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The Open Golf Tips & Picks
The final men’s major championship of the year is here, as the world’s best golfers descend upon Royal Liverpool Golf Club for the Open. Four days of gruelling, competitive golf in tricky, windy conditions lie ahead to decide who is the Champion Golfer of the Year, covered below in our The Open Golf Tips.
Situated in northwest England, Royal Liverpool Golf Club, or Hoylake as it’s affectionately known, last hosted the Open in 2014 when Rory McIlroy took home the Claret Jug to capture the third major title of his career. Like most courses that host the Open, Hoylake is situated on the coast, meaning that the wind can play a significant factor. This type of golf, known as link golf, requires tactical thinking, creativity and precision unlike most golfing tests but should provide the perfect arena for a breathtaking spectacle of golfing brilliance.
This year’s tournament takes place from Thursday 20th July to Sunday 23rd July and every shot is available to watch on Sky Sports and online via Sky Go. Here are some of our best free Open Golf tips for the tournament including a home favourite at 22/1 to a past major champion at 66/1.
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2023 The Open Betting Preview: Scheffler the man to beat
With Open championship courses, the key to good scoring often lies in positioning the ball in the right place, whether that be off the tee or approaching the green. At Hoylake, missing the narrow fairways comes at a cost. With a baked course and punishing run-off areas, if players are out of position the ball can roll into deep, pot bunkers or, worse, knee-high fescue that leaves you with no option but to hack out.
Accurate players should thrive and with that in mind, it’s hard to look past world number one, Scottie Scheffler. He may not have the results, of recent, but his underlying stats back up his borderline-ridiculous consistency. He’ll be high up in the betting markets but is hard to look past for good reason. Elsewhere on the oddsheet, Xander Schauffele is a man that offers some interest. He’s yet to capture his first major but has a good track record on similar courses and tends to perform best when it reaches major season. If you are looking closer to home, then Tommy Fleetwood will offer up some value. The English golfer is local to the course and has the game and course fit to thrive in the tough links conditions.
One man who has yet to break through at the elite stage is Min Woo Lee but the Aussie, who is known for his remarkable ball-striking ability and has enjoyed a breakout year on the PGA Tour, will be eyeing up this course as one that fits his style of play. Staying with Australia, 2013 Masters Champion Adam Scott is someone to consider if you’re looking at an outside bet. The 42-year-old nearly captured the Claret Jug in 2012 before a dramatic collapse down the closing stretch but has the iron play and experienced head to navigate a challenging Hoylake course.
Scottie Scheffler to win – 10/1
The world number one last won a tournament in March but rather ironically, in the three months since that win, Scheffler has been playing the best golf of his life from tee to green. He has finished in the top ten in the last three majors and his average strokes gained per round in that time period has been 3.55 – more than 1.5 more than anyone else in that same period.
Those numbers are simply preposterous but the American has been let down by one thing – the putter. He’s been well below average on the greens in that time frame which has ultimately cost him victory. However, there are some slow signs in recent tournaments that his fortune with the flat stick is improving. Even at his odds, he still represents a wise bet because chances are, come Sunday, he’ll be in the hunt.
The Open
20th July
start time 6:30 Scottie ScheffleXander Schauffele to win – 22/1
The Olympic champion already has two top-ten finishes in the first three majors of the year and, despite a disappointing end to the US Open, still comes into the Open as one of the top five players in the world this year, according to strokes-gained metrics. His win at the Scottish Open last year also showed that the American has the temperament and technical prowess to shine on links courses.
At the Open last year, Schaffuele finished in a tie for 15th but has also finished as high as second, in 2018. He’s another, like Scheffler, who thrives when the conditions get tougher and should be primed to make another run at the Claret Jug this year.
The Open
20th July start time 6:30 Xander SchauffeleTommy Fleetwood to win – 22/1
Fleetwood was born and raised in Southport, just a 50-minute drive up the coast from Royal Liverpool Golf Club. The Englishman ended a three-year winless run with a victory at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in November last year and now arrives at his local course in the best form of the season.
Having lost in a playoff at the Canadian Open in June, the 32-year-old went on to finish T5 at the US Open later that month while also becoming the first player to shoot 63 twice at the tournament with his seven-under-par final round.
Having finished in a tie for fourth last year at St Andrews, support for the local lad is expected to be strong this week. He has the ball-striking ability to thrive on a coastal course like Hoylake and finally has the form coming into the tournament that has evaded him over the past few years.
The Open
20th July start time 6:30 Tommy FleetwoodMin Woo Lee to win – 40/1
You would be hard-pressed to find an individual that makes golf seem cooler than Min Woo Lee. Brother of two-time major champion, Minjee Lee, the big-hitting Aussie’s unique look, social media presence and golfing game have won the 24-year-old plenty of fans in his breakout year on the PGA Tour.
Known for his long distance off the tee, Min Woo also has superb control with his irons which makes him a great fit for an Open Championship course like Hoylake. With four top-20 finishes in his last five events, including a T5 at last month’s US Open, he is in great form and at 40/1 is an unmissable price to make the next step in his career and claim a major victory.
The Open
20th July start time 6:30 Min Woo LeeAdam Scott to win – 66/1
A veteran at this stage of his career, Adam Scott may not be one of the names that springs to mind immediately as we enter Open championship week but the Aussie may well be worth an outside look this week.
