The Open Championship 2026 Betting Tips: Bazza's Best Bets At Royal Birkdale

Another week, another close call. This column heads into The Open Championship with two wins, a runner-up and a third-place finish in the last four weeks - so confidence is high and the profit is mounting.

Every staff member at Golf Monthly has picked their best bets for The Open, but with a my recent run of form, I am feeling confident that I have a robust model to find the winner this year at Royal Birkdale.

I am particularly interested in performances at the Genesis Scottish Open last week, plus those who rank well for driving accuracy and scrambling, but a strong Open pedigree is also a huge positive when whittling down the full field at Royal Birkdale to find the right options.

So, without further ado, here are my four best bets for The Open Championship 2026...

The Open Championship Betting Tips 2026

Tips by...

Tips by...

Baz Plummer

For any first time readers of my betting tips, I'm Baz. I have years of experience writing golf betting content across the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour and LIV Golf - plus all the men's and women's Majors. I have successfully picked three of the last five men's Major winners, utilising a heavily-researched and data-driven formula which centres around a clear mantra... follow the trends! You can find my best bets in my weekly column, 'Bazza's Best Bets' via the Golf Monthly betting hub.

Bazza's Best Bets

Top Tip: Rory McIlroy To Win @ BetMGM

There isn't anything groundbreaking in the reasoning behind picking Rory McIlroy this week. He is a six-time Major champion, has won on multiple links golf tracks and was brilliant for three rounds in Scotland last week - he will be popular again for sure.

He referenced in his post-round interview at the Renaissance Club that he had some work to do on the range before the Open Championship kicks off, but considering his approach to Majors this season I have full faith that he can do that.

Since winning The Masters for a second time earlier this season, McIlroy's schedule has suggested, at least to me, that he is hunting Majors intently and playing less standard tour golf in the process.

The Career Grand Slam winner has played just three events outside the Majors since Augusta National, recording a top-20 finish in each start.

His 7th place finish in Scotland last week was mostly encouraging, showing that when McIlroy is on it he will take some stopping on links turf.

McIlroy was 4th when Royal Birkdale last hosted The Open Championship in 2017, and I'd be surprised if he wasn't at least in contention on Sunday.

Next Best Tip: Wyndham Clark To Win @ BetMGM

Wyndham Clark has made it onto my card for a number of reasons, but the primary one is that he is a scrambling machine!

Ranking 2nd for scrambling at the Scottish Open, Clark demonstrated a sublime touch with the wedges and putter to strategically navigate a strong links test - which is ideal preparation for this week.

Clark also won the 2026 US Open title last month, in impressive fashion, which is another big tick in the box as there is Royal Birkdale has some interesting course correlation with Shinnecock Hills.

His best Open Championship finish came last season, ending the tournament in fourth place, but he also has another win and two top-5 finishes outside of his Major victory recently - so he arrives in red hot form.

Wyndham Clark's putting has been phenomenal of late, seemingly holing just about everything he hits with the new putter, so I like his chances at a great price.

Links Pedigree Tip: Robert MacIntyre To Win @ BetMGM

Bob MacIntyre has some of the most impressive links golf form in this field... and he has threatened to win a maiden Major at the US Open last season.

His 3rd place finish in Scotland last week was his best finish of the season, but that shouldn't have come as a surprise considering he has previously won that particular title at the Renaissance Club and is the current Alfred Dunhill Links champion.

MacIntyre's best Major finish of the season came at Shinnecock Hills, which correlates well to Royal Birkdale, but he also has three top-10 finishes at The Open Championship in his career.

As a links golf specialist, I believe his first Major will come in the Open Championship and I believe he could use the confidence from last week to challenge here.

Value Tip: Sam Burns To Win @ BetMGM

Speaking of threatening to win a first Major title, Sam Burns will surely consider himself unlucky to not have secured one yet.

