Golf betting tips: The Open Championship 2025 preview
Rory McIlroy 13/2
Jon Rahm 11/1
Bryson DeChambeau 22/1
Tommy Fleetwood 22/1
Xander Schauffele 22/1
Ludvig Aberg 25/1
Shane Lowry 25/1
Tyrrell Hatton 25/1
Robert MacIntyre 28/1
Viktor Hovland 28/1
Collin Morikawa 33/1
Matt Fitzpatrick 40/1
Sepp Straka 50/1
(odds correct at time of writing)
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The Open Championship selections, by Ron Wood:
Bet 1: Jon Rahm outright winner – 1pt each-way @ 11/1 with bet365 (1/5 odds; eight places)
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Bet 2: Jon Rahm top European – 1pt each-way @ 11/2 with bet365 (1/5 odds; five places)
Bet 3: Justin Rose outright winner – 0.5pt each-way @ 55/1 with bet365 (1/5 odds; eight places)
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Course overview
Royal Portrush Golf Club last hosted the Open in 2019, when Shane Lowry, at 15 under, won by six strokes from Tommy Fleetwood.
Rory McIlroy missed the cut, but he broke the record for the course, before it was redesigned, as a 16-year-old in 2005 when carding a 61.
Royal Portrush is undulating with some thick rough, and the greens are not the biggest targets, although players do not have to worry about many bunkers.
The early weather forecasts suggest the wind will have minimal impact, although there could be plenty of rain in the mix.
Who is favourite?
Scottie Scheffler heads the outright betting. He is world No 1 for a reason, already a major champion this year, having landed the US PGA title by five strokes in May.
However, he was a bit flat in finishing tied-eighth in last week's Scottish Open, and he also came up short in the Masters (fourth) and US Open (tied seventh) earlier this campaign. He was tied-seventh in last year's Open at Royal Troon.
The American is capable of brilliance that few players can match, but is not the most tempting option this week.
What about the local boy?
McIlroy is next in the betting, and the 2014 champion makes some appeal. Of course, he won the Masters at Augusta National in April.
Having gone 0-7 since then, the Northern Irishman could be rounding back into form at the right time, having finished tied-second in the Scottish Open.
However, it was disappointing he could not get the job done at the Renaissance Club last Sunday, and there is a more tempting option for our first bet.
Rahm looks ready
Jon Rahm makes the most appeal in the outright betting. He has made the top ten in three of the last four Opens, notably finishing tied-third in 2021 and tied-second in 2023.
The Spaniard plays on the LIV tour these days, but he has found some form in the past two majors, finishing top 10 in the US PGA Championship (tied-eighth) in May and in the US Open (tied-seventh) in June.
In the PGA, won by Scheffler, Rahm tied the lead during the final round before fading.
'Rahmbo' struggled on the Friday and Saturday of the US Open, but no one shot lower than his 67 on the Sunday around the particularly challenging Oakmont Country Club. Most recently, Rahm finished second in LIV Golf Andalucia, when no player shot lower on the final day than his 65.
Now is the time for Rahm to put it all together over four days. He can take heart from those recent showings and looks poised for a big performance, so is worth a decent wager to at least make the top eight, at which point bet365 pays out.
Another way to gain with Spain
It is also tempting to take Rahm to be the leading European golfer at Royal Portrush this week.
This market can be found on bet365 by clicking on the 'tournament' tab, then 'to win outright' followed by 'top golfer by category' and then 'European'.
McIlroy heads the market at 10/3, but Rahm can be backed each-way at 11/2, with bet365 paying five places.
Don't rule out Rose finally lifting Claret Jug
A smaller each-way bet on Justin Rose in the outright betting is also advised.
The Englishman burst on to the scene when finishing tied-fourth at the Open in 1998 as an amateur. He is still trying to lift the Claret Jug all these years later, but he was tied for second in 2018 and again last year.
Rose was also second , for a third time, at the Masters in April, only losing out to McIlroy in a play-off.
That is quite a few near misses, but Rose tasted major success in the 2013 US Open, so he can get over the line in a big event. And he will be feeling good about himself coming into this week.
Having lost his form after the Masters in April, Rose finished strongly for sixth in last week's Scottish Open, shooting a field-best 63 on the Sunday.
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