Preview and picks for the 152nd Open Championship

The final major of 2024 is the 152st Open Championship at Royal Troon in Scotland. The British Open is the oldest golf championship and draws major betting action at the leading online sportsbooks. That includes BetOnline, who has a free British Open predictor contest.

I've chipped in Open Championship coverage including odds, course guide along with British Open picks and top golfers generating the most betting action in my Open Championship and golf coverage in Forbes. 

Fewer picks this year, but we'll fire at some tournament matchups again, and add any round-by-round picks on X (@FairwayJay).

In the 2022 Open Championship coverage here at Off Shore Gaming Association, we found the sweet spot with not only the outright winner on Cameron Smith, but 4-0 on tournament match-ups posted at OSGA. Then last year in the 2023 edition of the British Open we went 1-2 with a winner on McIlroy over Scheffler and a 1-stroke loser. 

Recall we hit some big scores in the 2024 U.S. Open with three big underdogs McIlroy, Schauffele and Morikawa all beating Scheffler, and also Fleetwood over Koepka. Our Masters matchups were 2-1 and PGA Championship 2-3 with a 1-stroke loser on McIlroy over Scheffler after Rory hit two balls in the water on the back 9 Sunday. 

Let's take a swing again and see if we can cut through the wind and rain and make some more birdies British Open style. 

Open Championship Stats and Notes

Ten of the last 12 Open Championship winners had at least one top-10 finish in the British Open before winning. Cameron Smith did not in 2022 with a best T20 in four previous British Open's until hoisting the Claret Jug. And Collin Morikawa won on debut in 2021. Last year, Brian Harman won by 6-strokes at long odds of near 100/1, and he had a T6 finish in 2022. 

Open Championship Matchups And Picks

Check out the dozens of head-to-head tournament match-ups offered at BetOnline and BookMaker, which also offer match-up odds laying -1.5 strokes and live betting options. 

- Rory McIlroy (+132) over Scottie Scheffler (-166)
- Tom McKibbin (-114) over Billy Horschel (-116)
- Adam Scott (+108) over Joaquin Niemann (-138) 

I'm high on Tommy Fleetwood again, and McIlroy among the top favorites. Fleetwood finished top-10 on The Open in three of the last four years including 2nd in 2019 and T4 in 2022. I bet Fleetwood (-110) in a Round 1 matchup over Aberg. Check back for any additions or follow on X for any daily matchups. 

FairwayJay is a proven sports handicapper including in golf. FairwayJay chips in additional sports betting coverage and reporting on industry news and events. Follow FairwayJay here at osga and on X: @FairwayJay for more betting insights.