Brian Harman (-12) holds a sizable lead heading into Sunday’s finale at Royal Liverpool. The American is chasing his first major victory and fifth professional win. The sportsbooks see Harman as a -200 favorite to fend off some of the fiercest names in golf on Sunday.
Jon Rahm (-6) used an eight-under third round to climb the leaderboard and put himself into contention. He’ll need another herculean effort on Sunday if he wants to secure a second major victory of the year. The only man sitting between Rahm and Harman is Cameron Young, who posted a five-under Saturday round and sits at -7 overall.
So, while Harman just about has this one locked up, there are still some exciting betting angles for the final day. Let’s dive into where I’m placing my money for the Open Championship’s fourth round.
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2023 Open Championship Picks
Viktor Hovland Top 5 Finisher (+130) (Bet $100 to collect $230) For the best Viktor Hovland odds go to DraftKings
Let me first say that I don’t like touching Harman at all on Sunday. If it were a top name in golf with a five-stroke edge, I wouldn’t mind advising to lay the -200 juice. However, the American is a little too unproven, in my opinion, to be a sure thing. I don’t think it would be a massive surprise if he botched the final day – especially with guys like Rahm, Young, etc., on his tail. With that being said, I’ll avoid betting an outright winner at all.
Instead, I’m looking at Viktor Hovland to secure a place inside the top five. The Norwegian is currently in the log jam at T4, which sees five players at -5. Of the five (Straka, Day, Fleetwood, Rozner), Hovland is having the best 2022-2023 campaign.
He has been excellent this year, winning two tournaments while adding three extra top-five finishes. Hovland also had the best third round of the five players tied for fourth as he shot five-under. He’s developed into a big-time player at the majors, and I think he closes out the event on a high note. Let’s take a shot with the plus-money payout that comes with Hovland to finish inside the top five.
Rory McIlroy Top 10 Finisher (-120) (Bet $100 to collect $183) Head to DraftKings to get the best Rory McIlroy odds
With my second-best bet for Sunday’s finale in England, I’m taking Rory McIlroy to place inside the top 10. I, along with everyone in the golf world, thought the Northern Irishman had a chance to win this tournament outright.
That’s because he’s in fantastic form right now after winning last week’s Genesis Scottish Open. McIlroy’s also on a streak of six tournaments where he has placed inside the top 10.
Oh, and you can factor in that McIlroy won this tournament when it was hosted at Royal Liverpool back in 2014. All the signs pointed to McIlroy having a solid outing at this weekend’s Open Championship. So, I think it’s a no-brainer backing him to finish strong and post another top-10 finish. He’s currently T11 (-3) and there are plenty of golfers ahead that have the potential to fall off. Let’s ride with McIlroy in this spot.
