The Open 2025: Best Bets, Top Picks and Long Shots to Watch at Royal Portrush

It always feels quite blustery when The Open takes the main stage. And that will surely be the case at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland this week.

Beating the conditions is just as important as outperforming all the other golfers. Navigating thick rough and dodging trees feel tougher when the wind starts howling at mini-cyclone levels.

Somebody will handle all the obstacles well over four days and end up holding the Claret Jug. Figuring out who is a huge chore.

Doesn’t feel like a tournament for the favorites, so perhaps a long shot will emerge. That’s a bigger craving at the moment after J.J. Spaun’s win for the ages in the recent U.S. Open.

TOP TWO DOGS BARKING LOUDLY

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (+450 to win) is looking for his second major victory of the season after winning the PGA Championship in mid-May. He also has top-10 finishes at the Masters (fourth) and U.S. Open (tied for seventh).

Scheffler has three wins on the season and has 10 consecutive top-10 finishes. That is a mighty impressive show of consistency. If you like favorites to win, he is your guy.

No. 2 Rory McIlroy would love to win The Open in his homeland, and he is coming off a tie for second at the Scottish Open. He will also feel less pressure now that he won the Masters in a playoff to end his 10-plus-year drought of falling short in majors.

McIlroy’s strong play last week — all rounds 68 or lower — point to a guy who will be in contention all week.

Pick: Rory McIlroy to finish in top five +150 (DraftKings)

SOLID CONTENDERS TO PICK FROM

Defending champion Xander Schauffele (+2500) doesn’t have the same magic he had last year when he won two majors. He has just two top-10 finishes this season, one coming at the Masters. He will be handing the jug over.

Bryson DeChambeau (+2000) imploded at the U.S. Open and shot 73-77 to miss the cut at Oakmont. However, ties for fifth at the Masters and second at the PGA Championship point to somebody who can make a spirited run.

Shane Lowry (+3500) put on a show in the 2019 The Open at Portrush when he won by six strokes. That remains his lone major victory. Lowry has missed the cut at two majors this year and tied for 42nd at the Masters, so it’s hard to see him walking off with the Claret Jug again.

That’s Tommy Fleetwood (+2800) saying, “Hey, look at me.” And yeah, Fleetwood finished second at Portrush in 2019, one of his eight top-10 finishes in majors. And, well, he has four top-five finishes this season. He’s due for the breakout major victory.

Pick: Tommy Fleetwood to win The Open +2800 (DraftKings)

LONG SHOTS APPLY HERE

We don’t see Spaun (+11000) having another miracle showing this week, but one guy that put himself on the radar is Chris Gotterup (+9000), who won the Scottish Open for his second career PGA victory. Gotterup began the year by missing eight of 12 cuts, and now he’s made nine of the past 10.

Marco Penge (+16000) plays on the European Tour, so he’s not on the radar of most American bettors. But he tied for second at the Scottish Open with four straight rounds in the 60s, so perhaps he can make another run at Portrush.

Harry Hall (+11000) has four top-10 finishes this year, including the Charles Schwab Challenge and the Travelers Championship. He’s a guy who can stick around near the top if he gets off to a strong start.

Justin Thomas (+5000) is becoming a real long shot to make cuts at majors. The two-time major champion missed cuts at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open and has gone home after two days in seven of the last 11 majors. Do not bet on him unless you’re making a prop bet on him missing another cut.

Pick: Harry Hall to finish in top 10 +600 (DraftKings)