An untimely weather delay and rogue rules call at the US Open last season seemingly scuppered an incredible chance to break his duck, but he arguably had an even better chance at Shinnecock Hills recently when attempting to chase down Wyndham Clark.

That's now three top-7 finishes in his last six Major starts, and while his Open Championship record isn't fantastic he has taken a step up in his career over the past two years in my opinion.

Burns ranked 1st for scrambling at Shinnecock Hills last month, on green complexes that share similar shaved run-off areas to the ones we will see at Royal Birkdale, plus he is one of the best putters on the planet.

He ranks 12th for SG: Approach in the last three months, and 4th for SG: Putting, so at a huge price I can see him continuing his Major crusade across the pond.

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Matt Cradock

Pick One: Matt Fitzpatrick To Win @ BetMGM

He’s been one of the players of the season in 2026, with Fitzpatrick claiming three wins and producing notable results in other big tournaments.

A T3rd at the Genesis Scottish Open last week shows his game is still working on links terrain. What’s more, at last year’s Open, he carded his best result, showing me that he is getting more comfortable at this championship. The Englishman is playing great golf, and I expect that to continue.

Pick Two: Brian Harman To Win @ BetMGM

I could have picked several outsiders for this week, but I’ve opted for Harman due to his Open record of three top 10s in four starts (I also picked him at Royal Liverpool in 2023 at 100/1).

Admittedly, his recent form hasn’t been the best, but top 38 results in his last three events is still steady in my eyes. Another reason for the pick is that I feel the firm conditions will suit him down to the ground. Harman’s not the longest hitter, but ranks well in accuracy and short game, so that’s a good combo to have at a Major.

Tips by...

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Jonny Leighfield

Pick One: Scottie Scheffler To Win @ BetMGM

It shouldn't feel like any sort of risk to pick the four-time Major-winning World No.1 given he's defending The Open Championship and he has an outstanding links record (plus any number of other positive factors), but because Scheffler missed his first cut in years in Scotland last week, it kinda does.

Something doesn't seem right with Scheffler at the moment, yet he's still managing to churn out runner-up after runner-up. And even when he's not quite on it, he quietly produces a no-nonsense top-20.

With a lead to protect in our tipster challenge game and a feeling that I might need Matt Fitzpatrick more often down the line, I will back Scheffler to post a top-10 and prove last week's missed cut was just a weird anomaly.

Pick Two: Tom Kim To Win @ BetMGM

I found choosing an outsider exceptionally difficult this week, but I've landed on someone who is in the best possible form and I just hope he can make it through to the weekend if nothing else.

Tom Kim looked superb in winning the Scottish Open last week with exemplary iron play the hallmark of his success. Royal Birkdale is a plotter's golf course, and that's exactly what Kim can do.

He putted pretty well too at The Renaissance Club, so I'm hoping he doesn't suffer an emotional crash out following his win and he can notch another high finish.

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Tips by...

Elliott Heath

Pick One: Rory McIlroy To Win @ BetMGM

Can you believe it has been 11 years since Rory McIlroy last won The Open? Time flies, and I think he's well overdue a second Claret Jug for the third leg of his second career slam.

The six-time Major champion has won two of his last seven Majors and he has a 3rd, a 6th and a 7th in his last three Opens.

McIlroy is no longer wondering 'What's next?' with those post-grand slam blues, and he looks to be more professional and focused than ever.

Pick One: Eugenio Chacarra To Win @ BetMGM

The talented Spaniard has won twice on the DP World Tour this year to take his professional wins tally to five, including one LIV Golf triumph, an Asian Tour title and another DP World Tour win last year.

He was the World No.2 amateur before joining LIV, so he has been a classy player for a long time, and I just have a feeling he is finally ready to have a very big week in only his third Major start and first ever Open.

Will he win it? Probably not, but I can definitely see him finishing inside the top-10. He's in fantastic form, has plenty of experience now and has shown he can handle pressure well.

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