The dust has barely settled on the 2024 PGA Championship and the bubbles have only just gone flat inside the Wanamaker Trophy as Xander Schauffele celebrated his maiden Major title.
Yet, the great game of golf never sleeps, and neither does betting on who might win the next big tournament. While there are still a few notable PGA Tour events to come between now and mid-June, it is the US Open at Pinehurst No.2 which will really set hearts pumping once again.
The levels of interest in the third men's Major of the year will be high with a plethora of intriguing stories set to play out at a golf course which has hosted its fair share of brave tales.
In its three previous US Opens - 1997, 2005, 2014 - Tiger Woods never managed to add to his Major tally with a victory at Pinehurst, coming closest when he lost out to Michael Campbell in the early 2000s.
And the bookmakers do not believe that will change in 2024, either, although given the 48-year-old's current situation, that is perhaps fair enough. Woods is between +10,000 (100/1) and +20,000 (200-1) to win the US Open and shatter all kinds of records.
At the very top of the table, the man who has regularly been compared to Woods of late is extremely well-fancied to add Major No.3. Scottie Scheffler can be found at just +400 (4/1) to win the US Open, despite his recent arrest before round two of the PGA Championship as well as an upcoming court date just days before Pinehurst.
Remarkably, Scheffler's closest challenger - at least as far as bookmakers are concerned - is Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman saw his chance to break a decade-long Major duck at the site of his most recent success last time out pass him by, yet he is still ahead of the man who lifted the Wanamaker Trophy - Schauffele.
McIlroy is +1100 (11/1) to get it done on the east coast while Schauffele's best price on going back-to-back - according to Oddschecker - is +1400 (14/1).
Jon Rahm's polarizing form in the LIV Golf League compared to Major championships paints a confusing picture for those looking to back him at Pinehurst - granted, the Spaniard has only played two since making the switch in tour. Nevertheless, the 2023 Masters winner remains high up in the list of likely winners at +1600 (16/1).
Perhaps the most eyebrow-raising example in the early betting market relates to Bryson DeChambeau, however. Comfortably top of the table when it comes to LIV players who have performed well at the first two Majors in 2024, DeChambeau can be backed to win the US Open at +2200 (22/1).
Coincidentally, his total score across the first two Majors this year is 22-under, and he will be looking for a second US Open crown to back up his achievement from Winged Foot in 2020.
If you're looking for something of an outside value pick, there are a number of players who could be of interest a little further back. Max Homa is currently +3000 (30/1) while Cameron Smith, Justin Thomas, Joaquin Niemann, and Wyndham Clark are all +3300 (33/1) to win the 2024 US Open.
Whoever you back to win next month's Major, please gamble responsibly. All odds were correct via Oddschecker at the time of publication.
2024 US OPEN ODDS: NOTABLE FAVORITES
- Scottie Scheffler: +400 (4/1)
- Rory McIlroy: +1100 (11/1)
- Xander Schauffele: +1400 (14/1)
- Jon Rahm: +1600 (16/1)
- Bryson DeChambeau: +2200 (22/1)
- Tiger Woods: +20,000 (200-1)
All odds are best price available via oddschecker.com.