2025 Open Championship picks, predictions, favorites: One of these nine golfers will win at Royal Portrush
Among the best players in the world, who should you back in the final major championship of the year?
•
5 min read
In just 72 holes, a player can turn a somewhat-mundane season into a memorable one, a memorable season into a historic one and a historic season into one of an all-time great campaign. That's what is on the line this week at the 2025 Open Championship as Royal Portrush hosts the final major of the season in Northern Ireland.
Returning to the par 71 for the first time since 2019 -- only the third time The Open has ever been held outside of Scotland or England -- the R&A has set up a tournament that will do its best to identify the man most equipped to deal with the elements and emotional toll one experiences across four rounds of major championship golf.
The first three 2025 majors have featured a little bit of everything. Rory McIlroy endured the longest round of his life Sunday at Augusta National to capture the Masters and complete the career grand slam in a playoff over Justin Rose. Scottie Scheffler surged past a crowded leaderboard that featured Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau for his first major away from the comfy corridors of Augusta National at the PGA Championship. And then, out of nowhere, J.J. Spaun enjoyed the spotlight at Oakmont Country Club as the lone man under par in the most difficult test of the season at the U.S. Open.
Who will step up this time? Don't miss your favorite golfers kicking off Round 1 with a full slate of tee times for Thursday at Royal Portrush.
The list of contenders remains relatively the same compared to the first three majors of the season, but new entrants have entered the fold. Staples have stumbled, stars have started to find their way, and surprises seem imminent given the variability that Royal Portrush may present. Check out the nine most likely winners below along with a full slate of Open Championship picks and expert predictions ahead of the year's final major.
2025 Open Championship picks, favorites
Odds via BetMGM Sportsbook
| 1 | |
| Scheffler owns the lowest cumulative score to par in major championship history. He is one of three players to finish inside the top 10 in at least 15 of his first 24 career major starts, and oh yeah, he has finished inside the top 25 in all four his Open appearances. The world No. 1 continues to stun from tee to green, standing a cooperative putting week away from getting his hands on the Claret Jug. While the wand is much improved in 2025, it has been dicey across the pond throughout his career, including last week at the Scottish Open. Odds: 9/2 | |
| 2 | |
| His run in major championships has been uninspiring since the Masters with a T47 at the PGA Championship and T19 at the U.S. Open, but he returns to Royal Portrush rejuvenated and refreshed. The Scottish Open served as a great tune-up where he finished runner up to Chris Gotterup. His putter has turned into a serious weapon, too. McIlroy has not finished outside the top 10 in three straight majors since 2013. Odds: 7-1 | |
| 3 | |
| The Spaniard is one of two golfers (Scheffler) to finish inside the top 15 in each major championship this year. Including last year's Open and the 2024 Paris Olympics, Rahm has shown up in the five most recent "big" tournaments in which he has teed off. Golf in this part of Europe has treated him kindly as he is an Irish Open winner and a consistent contender in The Open with four top 11s in his last five appearances. Odds: 12-1 | |
| 4 | |
| Schauffele would be the first since Padraig Harrington to go back-to-back at The Open, and the signs are there that he will put up a good fight. He has never missed the cut in seven starts at The Open and has the second-lowest cumulative score to par in this championship at 29 under. The two-time major champion has 25 top-20 finishes in his first 33 major championships. Odds: 25-1 | |
| 5 | |
| The Norwegian is the best player without a major championship, and The Open may put an end to that backhanded compliment. Hovland is striking his irons as well as ever and comes to a tournament where he has seen his fair share of success with finishes of T12, T4 and T13 in his first three starts. He proved at the U.S. Open he can compete in a major without his best stuff. Odds: 30-1 | |
| 6 | |
| He's probably not going to win, but would you be surprised if he did? The Swedish superstar has struggled in majors outside of Augusta National, but his ball striking could buoy him to a contention run at Royal Portrush. He found his footing last week in Scotland where he contended for the first time in a while, and he could follow Shane Lowry's path to victory from 2019 when the Irishman connected on 80% of greens in regulation. Odds: 30-1 | |
| 7 | |
| Hatton averaged a hair over 13 greens in regulation per round at Royal Portrush in 2019, and if he does the same six years later, he should finish on the first page of the leaderboard again. Now with true major championship contention experience under his belt following the U.S. Open, the Englishman should be licking his chops returning to a setting he knows and loves. Hatton has dominated links golf events on the DP World Tour throughout his career and can do the same this week if the driver continues its upward trajectory. Odds: 33-1 | |
| 8 | |
| The owner of a surprisingly poor record in this championship, Fitzpatrick's current form is too good to look past. The 2022 U.S. Open champion found something en route to a top 10 at the PGA Championship and has since parlayed it into similar results at the Rocket Classic and the Scottish Open. He seems to be getting more well-rounded by the week. Odds: 50-1 | |
| 9 | |
| Who says the U.S. Open was his last great chance? Scott has shown that The Open may well be his best major as he has nine top-25 finishes in his last 13 appearances, including a top-10 result last season. He bounced back from the disappointment of Oakmont with a top-20 finish last week at the Renaissance Club where he continued to drive the ball beautifully and control his irons with consistency. The week will come down to the broomstick, but he has proven effective in recent memory. Odds: 80-1 | |
Who will win The Open Championship, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard and best bets, all from the model that's nailed 15 golf majors, including the past four Masters, and is up over $8,500 since June 2020.
