The 2016 Open Championship will be held July 14-17, 2016. Royal Troon Golf Club in Ayrshire, Scotland will host the event while the Golf Channel and NBC will televise the event live.
Wow, where has the season gone? We are already heading towards the third major of the year and the “Big 3” are winless. The 2016 Open Championship begins next week at Royal Troon and time is running out on golf’s elite. Unheralded Danny Willett wears the Green Jacket and talented Dustin Johnson finally got the monkey off his back by winning the U.S. Open, leaving the so-called Big 3 on the outside looking in.
World No. 1 Jason Day has been in the hunt in both majors but came up short each time, finishing T10 and T8. He was favorite to win the US Open. Jordan Spieth looked like he had the Masters in his pocket, then exploded on the back nine, paving the way for Willett, then finished T37 at Oakmont. Rory McIlroy has been disappointing in both majors, finishing T10 at the Masters and missing the cut at the U.S. Open. Dustin Johnson has outplayed them all!
Who Should You Pick to Win the 2016 British Open?
So, who should you pick to win this year’s Open Championship? Dustin Johnson plays well every week, including two wins in his last two starts. People forget he finished T4 at the Masters before winning his first major trophy.
His confidence is soaring and he has so much talent that he very well could win the Open Championship. Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy are the betting favorites, but Johnson may have the last laugh and walk away with his second straight major championship.
Royal Troon Champions
The last time the Open Championship was held at Royal Troon in 2004, Todd Hamilton won. Phil Mickelson finished third, Lee Westwood finished fourth and Paul Casey T20. If we go back even further to 1997, Justin Leonard won the Open Championship at Royal Troon.
The reason that is important is because now we know that it doesn’t take a long bomber of the ball to win. Both Hamilton and Leonard were below average as far as length goes. A straight ball-striker will do well at Royal Troon.
Royal Troon has hosted nine Open Championships and the last six winners are all American players: Arnold Palmer in 1962, Tom Weiskopf in 1973, Tom Watson in 1982, Mark Calcavecchia in 1989, Justin Leonard in 1997 and Todd Hamilton in 2004. In 2004 the winning score was 10-under par.
Current Open Championship Golf Odds
Rory McIlroy +950
Jordan Spieth +1000
Jason Day +800
Dustin Johnson +800
Adam Scott +2150
Henrik Stenson +3275
Justin Rose +2350
Rickie Fowler +2500
Sergio Garcia +2375
Hideki Matsuyama +3800
Phil Mickelson +3590
Louis Oosthuizen +3595
Shane Lowry +3050
Bubba Watson +4450
Branden Grace +3000
Brooks Koepka +4050
Martin Kaymer +5450
Jimmy Walker +10000
Paul Casey +4850
Zach Johnson +5500
Graeme McDowell +8050
Charl Schwartzel +6650
Bernd Wiesberger +11500
Brandt Snedeker +5250
Danny Willett +3080
Jim Furyk +5305
Victor Dubuisson +10250
Marc Leishman +5450
Matt Kuchar +6450
Patrick Reed +5500
Lee Westwood +3900
Byeong-Hun An +6850
Ernie Els +12050
Francesco Molinari +8850
Jamie Donaldson +11500
Joost Luiten +13550
Keegan Bradley +10550
Padraig Harrington +10550
Tommy Fleetwood +11500
Andy Sullivan +8500
Bill Haas +11250
Gary Woodland +15000
Robert Streb +15000
Kevin Kisner +11250
Kevin Na +6900
Billy Horschel +10500
Charley Hoffman +15000
Chris Kirk +19850
J.B. Holmes +20000
Ryan Moore +10250
Ryan Palmer +20000
Webb Simpson +16350
Thongchai Jaidee +35000
The Chalk (Dustin Johnson +900)
(Odds courtesy of Bookmaker.eu)
He is finally figuring it out and now the wins are starting to come. The talented, long-hitting Johnson is now the No. 3 ranked player and rising. Wouldn’t it be nice to be the longest player on the planet and some weeks the straightest, what he did last week at the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational. It’s not fair! He may not win, but will be a factor for sure.
Key Players to Watch
The Sleeper (Andy Sullivan +8500)
The jovial Englishman is back in form after struggling for a few months with four top 25s in his last four starts worldwide. His smooth putting stroke has returned and the results are starting to come. Top 5 last week in France and Sullivan offers gamers the best VALUE on the board.
Stay Away (Bubba Watson +4450)
Watson is in a slump and hasn’t been in the hunt since the West Coast swing. Check out his last six starts: T28 – T37 – T43 – T65 – T51 – T14. That doesn’t sound like the play of a guy who is ranked No. 5 in the world. Bubba doesn’t like the long plane rides, doesn’t like links-style golf and doesn’t play well in the Open Championship. Fade him in all formats.
The Biggest Mover (Lee Westwood +3900)
The Brit opened up at 100/1 and now is down to the current price of +3900. The move is due to his high finish at the Masters and his course knowledge of Royal Troon, where he finished in the top 5 the last time the Open Championship was held there.
The 2016 Open Championship gets started Thursday, July 14, 2016. You can watch and bet on the action live with Golf Channel and NBC broadcasting golf’s third major.
For more betting tips, check out Which Betting Strategy is the Most Profitable?
