The British Open Championship, the fourth main of the season, begins on Thursday at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England. The course performs strong and quick with little to no rain within the forecast.
Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion and favourite to win this week, together with high contenders Rory McIlroy, Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood.
Who do golf specialists assume will win? What betting recommendation does Pamela Maldonado have?
Leap forward: Pamela Maldonado’s betting and fantasy recommendation this week
Professional Suggestions
Matt Barry: matt fitzpatrick
All year long, he was seen as a candidate to win a significant, however he simply fell quick. The strong situations at Royal Birkdale, Fitzpatrick’s recreation, and the ultimate main of the season are an ideal match.
Tory Cabrera: Scotty Scheffler
Scheffler hasn’t gained for the reason that first match of the season, and has did not qualify for the primary time in almost 4 years. I hope he takes it personally (assume Michael Jordan in The Final Dance personally). Scheffler completed his main season with a revenge raise on the Claret Jug.
Michael Collins: Tyrrell Hutton
His humorous self-deprecating perspective on the golf course would not detract from his prowess and outcomes. He has completed within the high seven in two of the previous three majors in 2026, and will take inspiration from fellow countryman Aaron Rye to win his first main.
Michael Eaves: tommy fleetwood
Europe has not had a British Open Championship winner since 2019. It is lastly time for Fleetwood to win his first main championship, and it is previous that point.
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How is Tommy Fleetwood getting ready for the British Open in his hometown?
Peter Lawrence-Liddell: Rory McIlroy
McIlroy began the yr on the Masters, however why not finish it on the British Open? He has completed T-7 or higher prior to now three British Open Championships and has completed within the high 5 4 instances since 2016. He completed T-4 on the 2017 British Open at Birkdale. He drove the ball effectively finally week’s Scottish Open and if he can preserve that he will likely be in competition for a second Claret Jag.
Mark Schlabach: Collin Morikawa
The previous British Open champion has endured important again ache in current months, however continues to play championship-level golf. He hits fairways and greens, and that is going to be vital at Royal Birkdale. Morikawa’s quick recreation, particularly his placing, might want to enhance additional if he’s to boost the Claret Jug.
Marty Smith: Morikawa
The 2021 British Open champion is in nice type after ending third in his final begin at Vacationers. This week’s situations are anticipated to be strong and quick, similar to the situations he conquered at Royal St George’s in 2021. You do not have to be a bomber this week. Have to be correct. Morikawa additionally ranks second in strokes gained on strategy, fifth in fairway hits, seventh in authorized inexperienced hits, and third in common variety of birdies. That is his time.
Curtis Unusual: fitzpatrick
Chris Gotthardt is scorching, however I might select Fitzpatrick. The Englishman’s dream is to win at Royal Birkdale in England, and he could not be extra motivated than that.
Paul Ughetti: Justin Rose
Possibly I am caught up within the mistaken emotional storyline (see Fleetwood), however it may’t be helped. At Augusta earlier this yr, Rose felt a inexperienced jacket in his hand, however missed it for the second yr in a row. At Birkdale, the positioning of his British Open debut 28 years in the past the place he completed T-4 as an novice, the ambiance is at an all-time excessive and the course is about as much as enable quick gamers like Rose to not solely compete, however win. If the British participant is wanting so as to add a second main, there will not be something higher or extra believable.
Pamela Maldonado’s Picks and Recommendation of the Week
The ultimate main of the yr, the British Open Championship, returns to Royal Birkdale in Southport, England, with a brand new search for the primary time since 2017. The headliner is the course’s 7,223 yards, however size would not matter. The renovation basically modified the best way the course performs. A number of holes have been reworked, together with an improved closing stretch, requiring gamers to outlive one powerful check after one other.
What’s attention-grabbing is that whereas the yardage barely elevated, almost each gap modified, which affected the usage of technique. New bunkers and layouts enable for higher choice making as a substitute of specializing in distance.
This main is about placement. A participant who can hit a managed tee shot is prone to have a a lot simpler second shot than a participant who hits it into bunkers or into the tough.
This week’s picks and recommendation from Pamela Maldonado:
Odds by DK Sports activities Topic to vary.
My favourite to win: Rory McIlroy +850
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McIlroy talks ‘quick begin’ forward of 2026 British Open
Royal Birkdale is all about placing your self in the proper place. Fairway bunkers are situated the place you need to hit your tee shot, so this week could possibly be as a lot a course administration week as it’s a ball hitting week. McIlroy has gotten actually good at it, making his performs on the rink a lot smarter than he was earlier in his profession. Whether or not it is a driver, a 3-wood, or a protracted iron off the tee, McIlroy offers himself the proper angle to get to the inexperienced. With 4 par 4s over 450 yards and three par 3s close to 200 yards, Lowry is likely one of the greatest lengthy iron gamers within the subject. He was second from tee to inexperienced and was nice across the greens, popping out of a tie for seventh on the Scottish Open regardless of dropping a stroke on his strategy. McIlroy’s ceiling is just increased than most gamers.
