US Open 2025 golf picks: Top sleepers, longshots to bet at season's third major

USA Today

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US Open 2025 golf picks: Top sleepers, longshots to bet at season's third major
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Bryson plans to be fearless but strategic at Oakmont's tough setup
Bryson DeChambeau says he'll stay aggressive when possible but knows Oakmont demands smart decisions.
USGA
Golf's biggest names dominate the list of betting favorites for the 2025 U.S. Open – and rightfully so.
Bryson DeChambeau is the defending champion. Rory McIlroy won the Masters. Scottie Scheffler prevailed at this year's PGA.
But could they be upstaged by someone completely off the radar? It's possible. And it's happened before: Wyndham Clark two years ago at Los Angeles Country Club, Gary Woodland at Pebble Beach in 2019 and Lucas Glover at Bethpage Black in 2009 to name just a few.
Who could be this year's longshot champion? We checked in with some of the experts to get their picks.
2025 U.S. Open sleeper, longshot picks
BetMGM odds as of June 11
Sepp Straka (+4000)
Jacob Camenker, USA TODAY: "Straka hasn't yet won a major but has turned into one of the PGA Tour's most consistent players. He ranks second to only Scheffler in total strokes gained (SG: Total) and ranks top-three in both strokes gained approaching the green (SG:APP) and greens in regulation (GIR) percentage. He missed the cut at the Masters and PGA Championship this year but has finished top-three in two of his last three events, including a win at the Truist Championship."
Corey Conners (+5500)
Daniel Dobish, Sportsbook Wire: "Conners is another one of those golfers who is super accurate off of the tee, hitting 559 of a possible 812 fairways. He is so-so in driving distance, which isn't a bad thing. He'll likely be able to avoid some of those deep fairway bunkers as a result. He ranks 10th on Tour in SG: Off-to-Tee, while checking in 13th in GIR (69.64%), so he knows how to make up for his modest driving power."
Russell Henley (+6000)
Dennis Esser, The Athletic: "(Henley) is coming off two missed cuts in major championships, but he has five top 27 finishes at the U.S. Open in his last six tries. He had his best-ever finish at the U.S. Open in 2024 with a T7 at Pinehurst No. 2. He is coming off of a T5 at the Memorial, where he gained over nine strokes from tee to green, and only a cold weekend putter kept him from challenging (Ben) Griffin and Scheffler."
Keegan Bradley (+6600)
Pat Mayo, Underdog/Mayo Media: "Scottie Scheffler, JJ Spaun, Ryan Gerard and Keegan Bradley are the only four players rating inside the top 50 of both distance and accuracy over the past 24 rounds entering the U.S. Open. So, if I don't want to pay for Scottie, I'll pay for Temu Scottie and hope it's a passable knock off for four days."
Dylan Dethier, Golf.com: "Keegan is playing better than you'd think, he's driving the ball like a stallion and Oakmont is just close enough to the Northeast to give him the vibes he found in an Aronimink win all those years ago. Who better to win the U.S. Open than the U.S. Ryder Cup captain …?"
Maverick McNealy (+8000)
Rob Bolton, PGATour.com: "Because Muirfield Village can be the proper primer for any tough test, this rides on the possibilities. After a couple of pedestrian rounds to open, he was one of only three under par in both of the last two rounds, so confidence concerning form upon arrival at Oakmont is where it needs to be. He also led the field in proximity to the hole and slotted second in conversion percentage inside 10 feet. The unique bonus for him at Oakmont is that, while the putting surface will be glassy – at least eventually once the course dries from early week rain – they are Poa annua, the strain on which he's done so much damage in his comfort zone on the West Coast."
2025 U.S. Open latest odds
BetMGM odds as of June 11
Scottie Scheffler (+275)
Bryson DeChambeau (+750)
Jon Rahm (+1200)
Rory McIlroy (+1400)
Ludvig Aberg (+2200)
Xander Schauffele (+2200)
Collin Morikawa (+2500)
Joaquin Niemann (+3000)
Shane Lowry (+3300)
Tommy Fleetwood (+3300)
How to watch the 2025 U.S. Open
The entire 2025 U.S. Open, spanning all four rounds, will be aired across NBC and USA Network. Below is a guide on how to watch each round. Watch it here: Stream your favorite shows, the biggest blockbusters and more.
All times Eastern.
First round: Thursday, June 12
7 a.m.-5 p.m. on USA Network, Fubo
5 p.m.-8 p.m. on Peacock
Second round: Friday, June 13
6:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on Peacock
1-7 p.m. on NBC, Fubo
7-8 p.m. on Peacock
Third round: Saturday, June 14
10 a.m.-12 p.m. on USA Network, Fubo
12-8 p.m. on NBC, Fubo
Final Round: Sunday, June 15