The Open Championship 2024 Predictions: Shane to Shine

• The tournament takes place at Royal Troon for the 10th time

• Henrik Stenson won the last edition held there in 2016  

• This is the 152nd running of the game’s oldest Major

Open Championship 2024 Odds

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Open Championship 2024 Predictions

• Shane Lowry each-way at +3500 with bet365 (1/5 odds 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8)

• Tyrrell Hatton to beat Viktor Hovland over 72 holes at -120 with bet365

• Brian Harman for Top 10 at +500 with BetMGM

Open Championship 2024 Intro

Between 1962 and 2004, Royal Troon staged six Open Championships and all of them were won by American golfers.

The great Arnold Palmer set the trend while Tom Weiskopf (1973), Tom Watson (1982), Mark Calcavecchia (1989), Justin Leonard (1997), and most surprising of all, Todd Hamilton (2004) continued it.

Phil Mickelson almost took the streak to seven the last time the famous Ayrshire course hosted in 2016 but in an epic duel he was outlasted by Sweden’s Henrik Stenson.

For context, Mickelson finished 11 shots ahead of another American, J.B. Holmes, in third.

There’s no obvious reason why Troon should suit U.S. players although it’s fair to say that many are inspired when the tournament heads to the Home of Golf.

Royal Troon will play as a par 71 measuring 7,385 yards. 

The first six holes which stretch out across the coastline are where scores are made. 

The most famous hole, the Postage Stamp 8th, is a short but extremely testing par 3 while the toughest tests come on the back nine which is over 300 yards longer than the front. 

After a rainy summer in Scotland, the course is greener than we might expect while the rough is deep in places.

Bunkers are also dotted everywhere so accurate driving is perhaps more important than on other Open courses.

The weather forecast shows rain, temperatures in the mid-60s, and winds of around 10-12mph although it could gust harder than that.     

Last 5 Winners of the Open Championship

• There was no tournament in 2020 due to the pandemic

Course Notes

• Royal Troon is a par 71 and measures 7,385 yards

• A rainy summer means the course is green with some knee-high rough

• Scrambling has been a key stat in past editions at Royal Troon 

• Henrik Stenson’s 264 at Royal Troon in 2016 is the Open’s 72-hole record

• Branden Grace holds the 18-hole Open record, a 62 at Royal Birkdale in 2017 

Favorites to Win the Open Championship 2024

Scottie Scheffler (+500) at BetMGM

The World No.1 decided to skip the Scottish Open, preparing instead with an early visit to Royal Troon. And he likes what he sees, preferring the bunkers to those at Hoylake last year. Surprisingly, he’s only played three Opens, posting tied eighth on debut at Royal St George’s and adding 21st and 23rd in the last two. His sensational season includes five wins, including a second Masters triumph at Augusta. 

Bet on Scottie Scheffler (+500) at BetMGM

Rory McIlroy (+750) at BetMGM

Rory has more top fives in the Open (six) than any of the other four Majors (four in each). After the heartache of blowing the US Open last month, his wait for a fifth Major title, and his first since 2014 continues. He was fifth here in 2016, has posted third and six in the last two Opens, and took fourth in last week’s Scottish Open. Is this the week?

Bet on Rory McIlroy (+750) at BetMGM

Xander Schauffele (+1200) at BetMGM

Schauffele didn’t quite have his best stuff last week but the 15th at the Scottish Open could be an ideal warm-up to hone those links skills. Now a Major champion after his breakthrough win at May’s PGA Championship, Schauffele has already finished runner-up in an Open held in Scotland, finishing second at Carnoustie in 2018. His last three Open results? 26-15-17. 

Bet on Xander Schauffele (+1200) at BetMGM

Lowry to Land Second Open

Shane Lowry produced one of the most memorable Open displays at Royal Portrush five years ago, the Irish fans lapping it up as he roared to a six-shot victory over Tommy Fleetwood.

Lowry took a grip of that tournament with a stunning third-round 63 and he again showed his ability to shoot the lights out in a Major at last month’s PGA Championship.

Once more in round three, the Irishman blitzed Valhalla with a 62 to tie the lowest round in Major championship history.

Lowry finished tied sixth in the end and has backed that up with 19th at the US Open and ninth in the Travelers Championship last time.

In short, he’s in the same good form he was in ahead of his Royal Portrush win.

With straight driving and imagination around the greens rewarded, Lowry should be in his element at Royal Troon so back him each-way at a juicy +3500 with bet365 (1/5 odds 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8).

Hatton to Beat Hovland

We landed another 72-hole match bet last week by picking Min Woo Lee to beat Hideki Matsuyama.

This week I’ll back Tyrrell Hatton to outscore Viktor Hovland at -120 with bet365.

Hatton was fifth in the most recent Open at Troon in 2016 and has added sixth, 11th, and 20th in three of the last four editions.

A contender for three days in the recent US Open, he’s since posted a win and a third on the LIV Tour.

Hovland has a good Open record too but his form has been patchy of late, as highlighted by 46th in last week’s Scottish Open.         

Harman for Top 10

Only two players have finished in the top six of the last two Opens. Rory McIlroy is one, the other is Brian Harman.

The left-hander tipped us off that he could be a Claret Jug contender by finishing sixth at St Andrews in 2022 and he delivered in stunning style at Hoylake last year, winning by six.

Harman is in good form again ahead of his defense after 21st at the Scottish Open and ninth in the Travelers Championship and is worth a bet at +500 with BetMGM to record a third straight Open top 10. 

How to Watch the Open Championship 2024

• Tournament: The Open Championship

• Location: Royal Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland

• Date: Thursday, July 18 - Sunday, July 21

• How to Watch: Thursday-Friday 1.30 a.m.-4 a.m. ET (Peacock), 4 a.m.-3 p.m. (USA), 3 p.m.-4.15 p.m. (Peacock), Saturday 5 a.m.-7 a.m. (USA), 7 a.m.-3 p.m. (NBC), Sunday 4 a.m.-7 a.m. (USA), 7 a.m.-2 p.m. (NBC). And all four days on Sky Sports.