My favourite guess to complete within the high 10: Matt Fitzpatrick +166
This course setting screams Fitz and checks all of the strategic bins. You do not have to hit each fairway, however you do want to present it a clear angle. Driving right into a bunker is principally a penalty. Mix good technique with excellent ball placing and also you get Fitzpatrick. He is within the high 10 on strategy, across the inexperienced, tee-to-green, and second in good drives. An excellent drive is how usually you hit a tee shot that provides you a very good likelihood in your subsequent shot (no matter whether or not it hits the golf green or not). Principally, how usually are you in good place after the tee shot? Fitzpatrick is nice at that. Hyperlinks golf calls for that high quality. As a result of it rewards good, easy-to-play tee pictures, not simply loopy accuracy.
My favourite guess on McIlroy: High previous champions +235
Strategy distances which can be anticipated to be a very powerful this week are distances of 175 yards or extra, as there will likely be a variety of second pictures with lengthy irons after gamers membership down from the tee. When the course is strong and the wind picks up, a low, penetrating shot is a superb weapon. On this course, technique and trajectory turn out to be an even bigger a part of the equation. This guess has 14 gamers as choices, with Scheffler being the favourite. McIlroy is certainly top-of-the-line gamers within the subject that Royal Birkdale is paying, so it is value a guess.
My favourite Scheffler guess: Spherical 1 rating 68.5 OVER (+102)
The course is predicted to play agency and quick, so even an excellent ball striker like Scheffler will not be hitting each pin, which inevitably leads to extra conservative golf. Moreover, he misplaced on the Scottish Open. His largest energy is his consistency over 72 holes, the place he did not blow out within the opening spherical, and based mostly on his season averages, he’ll have to carry out about 1.5 strokes higher. Plus cash is what makes this attention-grabbing.
My favourite lengthy shot: Si Woo Kim +4300
Full odds:
+142 High 20
+310 High 10
+660 High 5
Kim is my favourite knowledge match. twentieth in approaches, thirteenth in tee-to-green, 14th in accuracy, 4th in good drives, and his numbers on approaches from 175 yards or extra are spectacular. He has the kind of recreation that permits him to go 4 rounds in troublesome open situations. He completed T9 at Royal Portrush final week, gaining strokes on his putts and successful strokes on ball strikes, tee pictures and irons in 5 video games in a row. The issue is instability. Across the inexperienced, particularly placing, will be hit and miss. The Scottish Open confirmed us what he is able to if he can sink a number of putts.
Different notable bets:
Successful rating OVER 267.5 (-102)
This line is par 70, 13 underneath. Birkdale is predicted to be strong, brown and quick, making distance management tougher. The redesign added size to a number of holes, making the 14th a par 5 and the fifteenth a protracted par 3. Total, it is nonetheless meant to be a championship check slightly than a birdie fest. The climate forecast is nice, however it is going to be windy and the course will likely be even drier over the weekend. Arduous grass helps extra weight than wind pace. The course is completely different than the 2017 present, so there could also be extra tooth to maintain this one going.
fantasy golf
High DFS performs
Siu Kim, $6,900: I additionally like Fantasy Kim as a result of he can earn factors with out having to win. If the irons are on, he’ll make sufficient birdies to crush the worth, and his $6,900 wage offers him the pliability to pair up with two elite gamers with out sacrificing an excessive amount of upside.
Chris Gottapp, $8,500: He is ready to draw back from the batting lineup as a result of his benefit is gained by not solely sustaining par, but additionally by making birdies. If the drivers cooperate, it has the ability to make good use of the par 5s and rack up scores, which is precisely what you need at this value level. Accuracy is a priority, however his eleventh place in placing, T11 end on the 2026 Scottish Open, win at Renaissance Membership final yr and third at Royal Portrush reveals he clearly has a very good eye for hyperlinks golf. It is also value noting that he earns +126 for ending within the high 20. As a result of he is right here in nice form, gaining seven strokes from tee to inexperienced in back-to-back occasions.
High DFS Fade
Tommy Fleetwood, $10,500: Fleetwood might want to justify being the third-highest paid golfer. That is a distinct take than “Do you want Fleetwood this week?” sure i’ll. I like that he contends, however I do not like his betting value or DFS value as he is -132 within the high 20 and +160 within the high 10…however I see a high 20 on the cardboard. Above $10,000, I believe McIlroy has extra successful belongings, so I might slightly pay Lowry. Or save your paycheck and drop to the following degree. Fleetwood could also be top-of-the-line pure hyperlinks golfers within the subject, and his recreation could also be a very good match for Birkdale, however his shortcomings are limiting. He simply gained much less usually. His job is to try for a top-15 end.
Alex Fitzpatrick, $7,400: He is been taking part in effectively (5 within the high 20 since late April) and has nice strategy numbers (2nd within the subject). I might slightly chase extra confirmed upside. He is a strong cut-making candidate, however does he present the birdie-making ceiling I would like in massive subject codecs? Misplaced your stroke across the inexperienced and missed the lower on the Scottish Open final week? Move.
