The 2018 British Open is the third major of the year and will take place at the infamous Carnoustie Links in Scotland this weekend.
Carnoustie is renowned for its extremely tough conditions and layout, and four of the last seven winners of the British Open at the historic course have finished over par. In a season that has already delivered a wide-open US Open at Shinnecock Hills, the 2018 Open Championship will be an absolute treat from a spectator’s perspective and offers plenty of value in betting.
The current top ten have all found decent form leading into the 2018 British Open perhaps with the exception of Jordan Spieth, but the young American is the defending champion and therefore cannot be written off.
The Open Championship betting currently sees Dustin Johnson as the $13 tournament favourite from Justin Rose, Rickie Fowler and Rory McIlroy; all tied on the second line at $17 quotes.
We have analysed the British Open field ahead of the tournament’s 147th edition and below you can find our complete tips, including the best value!
Dustin Johnson ($13)
As the world’s current number 1 player, Dustin Johnson demands consideration in any field and the American is primed for another competitive performance at Carnoustie.
Johnson has steadily returned to strong form since April and finished in a tie for seventeenth at The Players Championship before top ten finishes in each of his three most-recent tournaments, including a credible third at the US Open last month.
The thirty-four-year-old typically accounts for unique conditions well, particularly under the pressures of major tournaments like this and with appropriate luck on the hilly, windswept course, he can find his way into the finish early on Monday morning, Australian time.
Sergio Garcia ($29)
Sergio Garcia has an outstanding record at the British Open and more importantly, at Carnoustie. The Spaniard lost in a playoff at the course in 2007 and his form at the tournament as a whole reads extremely well: ten top ten finishes, highlighted by two performances that saw him finish as runner-up.
Since his last appearance at Carnoustie, Garcia has broken his drought at majors by winning the 2017 Masters and his experience alone could lead to a successful tournament this weekend.
The thirty-eight-year-old does have only three top ten finishes to his name in 2018 and he missed the cut at the US Open, but he will be suited down to the ground by the conditions in Scotland and could prove to be an extremely lucrative betting option.
Tiger Woods ($29)
The legendary Tiger Woods has returned to prominence as a strong and consistent performer on the tour in 2018, and he is primed for a good showing at the Open Championship.
Woods has secured five top ten finishes so far this season and completed an ideal lead-in to the British Open by finishing fourth at the Quicken Loans National at his most-recent appearance.
Putting has always been one of Tiger’s strengths and he will be suited to the flat and slow greens at Carnoustie. The layout of the course also means that he won’t need to rely on his driver and that is also a bonus for the fourteen-time major champion.
Marc Leishman ($36)
Australia’s Marc Leishman has turned in several impressive cards in 2018 and is faced with another golden opportunity to win his first major at the 2018 British Open.
The thirty-four-year-old has six top ten finishes this season and produced four consistent days of golf to finish in a tie for thirteenth at the hotly-contested Quicken Loans National most-recently.
In what could figure as a good omen for the Aussie, the last two winners of the British Open at Carnoustie (Padraig Harrington in 2007 and Paul Lawrie in 1999) were first-time major winners and Leishman remains a live chance of joining that list this year.
