PGA golf professional Keith Stewart previews The Open Championship and picks his Champion Golfer for 2024 at Royal Troon.
My name is Keith Stewart and I'm the founder of Read The Line, a golf betting handicap service that covers the PGA Tour and LPGA every single week.
When it comes to those weekend wagers on golf, please pay attention.
It's time for our 10th trip to Royal Troon and the 152nd Open Championship. Off to the west coast of Scotland, it is the fourth major championship of the men's season.
159 of the world's best men will descend upon Troon's old course. The top 70 and ties will play the weekend for $13 million and the right to be called the Champion Golfer of the Year.
To capture the Claret Jug and that $3.1 million prize for first place, contenders will have to hit these fairways. A mild, wet, warm spring has caused considerable growth. The rough is dense and thus the penalty for landing there is deep.
Almost as deep as the bunkering around Troon. Be careful not to find one of those sandy holes on the seaside links off the tee, or otherwise.
Another contending characteristic needed around Troon is a bipolar iron game. Players need to score from under 125 yards on multiple occasions, then again from over 200 yards on the more difficult holes and the par fives.
The combination of those two opposite approach lengths limits the number of players we can predict.
Scottie Scheffler is back, but is his putter?
Speaking of predictions, the 2024 year-long betting favourite is back. Scotty Scheffler starts the board at +500. Well-rested and ready to return to major competition, can he add to his six wins? He has the tee to green game to pick up his second major this season, but what about that putter? Don't lose sight of the most important tool in the bag. With soft conditions and receptive greens, the leaders will convert birdie chances. I'm favoring those who have shown a strong propensity to putt in the open.
Weather will be a factor
Experience counts in this Championship because the conditions can change so quickly. Currently the forecast calls for rain on Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, with Sunday being the worst day. Now, all of that can change in a minute, but what also catches our attention is the wind.
A seaside breeze from the southwest will cause havoc across the course. Opposite the prevailing wind, most holes will have a crosswind, increasing the major challenge.
An outright pick
At Read the Line, we very rarely back outrights at very short odds, but the trend of incredible play by Rory McIlroy cannot be ignored.
Since winning at Royal Liverpool in 2014, McIlroy has seven open starts and five top ten finishes. The most consistent major player over the past six years, Rory returns from his recent break ready to contend again. Strong at the Scottish Open, he showed us all I needed to see.
I'm ready to ride the Rory roller coaster of emotion all week at Royal Troon. His odds only allow a small outright card, but make sure you go to ReadTheLine.com and subscribe to receive our full list of outrights, placement bets, and head-to-head matchups.
Enjoy the Open, and most of all, thank you for being a member of our awesome betting community.
Please gamble responsibly.