British Open best bets: 4 common plays by golf experts

Todd Dewey, Las Vegas Review-Journal on Jul 16, 2025

Published in Golf

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LAS VEGAS — British Open bettors have cashed six long-shot winners with odds of 125-1 or higher since 2003.

Tom McKibbin is worth a shot at 150-1 to win the year’s final golf major this week at Royal Portrush in his native Northern Ireland, according to Westgate SuperBook oddsmaker Jeff Sherman and handicapper Wes Reynolds, co-host of VSiN’s “Long Shots” golf betting podcast.

McKibbin, an LIV Golf player, has been a member at Royal Portrush for the past 10 years and is one of four common British Open best bets from Sherman and Reynolds.

“He has a lot of rounds under his belt and is very familiar with this course,” said Sherman (@golfodds).

Reynolds noted that McKibbin is an LIV teammate of Jon Rahm.

“He has been playing good golf there with top-five finishes in his last two events, including a fourth last weekend at Valderrama (in Spain),” said Reynolds (@WesReynolds1). “McKibbin has six top-seven finishes worldwide this season.”

Rahm, the 13-1 third choice behind Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, is another common play.

“He has rediscovered his game in majors with top-10 finishes in both the PGA and U.S. Open,” Reynolds said. “Rahm has also finished seventh or better in three of the last four (British Opens).”

The Spaniard took second in last week’s LIV event and tied for 11th at the 2019 British Open at Royal Portrush.

“He’s another guy from Europe that has played plenty of links-style courses,” Sherman said. “He’s playing right there near the top, and the 15-1 range is enticing enough after his second-place finish last week.”

Their other common plays are Matt Fitzpatrick (50-1) and Russell Henley (65-1).

Fitzpatrick is coming off back-to-back top-10 finishes, including a tie for fourth at last week’s Scottish Open.

“He’s been improving each week over the last month,” Sherman said. “He plays links-style courses, and I just like the momentum he’s coming in with right now.”

The Englishman tied for 20th at the 2019 Open.

“Fitzpatrick could be peaking at the right time and has been better since permanently making the caddie switch from his longtime bagman, Billy Foster, who he won the 2022 U.S. Open with, to Daniel Parratt,” Reynolds said.

Henley is another golfer in top form, placing fifth, 10th and second in his past three events. He has eight top-10 finishes in 14 starts this season, including a win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

“He’s up there near the lead and more than capable of coming through with his current form,” Sherman said.

Other best bets

Sherman also played Tommy Fleetwood at 25-1, as well as long shots Maverick McNealy (100-1), former UNLV standout Harry Hall (110-1) and Nick Taylor (150-1).

“Fleetwood has been so close, and everyone knows he doesn’t have a PGA Tour win under his belt, but this is more comfortable surroundings for him and this type of golf,” Sherman said. “He did finish second here in 2019 on this course.”

As for the long shots, Sherman said they’ve been consistently placing in the top 20.

“You try to find one of those guys that can play solidly and put themselves in position Sunday,” he said. “You might have a shot to come through, just like we saw J.J. Spaun come through at the U.S. Open (at 150-1).”

Reynolds also played Viktor Hovland (30-1), Tyrrell Hatton (33-1), Robert MacIntyre (35-1) and Keegan Bradley (90-1).

“The short game has long been seen as Hovland’s weakness, but he was second around the greens at the U.S. Open and ninth for scrambling last week at the Scottish Open,” Reynolds said. “Hatton is off his best career major finish with a tie for fourth in the U.S. Open at Oakmont. The Englishman is a three-time winner of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, which is played on Open courses St. Andrews and Carnoustie, so the links pedigree is certainly apparent.

“Bobby Mac finished sixth here at Royal Portrush on his Open debut in 2019. MacIntyre was fifth at the Irish Open last year, and the Scotsman has been playing links golf his entire life. His runner-up at the U.S. Open last month gave him a taste of contending in a major.

“The Ryder Cup captain (Bradley) has put himself into the discussion to pick himself for Team USA later this fall with a victory at the Travelers Championship, plus five other top-10 finishes, including at the PGA.”