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British Open odds 2024: Our PGA pro’s favorite value bets for Royal Troon
Editor's Note: This article is published in partnership with Read The Line, a Golf Digest content partner.
Gregory Shamus
The odds board flipped this morning in preparation for the British Open. I didn’t see much movement at the top of the board, but those who played well in the Scottish Open were adjusted in advance of our 10th trip to Royal Troon for The Open. We certainly have to start with Robert MacIntyre, the man of the year in Scotland. Now a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, his outright odds prior to today were 65-1. Bobby Mac’s odds this morning are 40-1!
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Much like the stock market, if you wanted MacIntyre this week, you should have grabbed him once that final birdie putt was tracking for the hole on Sunday afternoon. Runner-up Adam Scott only dropped from 80-1 to 75-1, which may represent some betting value. You’ll need to drive the ball well this week, and Adam has been excellent with the big stick. Three men qualified and extended the field to 159 yesterday: Richard Mansell, Alex Noren and Aaron Rai. Rai’s recent play catches our attention the most. He opened at 70-1.
We grabbed Aaron on Monday last week, and it almost cashed. His Sunday 63 helped him climb that stellar leader board to finish T-4. Rai not a big enough name for you? Keep in mind, Brian Harman finished T-12 at the Scottish last year before he captured the claret jug. Our Golf Digest experts Chris Powers and Steve Hennessey have weighed in on our weekly video. Do you agree with their takes)?
I am running to the window to grab Tony Finau at +5000. Finau has finished T-18 or better in his past five starts. That run of events includes the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open. Tony was ranked 30th in the world eight weeks ago, he’s now 18th and still climbing. I haven’t even got to the best part, Finau has finished strong in The Open. In seven starts competing for the claret jug, Tony has taken home six top-30 results. His trajectory control, underrated short game, and the slower greens give him a great chance at Royal Troon’s Old Course.
Watch the below video for our favorite bets and players we're fading for the 2024 British Open:
Scottie Scheffler is the favorite, but at +500 is too much of a risk. His odds would need to be double for me to take the bait. Troon is going to turn into a lag putting and inside 10 feet flatstick contest. Putting just like Pinehurst? Time to fade the favorite at that number and watch another ball-striker (like Henrik Stenson) take it home at Troon.
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Keith Stewart is a five-time award-winning PGA professional, a betting contributor and content partner with Golf Digest and founder of Read The Line, the premier on-site live golf betting insights service covering the LPGA and PGA Tour. Subscribe to Read The Line’s weekly newsletter here and raise your golf betting acumen. Keith's winning content can also be found on SportsGrid, Bleacher Report and The Sporting News. Follow him on Twitter @readtheline_.