First Rounder Leader Odds and Picks for 2020 US Open

• The US Open runs Thursday September 17th-20th from historic Winged Foot Golf Club in New York on NBC and Golf Channel
• Dustin Johnson is favored to be the first round leader over Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas
• See the best bets and odds to grab the first round lead in the article below 

The season’s second major is upon us as the world’s best try to tame the brute that is Winged Foot Golf Club in New York. The last major championship was contested on this track in 2006, and the winning score was five-over par – Colin Montgomerie was the only player under par after the opening day.

With his red hot play entering the week, Dustin Johnson finds himself as the favorite to capture his second career US Open trophy, and third win in his last five starts.

In this article, we’ll explore which players have the best chance of being the leader after day one for this prestigious championship.

2020 US Open First Round Leader Odds

Odds taken September 14th

The forecast is expected to be sunny throughout the day, with winds not wreaking much havoc with gusts only expected to get to ten miles per hour.

A benefit for those playing in the morning is the exact same as it is every week – less bumpy greens with fewer players chewing them up.

DJ Historically Starts Hot at US Open’s

It would hardly constitute a hot take to expect Dustin Johnson to keep his stellar play going given the fact that he’s won twice and finished runner-up twice in his last four events.

He’s also gained a whopping 61 shots on the field in his last five events so to say he’s on a heater is an understatement.

Since Aug. 9, Dustin Johnson has made $18,713,500 in on-course earnings.

— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelGolf) September 7, 2020

DJ has started off guns-blazing at this championship in recent years too, having been a co-leader after the first rounds in 2015 and 2018, and was just one shot off the pace in 2016 – the year he won his first US Open title.

With the course being extremely penal and the rough very thick, it’s imperative to strike the ball well more than most tournaments, and Johnson is ninth in strokes gained: tee-to-green this year.

He’s the favorite to be first round leader and outright winner for a reason, and at +1800, you’re still getting solid enough value.

Pick: Dustin Johnson (+1800)

Schauffele Plays Very Well at USGA Events

In just three US Open’s, Xander Schauffele has been stellar, finding himself in the mix in all of them with T-3rd, T-5th and T-6th results.

He also played the entire 2019-20 campaign posting top-25 finishes in 16 of 18 events.

Xander Schauffele ranks in the U.S. Open, last 3 years:

SG Putting: 1st
Birdies/eagles: T-2nd
SG Off the Tee: 3rd
Proximity to hole: 3rd

— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) September 14, 2020

He ranked a very respectable T-18th in first round scoring for the 2019-20 season, and has shot 69 or better in seven of his last ten opening rounds on tour.

Add on the fact that the X-Man ranked seventh in strokes gained tee-to-green and eighth off-the-tee – it’s hard to overlook Schauffele this week.

Pick: Xander Schauffele (+2900)

Don’t Forget About DeChambeau

Bryson DeChambeau has cooled off following a torrid stretch that saw him post seven straight top eight finishes including a victory at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

Since then, he’s had just one top ten finish, but that was a T-4 at this year’s first major at the PGA Championship.

"That's where I wanna be."

344-yard carry. Right where @B_DeChambeau wants it. pic.twitter.com/kqpH7FeLAS

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) September 8, 2020

DeChambeau was third in first round scoring average in 2019-20, so he’s no stranger to getting off to fast starts. With his play not as dominant as it was earlier, his FRL odds have dipped to +4000 which is very enticing.

The 2019 Masters first round co-leader has gained strokes on the field off-the-tee in a whopping 19 straight events, which bodes well for his success at Winged Foot. He was first in that category for the year and also was tenth in putting which could be a dominant combo.

Pick: Bryson DeChambeau (+4000)

Past Champion Martin Kaymer Returning to Form

It’s hard to believe that Martin Kaymer hasn’t won anywhere in the world since his dominant eight shot romp at the 2014 US Open, but the German has started to put the pieces back together in 2020.

Just last month he found himself a shot off the lead at the PGA Championship after day one before a stunningly poor second round saw him tumble down the board.

🥉 3rd last week
🥈 2nd this week

Martin Kaymer has finished in the top three in consecutive starts for just the second time since 2010. pic.twitter.com/H9ZsbAitho

— GOLFTV (@GOLFTV) September 6, 2020

Kaymer is coming into this championship on the heels of two heartbreaking missed opportunities, missing out on a playoff by one shot in two straight European Tour events. That’s a part of six of nine events this year that he’s been inside the top 16.

At +9000 odds, you can do far worse than a player who’s shown in the past he’s world class with two major titles and a Players Championship to his credit.

Pick: Martin Kaymer (+9000)