Who has the Best Odds to Win the Open Championship?

The final major of the season is approaching, as the world's best golfers head to Royal Birkdale for the 2026 Open Championship. Links golf always presents a unique challenge, with unpredictable weather, firm fairways, and deep pot bunkers creating one of the toughest tests in the sport. While Europeans historically have an advantage, 4 of the last 5 winners have been American golfers.

While Scottie Scheffler enters as the betting favorite, several proven major champions and links specialists aren't far behind. Let's take a look at the five golfers with the best odds to win The Open Championship according to Kalshi, and why each has a legitimate chance to lift the Claret Jug.

For the foreseeable future, the world's #1 golfer will be the favorite to win any tournament he participates in. Even though Scheffler hasn't won since his first tournament of the season at The American Express, he has consistently been in contention. He has 8 top-5 finishes on the season, including 3 runner-ups.

The defending Open champion just needs to get off to a decent start in the early rounds, rather than be playing catch-up on the weekend like he has been most of the season.  Royal Birkdale will get the best of many Americans, but Scottie has proven he can win on links-style golf courses.

Even if Scottie doesn't defend his title, he certainly will be in the mix at The Open.

Rory McIlroy will always be one of the biggest threats whenever The Open returns to the United Kingdom. He grew up playing in windy conditions and has plenty of experience on links courses, which gives him an advantage over much of the field. After finally completing the career Grand Slam last season and repeating at the Masters this year, McIlroy should be playing with less pressure than he has in years.

While his results have been inconsistent since that Masters victory, his upside is as high as anyone not named Scottie Scheffler. If Rory can keep the driver under control and avoid the big mistakes that have hurt him in recent majors, he has everything needed to lift the Claret Jug for a second time.

If there is one player fans would love to see finally break through with a major championship, it's Tommy Fleetwood. The Englishman has been one of the most consistent players in the world for years, and his game is a natural fit for links golf. He keeps the ball in play, controls his trajectory well in the wind, and always seems comfortable when conditions get difficult.

Fleetwood has come close in majors before but has yet to get over the finish line. Playing in front of a home crowd at Royal Birkdale could provide the extra boost he needs. If he finds himself in contention on Sunday, few players will have more support from the galleries.

Matt Fitzpatrick isn't always the first name bettors think of, but his game translates well to major championships. His accuracy and strong putting are valuable traits at The Open, especially if the weather turns challenging throughout the week. Like Fleetwood, Fitzpatrick will have a home turf advantage, being from England. He has been taking heat from US crowds all season during his 3 tournament wins, and will finally have the crowd behind him.

Fitzpatrick has already proven he can win on the biggest stage with his U.S. Open victory, and he has the type of steady approach that can keep him in contention while others struggle with the conditions. He may not have the same upside as Scheffler or McIlroy, but if this turns into a grinding, difficult Open Championship, Fitzpatrick has a real chance to be there at the end.

Xander Schauffele is the only other American on this list, and for good reason. Schauffele won The Open Championship in 2024 at Royal Troon. He hasn't had the best season, but some of his best results came in the three majors leading up to the finale.

Schauffele finished T9 at The Masters, T7 at the PGA Championship, and T11 at the US Open. He plays his best in big situations and has shown he isn't phased by European courses. Xander will need everything to click to reclaim the Claret Jug, but when he's on his game, there are very few players who can keep up.