British Open Predictions & Best Bets

• The 153rd British Open tees off Thursday from Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland
• Matthew Fitzpatrick has gained 9+ strokes tee-to-green in each of his last two starts
• See my British Open Predictions and Best Bets below

The British Open, aka the last star-studded, full-field tournament of the season, tees off Thursday, and I’m armed with three bets to make before action gets underway. The year’s final Major will be contested at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, a track that demands precision off the tee and a crafty arsenal around the greens.

Online sportsbooks have marked the occasion with a full arsenal of Open Championship markets to bet on, and I’ve included my three favorite wagers below, plus the analysis behind them.

British Open Best Bets

You can’t have a golf betting card without at least one outright selection, and the bet that’s most enticing to me in that market is Matt Fitzpatrick at +5500.

I’m also targeting Xander Schauffele, last year’s Open Championship winner, to finish inside the top-20, as well as Sam Burns to finish higher than Corey Conners over the course of 72 holes.

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Odds as of July 16 at DraftKings and FanDuel.

British Open Prediction #1: Matt Fitzpatrick Gets a Second Major

• Matt Fitzpatrick to Win (+5500)

Fitzy enters the week trending in the right direction. He’s fresh off 17th, 8th and 4th place finishes over his last three starts, gaining 9+ strokes tee-to-green in his past two events. Fitzpatrick was a popular outright selection last week in Scotland, and he gave bettors a big sweat by finishing inside the top 5.

The Englishman is a former Major winner and has claimed multiple trophies at Links venues over the course of his career. He’s a world-class scrambler and has also won at Harbour Town, another track that demands accuracy and puts a premium on short game play.

Matt Fitzpatrick Strokes Gained Ranks – Last 8 Rounds

Fitzpatrick posted a top-20 the last time the British Open was held at Royal Portrush, and has the steady game to navigate this trick track. He’s currently riding some of the best ball striking form of his career, gaining 3.5+ strokes in that metric in every start over the last month, and posted an 8th-place result earlier this season at the PGA Championship.

Open Championship Prediction #2: Xander Schauffele Top-20

• Xander Schauffele Top-20 (+105)

Pop quiz: Name the most consistent player over the last 14 Majors. Spoiler alert, it’s not Scottie Scheffler or Rory McIlroy. The answer is Xander Schauffele. Last year’s champ has finished inside the top-20 in 13 of his last 14 Majors, and is trending in the right direction.

After a slow start to 2025, Xander has finished T-20 or better in six of his past nine starts, with top-12 results at both the US Open and the Masters. He’s fresh off an 8th-place finish in Scotland, where he led the field in strokes gained approach and was third in driving distance.

The two-time Major champ has finished 17th or better in three straight Open Championships, and has experience at Royal Portrush after the making the cut here in 2019. I’m running, not walking, to the window to snatch up this bet at plus-money odds.

British Open Prediction #3: Burns Takes Down Conners

• Sam Burns over Corey Conners (-105)

Last, but not least, give me Sam Burns over Corey Conners. The Canadian is still dealing with a wrist injury and was not sharp in his first action back last weekend in Scotland. Burns, meanwhile, is playing his best golf of the season. He’s finished inside the top-20 in seven of his past nine starts, with two top-8 results, including a runner-up.

Conners, when healthy, may have the advantage in ball striking over Burns, but it’s no contest who boasts the better short game. Burns has gained over three strokes scrambling in six of his past eight starts. He’s also one of the best putters in the world on slow greens, which is a trait of Royal Portrush.

Players are going to miss greens early and often this week, as the square footage of the putting surfaces is incredibly small. Scrambling is where Burns will separate himself from Conners, and pull out the head-to-head victory.