Editor’s Note – This is a golf betting preview from my internet buddy @ClayborneTayl0r. It is the 4th installment he’s prepared for us and each one is absolutely outstanding. He knows so much about golf and is a very good follow/blogger. We’ve come extremely close to hitting big ones all year and I think this weekend we finally get one. Follow him for more golf analysis. The guy rocks. @ClayborneTayl0r
The fourth and final Major Championship of the year gets under way this Thursday at Royal Portrush inNorthern Ireland where golf’s biggest test will be on full display. TV coverage for the 2025 Open Championship will be exclusively broadcasted by NBC. Streaming coverage of the 2025 Open Championship will be available via Peacock,NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Peacock will provide exclusive early coverage for Thursday’s first round and Friday’s second round.We are heading into the Open red hot with wins this month on Rocket Classic Winner, Aldrich Potegeiter (+10000)& Scottish Open, Winner Chris Gotterup (+11000).
Course Preview: Royal Portrush
- Par 71 • 7,381 yards
Crafted by Harry Colt, the course is a true coastal style with undulating fairways, deep pot bunkers, dune fed rough, and unpredictable onshore breezes. - Layout quirks
Nonlinear as each hole funnels into dunes differently across the course forcing players to adapt strategy continually as wind swings on a hole-by-hole basis. - Signature challenges
- The famed Calamity Corner par 3 16th hole.Demanding precision near water and dunes.
- Pot bunkers and emphasis on errant tee shots.Strong driving and iron play are premium assets.
- The famed Calamity Corner par 3 16th hole.Demanding precision near water and dunes.
- Historic pedigree
Site of The Open in 1951 and 2019, it’s one of the premier venues in the sport. Course record: 63 (Shane Lowry, 2019)
Keys to Victory
- Ball‑striking mastery: Drives must avoid punishing dunes/bunkers found throughout the course.
- Projectile control: Lower trajectory shots help combat wind. Greens are trickier due to slow speed and sloped surfaces.
- Weather & tee draw: Weather may shift dramatically mid‑round.Tee times could shape scoring advantages by large margins.
- Links IQ: Experience on true links courses. Proven adaptability to bounce, wind and firm conditions is essential for success.
Royal Portrush delivers a bracing test of shotmaking, strategy, and mental grit. A likely diverse leaderboard as we’ve seen in recent Opens.
- Weather and tee times may be the ultimate wildcards for predicting success this week as wind and scoring conditions will play the biggest factor in crowning a Champion
Tournament Details:
- Dates: Thu–Sun, 17–20 July 2025.
- Playoff: Three-hole aggregate playoff (1st, 13th, 18th), then sudden death.
Key Storylines & Contenders:
Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland)
- Homecoming Hero: McIlroy shot a 61 here as a 16 year old in 2005.
- Pressure & passion: Following his Masters triumph and career grand slam, public and personal expectations are sky high for the 36 year old veteran.
- McIlroy arrives with momentum after a strong T2 finish last week at the Scottish Open. With that being said the pressure is immense playing in Northern Ireland as the hometown favorite.
Defending Champion – Xander Schauffele:
- Open Champion in 2024 outlasting Justin Rose,Billy Horschel,Thriston Lawrence & others. Elite ballstriking suits firm,windy links course conditions.
- His putting has been shaky at times. Missed birdie opportunities at the Scottish Open underline volatility since his rib injury but his recent form is strong after an impressive Sunday finish in Scotland backdooring a top 10.
Top Contender (Betting Favorite) – Scottie Scheffler:
- One of the world’s most consistent drivers and iron players coming off T8 finish at the Scottish Open.
- Putting concerns persist, but consensus favorites across all sportsbooks and analysts.
Jon Rahm – No Major Victories Since Joining LIV Tour:
- Proven on links courses (Irish Open winner in 2017 & 2019) The consensus top LIV contender entering the Open Championship per major sportsbooks.
- Thrives in mixed winds,longterm comfort on links gives him an edge over inexperienced links players.
