With five additional Top-10 finishes at Bay Hill, the 2018 champion has an approach game finely tuned to complement Rory McIlroy’s exceptional distance off the tee. Not only is the design by Dick Wilson and Joe Lee a genuine challenge that favors those with course knowledge and experience, but Bay Hill also stands out as one of the most predictive venues on the PGA Tour. In fact, the champion has been among the Top 3 in true strokes gained tee-to-green in three out of the last five years. Bay Hill’s demand for numerous long approaches—49.95% from 175 yards or greater in 2025—combined with the potential impact of gusty Florida winds, underscores the historical importance of elite tee-to-green performance for achieving success.

Let’s delve into the details to determine who might don the most coveted green jacket in sports history this year. Furthermore (having only participated in two major betting and predictions championships), Svensson failed to make the cut at the 2024 Open. This season, Viktor Hovland is positioned second on tour in strokes gained approach and holds the 25th spot in total strokes gained. While it would have been preferable for Dean Burmester to arrive at Royal Portrush in better form — this is also the reason we have found a favorable number in this market. Following a T2 finish at the Genesis and a T6 at the Travelers, he has shown true strokes gained across all metrics in both events.

Previewing Betting for the British Open: Predictions, Selections, and Odds for Royal Birkdale

• A lefty hasn’t won the Masters since Bubba Watson’s second green jacket in 2014, but Bhatia will be my pick from this year’s contingent.
• The 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational is being played at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida.
• The Swede has the distance and tee-to-green game to conquer this course, and Ludvig Aberg will also be playing this event for the fourth time following three straight Top 25s here.
• Last year’s result was despite losing 0.48 strokes off the tee per round, and he’s corrected that this season with 0.60 strokes gained per round.
• There are also variations on the usual starting procedure where everyone begins from the first tee and plays all holes in order, through to the eighteenth.
• The 2018 Masters champion has achieved a top 4 finish at this venue in two of the last three years, despite not playing at the same level as he has so far in 2026.

The 2026 championship course is listed as a par 70 measuring 7,223 yards. The venue last staged the championship in 2017, when Jordan Spieth survived a dramatic final round to defeat Matt Kuchar. The 154th Open Championship will be played from Thursday (July 16), through Sunday, July 19, at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England. His natural links-game instincts (left-handed shot shape), and ability to play in changing conditions give him a reliable placement ceiling. He grew up near Royal Birkdale (has extensive links experience), and does not need to carry the pressure of a winner-only ticket for the bet to cash. Robert MacIntyre is the preferred top-20 selection, while Tom Kim deserves placement consideration after winning the Genesis Scottish Open with a bogey-free final-round 64.

It is a par-72 of 7,565 yards that plays longer than its listed yardage. Winners of tournaments on the PGA Tour between the 2025 Masters and the 2026 Masters The greatest legends in the history of golf have graced these grounds over the years. The Masters is the only major championship played at the same venue each year. After his Grand Slam in 1930, Jones acquired the former plant nursery and co-designed Augusta National with course architect Alister MacKenzie.

Speaking of form (perhaps no one is in better form than 2023 Masters champion Jon Rahm (11-1)), who has played only five events overseas to start the LIV Golf season. Though he missed the cut in last week’s DP World Tour Hero Indian Open as his final tune-up for the Masters he had a run of five straight finishes of T-16 or better on the PGA Tour that included his win in the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The 34-year-old is also in terrific form with consecutive top-15 finishes in his two most recent starts.

Variations include the popular Stableford scoring system, and various team formats. There are many variations in scoring and playing formats in the game of golf, some officially defined in the Rules of Golf. Factors affecting the calculation include altitude — gradient of the land from the tee to green, and forced “lay-ups” due to dog-legs (sharp bends) or obstacles (e.g. bunkers, water hazards).

Golf Picks This Week

Hall’s form may not be on the same level as Gotterup, Bridgeman, and Marco Penge, but his game should suit the Masters more than any other debutant. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a player in this range with better course history than Conners. I’ll happily take 40/1 on a player with a win, three top-10s, and nine top-25 finishes in his career at Augusta. We’ll start at the top (work our way down to the long shots), and then share some props and fades to get you set up for a tradition unlike any other. Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau are in terrific form, but they’re still plying their trade on LIV, and who knows how much to read into those results. McIlroy’s Masters career scoring average , 71.45, is the best among anyone in this year’s field (min. 50 rounds).

DeChambeau has won back-to-back LIV events in Singapore and South Africa, where he defeated Rahm in the playoff. Bryson DeChambeau (11-1) got his first taste of what it was like to be in contention on Masters Sunday and briefly held the lead last year while in the final pairing with McIlroy before finishing T-5. However, he does have a victory and three runners-up in five events with an average finish of 2.4. Rory McIlroy (12-1) arrives with his own cargo in tow, his green jacket and Champions Dinner menu as McIlroy finally completed the career Grand Slam and won the Masters for the first time last year. The reigning PGA and British Open champion had a historic season in 2025, and he has been a little down from that to start the 2026 campaign.

Enter your bet amount and an unlimited number of bets in any odds format. Justin Thomas is a former winner at Quail Hollow, and he is among Ryan Pohle’s top betting picks for the Truist Championship this week. With events sometimes containing 100+ participants, it’s not uncommon for golf betting sites to offer lofty odds. Redeem any of the best sportsbook promos detailed below to activate generous sign-up bonuses and offers to use on this week’s golf betting odds.

The 2025 season for Schauffele was plagued by injuries, yet it included a late-season victory at the Baycurrent Classic in Japan as well as top-10 finishes at the Masters and British Open.

After finishing tied for seventh at the Scottish Open, McIlroy closed with an impressive round of 64. His controlled European-style play (a strong short game), and the capability to excel in challenging conditions make him a valuable asset in top-20 or top-30 markets. He secured victory at the 2017 Open held at Royal Birkdale, following one of the championship’s most unforgettable final rounds. A top-20 wager enables bettors to capitalize on Kim’s recent performance without the necessity for him to replicate the best showing in the field.

Important statistics and player profiles to focus on

He is playing a full-time schedule on the DP World Tour — where he is a lifetime member. Dating to last September, Lee has six top-10s in his last two starts. However, he is playing his best golf in the last several years. However, he started to roll it better once the “West Coast Swing” ended. It seems like he is starting to peak at the right time and that he is going to win another big one very soon, and it could be this week. He has finished inside the top 10 at Augusta National in five of the last seven years.