British Open Predictions: 4 Picks & Best Bets for The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale

The Open Picks at a Glance

• Rory McIlroy Outright Winner (+850)
• Tommy Fleetwood Outright Winner (+1600)
• Jon Rahm Top-10 Finish (+240)
• Robert MacIntyre Top-20 Finish (+135)

The 2026 Open Championship takes place this week at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England.

Using the Open Championship odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, which bets stand out for this week’s tournament?

All golf odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

British Open Predictions and Picks

Rory McIlroy Outright Winner (+850)

Rory enters this week in excellent form and has quietly become one of the most consistent Open Championship performers of the past decade.

The Masters champion has finished inside the top 10 in eight of his last 10 Open Championship appearances, and his ability to shape shots in windy conditions remains among the best in the world. He also arrives after another encouraging performance at the Genesis Scottish Open, historically a solid indicator for Open success.

Statistically, McIlroy checks every important box:

• Among the PGA Tour leaders in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee
• Elite Driving Distance, allowing him to attack longer par 4s
• Continues to rank near the top of professional golf in Birdie Average
• One of the strongest long-iron players in the field

Royal Birkdale rewards players who can separate themselves off the tee without sacrificing accuracy, and few players combine power and control as well as McIlroy.

Tommy Fleetwood Outright Winner (+1600)

In my eyes, this is one of best value numbers on the board.

Fleetwood grew up in northwest England and has long been regarded as one of the premier links golfers in the world. His low-ball flight, elite scrambling ability and patience make him an ideal fit whenever The Open visits traditional seaside courses.

While he is still chasing his first major championship, Fleetwood has built an outstanding Open résumé with multiple top-10 finishes, and he consistently gains strokes around the greens when conditions become difficult.

His statistical profile fits Birkdale well:

• Excellent Driving Accuracy
• Top-tier Strokes Gained: Around the Green
• Strong Bogey Avoidance
• One of the better iron players from 175-225 yards

With home support and one of the most complete links games in golf, Fleetwood is an excellent outright value.

Jon Rahm Top-10 Finish (+240)

Rahm's odds stand out considering both his talent level and Open Championship pedigree.

Over the past several years, he's consistently contended on links courses thanks to his penetrating ball flight and ability to control distance in windy conditions. He has also posted several high finishes in The Open while rarely beating himself with mistakes.

This season, Rahm has remained one of the most statistically complete players in the world:

• Elite Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green
• Excellent Greens in Regulation Percentage
• One of golf's best Approach players
• Strong scrambling numbers when he misses greens

If conditions become more difficult over the weekend, Rahm's patient style and ability to grind through challenging stretches should become even more valuable.

Robert MacIntyre Top-20 Finish (+135)

If you're looking beyond the favorites, MacIntyre checks some boxes.

The Scot has developed into one of the premier links specialists in the world, and few players are more comfortable shaping shots through heavy coastal winds. He has already proven he can contend in majors and routinely gains strokes with both his irons and short game on links layouts.

His strengths include:

• Elite links-course experience
• Excellent scrambling
• Strong iron play
• Comfortable playing in difficult weather

He’s also coming off a T3 at the Scottish Open, so the arrow is pointing up on MacIntyre.

Get up to $1,000 in Bet Reset Tokens when you bet $5 daily for the next 5 days. You'll receive $200 in Bet Resets every day you qualify! See here for full terms and conditions. Learn about today's other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos.

Looking for more golf betting opportunities? Check out all the golf odds and markets at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.