The 153rd Open is taking place this weekend and the bookmakers understandably have Scottie Scheffler as the man to beat in Northern Ireland.
Ladbrokes, BoyleSports and Bet365 all have the American world number one at 5/1 to take home his first Open Championship – a victory that would have him 75 percent of his way through the grand slam of majors in golf.
Scheffler’s record in the Open does have him on the cusp of a win in the event as he has been consistent ever since he first entered back in 2021.
He has played four times previously and has yet to finish outside the top 23, having made the cut every time he has entered the tournament.
His best finish was tied seventh, which was last year at Royal Troon.
But this year things could be different as Scheffler has enjoyed a 2025 to remember.
He has not finished outside the top ten in a golf tournament since the Players Championship, making the cut in every tournament he has entered in that time – and that kind of form has seen him enjoy three wins in 2025 —including a memorable eight-stroke victory at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on home soil, and a gritty triumph at the PGA Championship—he’s the clear front-runner in the Player of the Year race.
It’s why he is the favourite to take the first Open at the Royal Portrush Golf Club since 2019, when Shane Lowry took the crown.
That year the Irishman won by six strokes, and ironically to win the event this year Scheffler will have to defeat another Irishmen – Rory McIllroy.
McIllroy is priced at 13/2 by Bet365 and BoyleSport to enjoy a win while Ladbrokes have him at 6/1.
McIlroy has already enjoyed one Major this year having won the Masters earlier this year, with Scheffler ironically being the one who helped him don the jacket after doing so.
Speaking after he did so, and after he was criticised for leaving stage left sharply after doing it, Scheffler said: “In that moment, it was such an emotional day for him, I kind of just tried to stay out of the way and basically just get the jacket on without embarrassing him or myself.”
The two of them have butted heads throughout the year since then, most notably in the Houston Open in March when they both finished in the top five, a finishing spot the odds say they could easily replicate once again this weekend.
After the two big guns, the bookmakers have Jon Rahm, a perfect links golfer, as third favourite as he is 11/1 with Ladbrokes, BoyleSports and Bet365 to cause an upset and take the win.
Elsewhere Tommy Fleetwood, who came second on this course in the Open in 2019, is priced at 22/1 with Ladbrokes and Bet365 to go one stage better this year and 25/1 with BoyleSports to get his name on the trophy come Sunday night.
