The Open First Round Leader Picks: 66/1 Shot Headlines 3 Players To Watch

A fast start is always the aim at the Open Championship, but who will get the fastest start and lead the way after the first round at Royal Portrush?

We've got plenty of Open Championship betting tips for this year's battle for the Claret Jug, and now we've got three picks to be top of the leaderboard after 18 holes.

There doesn't seem to be a huge draw advantage with the weather forecast although the heavier rain on Thursday is said to arrive later in the day.

There's been a pretty even split of late and early drawn players topping the first round leaderboard recently, and given the unpredictability of conditions it's best to cover both bases and have players from both sides of the draw on your side.

Let's see who gets the nod...

More 2025 Open betting tips:

• Bazza's Best Bets At The Open Championship
• The Open Sleeper Picks: Outsiders Who Could Contend
• The Open Special Bets: Top LIV Golfer, Debutant and More

Tommy Fleetwood - 40/1

Tee time: 3.10pm with Rory McIlroy & Justin Thomas

Tommy Fleetwood is never afraid to go low in a Major, but putting four rounds together has been the real obstacle for him getting over the line.

He shot 68 at Portrush in 2019 to sit in third and he held a share of the first-round lead at Royal Liverpool in 2023 after shooting 66.

Finishing second here behind Shane Lowry shows he loves this Northern Ireland links and his desire will be burning again after his near miss on the PGA Tour recently.

The fact he's in this star group with Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas is also a plus for me, as he'll be inspired by the buzz this group will get from a bumper following.

Justin Rose - 66/1

Tee time: 2.48pm with Bryson DeChambeau & Robert MacIntyre

Justin Rose is always a favourite of mine as he's a renowned fast starter in the Majors - especially at The Masters where he claimed his fifth first-round lead this year at Augusta.

He's not claimed a first-round lead at The Open, but he's not been too far off, ending day one in 16th here at Royal Portrush in 2019 and following it up with a ninth at St George's and fourth last year at Troon.

Shooting 69 in that Troon weather bodes well if heavy rain arrives at Portrush later in the day as he tees off in the afternoon - and playing in a feature group with Robert MacIntyre and Bryson DeChambeau will sharpen the senses.

His course form is sound as he was fourth heading into Sunday in 2019, and his current form is also great as he signed off a good Scottish Open with a Sunday 63 so don't be surprised if that translates into a hot start here.

Sepp Straka - 60/1

Tee time: 9.36am with Ben Griffin & Akshay Bhatia

Sepp Straka is having a funny old season - he's won twice on the PGA Tour but missed the cut in all three Majors, but we're hoping he's more Jeykll than Hyde in the first round at Portrush.

He fired opening rounds of 65 and 63 in those wins so can certainly go low - and he led the Scottish Open after 18 holes with a superb 64 at the Renaissance Club.

The Austrian sat T11 after Thursday at Royal Troon last year, while finishes of T22 there and a T2 the year before at Hoylake represents really solid Open form.

So that, combined with his fast start in Scotland and an early start in what looks like the best of the conditions put him firmly in the bracket for first-round leader possibles.