-eight finishes, and Tony Finau, who’s been hovering around leaderboards without cashing in a victory.

DJ has gained a ridiculous 61 combined shots over the field in his last five tournaments, so it’s safe to say he’s coming in scorching hot. The US Open has also been the major he’s found his most success on, with the 2016 title and three other top-four finishes.

He’s shot in the 60’s in four of his last five first rounds, which has allowed him to win twice, and finish second twice.

Since 2015, he’s co-led at this championship twice after day one in 2015 and 2018, and was second in 2016. That, and his recent heater, suggests DeChambeau and Finau are in tough to top him.

Pick: Dustin Johnson (+120)

Thomas/Morikawa/Woods 1st Round 3-Ball Matchup Odds

Golfer Odds at DraftKings
Justin Thomas +140
Collin Morikawa +170
Tiger Woods +230

Collin Morikawa an Intriguing Option

Normally, the most recent major champion, as Collin Morikawa is from last month’s PGA Championship, would be the 3-ball favorite in his grouping. That is not the case this week, however, as Justin Thomas is coming off a T-2nd showing at the Tour Championship and also has a major title to his credit.

Morikawa won his first Wanamaker trophy on the strength of four rounds in the 60’s, including a remarkable 65-64 weekend at Harding Park. He also had a strong showing at East Lake, where he was sixth.

Before that runner-up, JT hadn’t been better than 25th in his three previous stops, and has just two rounds in the 60’s in the last eleven rounds at the majors.

Tiger Woods has been stuck in neutral since opening 2020 with a T-9 at Torrey Pines, with nothing better than a T-37 showing in five tournaments since. He’s lost shots on the greens in all five of those tourneys, making him difficult to back on the penal track that is Winged Foot.

Pick: Collin Morikawa (+170)

McIlroy/Scott/Rose 1st Round 3-Ball Matchup Odds

Golfer Odds at DraftKings
Rory McIlroy +138
Adam Scott +190
Justin Rose +210

Rose Could Be a Steal

In the last two years, Justin Rose has been a mainstay at or near the top of US Open leaderboards. In 2018, he was just two shots off the lead after 18 holes and last year at Pebble Beach, he was the outright leader after round one. Those resulted in two of the 2013 US Open champ’s five career top-10’s at this event.

Rose did better than his threesome at last month’s PGA Championship, finishing ninth, compared to Adam Scott who was T-22 and Rory McIlroy who was T-33. He gained four strokes on the field tee-to-green and seven shots on the greens.

Two weeks ago McIlroy posted his first top ten in nine events since the restart, and last year was T-9th at the US Open after missing the previous three cuts in this major.

Adam Scott has only played three times since the tour’s return, and combined, has lost shots to the field off the tee, which doesn’t bode well for this brutally tough layout.

Pick: Justin Rose (+210)

Fleetwood/Kisner/Ancer 1st Round 3-Ball Matchup Odds

Golfer Odds at DraftKings
Tommy Fleetwood +138
Kevin Kisner +200
Abraham Ancer +200

Kisner Playing Consistent Golf

If the past month is any indication, Kevin Kisner should be able to take care of his counterparts, because he’s put up six straight top-25 finishes, including a pair of top four results.

Meanwhile, Tommy Fleetwood has nothing better than a 29th place showing on the PGA Tour in his last six times competing, and Abraham Ancer has fallen into a rut, with no top-10’s since June.

Kisner has gained strokes against his competitors on the greens in six straight tournaments and did better than the other two at last month’s PGA.

Pick: Kevin Kisner (+200)

Author Image