With five top-tens at the Open, the Australian has the game to get it done in links conditions and will tee it up at Hoylake after an impressive stretch of form that has seen the 43-year-old record three top-tens in his last six starts. The putter is hot in recent weeks and at 66/1, you’ll struggle to find anyone else with as much major experience and a better golfing fit for links golf.
The Open
20th July start time 6:30 Adam ScottBut the betting opportunities do not just lie in the winner plays, with plenty of additional markets offering great value to the punter. If you are looking for know-how, look no further than Shane Lowry, a man who has won this tournament before – back in 2019 – and will be hoping to back up his impressive Major season with a performance on a golf course that suits his creative style.
Further down the odds list, there are plenty of golfers who could well spring a surprise at the top of the leaderboard come Sunday. One such name is Brian Harman who finished runner-up at the US Open in 2017. The diminutive American has found some form of late and the need for accuracy and precision around Hoylake could suit the left-hander’s game perfectly. Another is Ewen Ferguson who impressed in tough conditions last week at the Scottish Open and will fancy his chances around a course that he has previously won on during his junior career.
Shane Lowry top GB and Ireland player – 9/1
There have been few better golf stories in recent years than that of Shane Lowry’s 2019 Open victory. In front of his home fans at Portrush, the Irishman romped to a six-shot victory to claim the famous Claret Jug and his first major. He looks like a value bet for our The Open golf tips.
Since that victory, Lowry has gone on to further cement his status as one of the best golfers in major championships, missing just one cut in the 14 majors since his 2019 Open triumph. That form has continued this year, with the 36-year-old registering three successive top-20 finishes in the first three majors.
A T12 finish at the Scottish Open last week means he arrives at Hoylake in great form, and at 9/1 to be the top Great British and Irish player, we fancy his chances. McIlroy will be a threat, as will Fleetwood who we previously mentioned, but if neither of them can hit the heights many expect, then Lowry could well be the man to put on a show for the home crowd.
The Open
20th July start time 6:30 Shane Lowry Top GB and Ireland PlayerBrian Harman Top 10 – 13/2
At just five feet, seven inches tall, Brian Harman is not your typical professional golfer. In an era that has been dominated by big hitters, the Georgia native sticks out like a sore thumb. What he may lack in distance, though, Harman makes up for in consistency, scrambling ability and ice-cold putting.
The 36-year-old finished in a tie for sixth last year at the Open in St Andrews and comes into this week with three top-15 finishes in his last three starts. With rain scheduled for Hoylake this week, distance off the tee may not be as big an advantage meaning someone with Harman’s game could really come to the fore. At 13/2 for a top-ten finish, there are plenty of reasons to believe he can follow up last year’s performance with another steady one this week.
The Open
20th July start time 6:30 Brian Harman Top 10 FinishEwen Ferguson Top 20 – 11/2
One of the players making their major championship debut this week will be Scotland’s own, Ewen Ferguson. The world number 118 comes into this week with four top-15 finishes in his last six starts, including a T4 at the British Masters and a T12 at the Scottish Open last week.
The 27-year-old will also be returning to a familiar course, with Royal Liverpool the place where the Scot won the Boys’ Amateur Championship ten years prior. The course may have changed in that time but what hasn’t is Ferguson’s talent, which has seen him blossom into one of the best players on the DP World Tour.
A top-twenty finish is priced at 11/2 which looks very appealing for a player that has won here before and comes into this week bang in form after a tricky spell earlier in the year.
The Open
20th July start time 6:30 Ewen Ferguson Top 20 FinishThe Open Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Open taking place?
This year’s Open is taking place at Royal Liverpool Golf Club. Situated in northwest England, Royal Liverpool Golf Club, or Hoylake as it’s affectionately known, last hosted the Open in 2014 when Rory McIlroy took home the Claret Jug to capture the third major title of his career.
Who won the Open last year?
Cameron Smith won the Open by one shot last year at St Andrews. The Australian shot a marvellous eight-under-par final round to best Cameron Young and Rory McIlroy at the Home of Golf and capture his first major championship.
When is the Open?
The great thing for golf fans is that this year’s Open is right around the corner. This year’s tournament takes place from Thursday 20th July to Sunday 23rd July.
How many players take part in the Open?
There are 156 people in the Open. After two rounds, the top 70 (including ties) will advance to the final two days with the rest cut from the competition.
How much does the winner get?
This year will see the best players in the world compete for a record-prize pot of $16 million with the winner receiving $3m.
How to bet on the Open?
Every bookie has bets available for the Open and with a variety of markets and four days of action, it’s great for a variety of pre-tournament and in-play bets. Take a look at some of our best free tips and promos above to get started.
Where can I watch the Open?
Fans wanting to watch every shot are in luck as the whole tournament will be available to be watched on Sky Sports and online via Sky Go.
Who runs the Open?
The Open is run by the R&A. As is the case with all four majors, the organisation that run these most prestigious events are separate from the PGA Tour, LIV Golf and the DP World Tour.
How do you qualify for the Open?
Players can qualify through a number of different means. Many players get into the tournament via their official world golf ranking or through exemptions if they have won or played well at previous major championships. Other plays can also qualify via the Open qualifying series or through regional final qualifiers which took place earlier this month.
Will the Open allow LIV players?
Despite not being allowed to compete on the PGA Tour or DP World Tour, LIV Golfers are able to compete in all four majors. However, many, including 2017 Masters Champion Sergio Garcia, have seen their world ranking fall since leaving to sign for LIV and, therefore, haven’t qualified to play in this year’s Open.