Shane Lowry – Can History Repeat Itself?
2019 champion at Royal Portrush beating Tommy Fleetwood by six strokes. Skipped the Scottish Open to focus on Portrush.
Sepp Straka, Justin Rose, Viktor Hovland,Jason Day, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood. All in the mix based on form and links suitability .
Keys to Winning at Portrush
- Precision off the tee: Avoid pot bunkers & thick rough at all costs.
- Elite iron play: Firm fairways require accurate, low trajectory shots that will be less affected by strong winds.
- Link golf IQ: Managing bounce, wind, and strategic play is crucial.
- Putting adaptation: Slower greens demand patience and precision.
- Weather & tee times: Wind shifts may reward late or early groups.
2025 Open Championship odds, favorites
(*odds subject to change*)
Scottie Scheffler +470
Rory McIlroy +700
Jon Rahm +1200
Bryson DeChambeau +2000
Tommy Fleetwood +2800
Ludvig Aberg +2800
Shane Lowry +3000
Tyrrell Hatton +3300
Xander Schauffele +2500
Viktor Hovland +3300
Robert MacIntyre +2700
Collin Morikawa +3100
Matt Fitzpatrick +3800
Sepp Straka +6000
Joaquin Niemann +4400
Adam Scott +5000
Justin Rose +8000
Ryan Fox +5000
Justin Thomas +5000
Sam Burns +5500
Patrick Cantlay +5500
Brooks Koepka +5500
Russell Henley +5500
Jordan Spieth +6000
Cameron Young +6000
Hideki Matsuyama +6500
Ben Griffin +6500
Patrick Reed +6500
Harry Hall +6500
Thomas Detry +7500
Max Homa +8000
Cameron Smith +8000
J.J. Spaun +8000
Jason Day +9000
Brian Harman +9500
Corey Conners +9500
Aaron Rai +9500
Min Woo Lee +9500
Si Woo Kim +10000
Keegan Bradley +10000
Davis Thompson +10000
Christiaan Bezuidenhout +10000
Rasmus Hojgaard +10000
Thriston Lawrence +10000
Nicolai Hojgaard +11000
Padraig Harrington +11000
Dean Burmester +11000
Maverick McNealy +11000
Rickie Fowler +11000
Wyndham Clark +11000
Alex Noren +11000
Victor Perez +11000
Tom Kim +11000
Sungjae Im +11000
Harris English +11000
Matt Wallace +12000
Akshay Bhatia +12000
Tony Finau +12000
Marco Penge +12000
Aldrich Potgieter +12000
Lucas Herbert +12000
Daniel Brown +13000
Louis Oosthuizen +13000
Tom McKibbin +13000
Bud Cauley +15000
Dustin Johnson +17000
John Catlin +18000
Jordan Smith +18000
Byeong Hun An +18000
Matthew Jordan +18000
Lee Westwood +18000
Phil Mickelson +19000
Sahith Theegala +20000
Chris Kirk +20000
Thorbjorn Olesen +21000
Abraham Ancer +21000
J.T. Poston +21000
Gary Woodland +21000
Kurt Kitayama +21000
Tom Hoge +21000
Denny McCarthy +21000
Romain Langasque +21000
Austin Eckroat +21000
Adrian Meronk +25000
Matthieu Pavon +25000
John Parry +25000
Guido Migliozzi +27000
Mackenzie Hughes +27000
Matteo Manassero +27000
Adam Hadwin +27000
Zach Johnson +27000
Ewen Ferguson +27000
Eric Cole +27000
Brendon Todd +27000
Henrik Stenson +32000
Lucas Glover +32000
Francesco Molinari +32000
Daniel Young +32000
Angel Hidalgo +32000
Oliver Lindell +32000
Sampson Zheng +32000
Brian Campbell +32000
Sean Crocker +42000
Justin Walters +42000
Nathan Kimsey +42000
Connor Graham +50000
Jacob Skov Olesen +50000
John Axelsen +75000
Sebastian Cave +85000
Curtis Knipes +85000
George Bloor +85000
John Daly +100000
Justin Leonard +100000
Ernie Els +100000
Stewart Cink +100000
Darren Clarke +100000
Todd Hamilton +100000
With that being said, let’s dive into my 2025 Open Championship selections…
Jon Rahm:+1200
Elite iron precision and solid form in majors are ideal for challenging links such as Portrush.Links pedigree in the past(2x Irish Open winner),and two time Major Champion. Comfortable in high winds and firm layout. Despite being winless in Majors since joining LIV, he remains one of the most complete ball strikers in the field.
