Wind and rain don’t stop Clark

By the news team
July 16, 2024

The final Major of the season is upon us as the world’s best players travel to Royal Troon for the 2024 Open Championship.

We go into the Open in good form, having tipped Robert MacIntyre to win the Scottish Open last week at odds of 33/1. The Scot made a big putt on the final hole, made a birdie and lifted the trophy.

Our last Major didn’t go too badly either. We predicted Bryson DeChambeau to win the US Open at odds of 18/1. He also took home the trophy with a one-stroke margin on the last hole.

This week we focus on four selections that we think could be good value at Royal Troon, with a continuation of the American success on the horizon.

Bet on golf at William Hill

Collin Morikawa 16/1

Royal Troon has been dominated by Americans for years – six of the nine Open winners here have come from the US – and Morikawa is our lowest-priced overseas selection.

He heads to Scotland as a 16/1 shot and is in some of the best form on the PGA Tour, with his last outing seeing him finish T4 at the Scottish Open, his seventh top 10 this season.

His form in the Majors has been equally impressive. He began his season with a tie for third at the Masters and followed that up with impressive performances at both the PGA Championship and the US Open, where he finished tied for fourth and 14th respectively.

Previous form at The Open is crucial given the unique nature of this links-based tournament and Morikawa has that in spades as a former winner in 2021. He has missed two cuts at the tournament since then, but he could easily come back with a bang.

He has already finished in the top eight spots available at William Hill six times this season and that is the least he expects this week.

Sahith Theegala 45/1

Our second selection from the home of the brave is Sahith Theegala. He is another who has been in the top 10 this season, having finished in the frame six times so far in 2024.

Like Morikawa, he finished tied for fourth at the Scottish Open last week, marking the fifth time he has finished in the eight available spots at William Hill this year.

Strokes gained on the approach and hitting greens in regulation will be crucial on this tricky links course, and we have no doubt that will suit Theegala. He is ranked 28th in the world for strokes gained on the approach, while his percentage of greens in regulation is not bad at just over 68%. Another key component of the strong performance at Royal Troon is his putting, for which Sahith is ranked 25th on Tour.

He goes into the tournament ranked 16th on the market at odds of 45/1 but can easily compete with the best the Tour has to offer. If he is on a roll he could pose a serious challenge for a first Major of his career.

Wyndham-Clark 60/1

Wyndham Clark is the second Major winner and the third American on our list. He also featured at last week’s Scottish Open and was another standout performer, finishing T10 just one stroke behind the likes of Rory McIlroy.

A key factor for Clark is the experience of winning a Major, which can often make the difference when the pressure mounts on Sunday. Should Wyndham make it that far and still be in contention, his odds of 60/1 could be significantly reduced.

He was out of form during and around the PGA Championship but seems to be back to his best just in time here. His aforementioned T10 at the Scottish Open was preceded by a T9 at the Travelers Championship and we don’t think his odds have quite kept up with that form.

He would still make a fine return by finishing in the top eight spots available with William Hill, something he has done four times this season, including a convincing win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

He’s better than most when it comes to putting, ranking 16th on Tour for strokes earned with the flatstick. Combine that with the fact that he’s 26th for strokes earned off the tee, and he may have the tools to put his 60/1 status to good use.

Victor Perez 200/1

Our final selection comes with a huge price tag and is the only non-American on the list. Frenchman Victor Perez is our big outsider for the week and he will take on Royal Troon as a 200/1 shot.

For a man with three T12 or better finishes in his last five outings, the odds seem pretty strong, especially considering one of them was a T10 at the Renaissance Club last week. He also has two third-place finishes to his name at the Puerto Rico Open and Canadian Open, so there’s no doubt he can hold his own toward the top of the leaderboard.

His Open form has been solid enough, having made the cut in his last two appearances, and if he can manage to climb the leaderboard unnoticed, he will certainly provide a solid payout if he can reach the 8 available places at William Hill.

He ranks second in the world in avoiding three-putts, which can be crucial to saving strokes on this tricky course. He’s ranked 140th for the first round and 14th for the fourth round, so if he makes it to the weekend, don’t be surprised if he’s a few ahead when the pressure takes its toll on Sunday.

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