Xander Schauffele:+2500
Standout iron play, proven by his 2024 Open victory.Ranks highly in approach (+0.77 SG APP), and is among the most consistent major performers of the past five years. Strong showing last week with a T8 at last week’s Scottish Open.
Ludvig Aberg:+2800
- Elite iron play (+0.65 APP) vital for navigating tight fairways and firm approach lies.
- Consistent putting (+0.77)crucial on fast, undulating links greens.
- Momentum on similar courses. Solid performance at Scottish Open builds confidence ahead of Portrush.
- One of the tour’s best iron players (+0.65 SG APP) and elite putter (+0.77 SG PUTT). Finished T8 at the Scottish Open last week despite some shakiness at times.
Tyrrell Hatton:+3000
- 2025 LIV SG: Total +0.63 (5th), OTT +0.29 (9th), APP +0.34 (11th), PUTT –0.01 (27th)
Why he can win: Excellent overall links player and decent strokes gained metrics. Solid Major performer with recent strong form in big events.Top 5 in LIV SG Total (+0.63), with strength OTT (+0.29) and on approach (+0.34). With LIV’s limited fields, I value Hatton’s link history over inflated field average statistics.
Shane Lowry:+3000
- 2025 PGA Tour: APP +0.90 (3rd), PUTT +0.14 (76th).
Why he can win: Strong tee to green iron game, top 3 in approach. As the 2019 Portrush Champion,course knowledge is invaluable.Still statistically sharp in 2025 with SG APP (+0.90).Deep course familiarity and elite ball control in windy conditions will be one of his biggest advantages heading into the week.
Viktor Hovland:+3300
- Last 5 events: SG Total +4.584 avg, SG Put +0.617 avg
Why he can win: Balanced SG profile with hot putting and consistent total SG. Major contender with a calm mindset looking to break through as a Major Champion. Averaging +4.58 SG total over the last five events, with +0.62 SG putting. Strong in all phases and now a seasoned contender. His balance of power and finesse makes him a danger in any major, especially on a course demanding both. His neck injury does not concern me after showing great recent form in last week’s Scottish Open where he finished T11.
Sepp Straka:+6000
- Recent Form: +3.7 total SG over last 5 events, +1.6 APP, +1.4 PUTT.
Why he can win: In form with strong recent SG across multiple phases and a credible Open runner-up history (Royal Liverpool 2023).This past week at the Scottish Open, Straka played incredibly well carding a 64,69,70,67 on his way to a 7th place.
Justin Rose:+8000
- 2025 PGA Tour: SG OTT –0.123 (130th); Driving Distance 300 yd (89th)
Why he can win: Despite underwhelming season averages, Justin Rose is always a threat. With runner up finishes at the event last year and the 2025 Masters,Rose has shown he is still a legitimate Major Contenter at the age of 44. With a top 10 in last week’s Scottish Open, Rose is showing great recent form on links style courses. His veteran savvy is known for precise iron play, links IQ, and strategic discipline.
Follow me on X @claybornetayl0r for free weekly golf betting cards.
2024 Results(8): Scottie Scheffler +550, Davis Thompson +2400, Xander Schauffele +1440, Matsuyama +3300, Scottie Scheffler +360, Collin Morikawa (w/o Scottie Market) +1400, Scottie Scheffler +389, Rory Mcilroy +400.
2025 Results(3): Harman +7500, Ryan Fox +6500, Chris Gotterup +11000.