2022 U.S. Open Betting Odds: Rory McIlroy Enters as Slight Favorite
The U.S. Open is one of the most-watched events on the golf calendar, and it will have even more eyes on it this year amid the controversy surrounding LIV Golf and the PGA Tour’s campaign against the Saudi-backed league. PGA Tour defectors Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson will be among those participating in Brookline this weekend, but Rory McIlroy enters with the best odds after his victory at the Canadian Open on Sunday.
Recent U.S. Open Winners
2021) Jon Rahm (Entered +950)
2020) Bryson DeChambeau (Entered +2800)
2019) Gary Woodland (Entered +8000)
2018) Brooks Koepka (Entered +2000)
2017) Brooks Koepka (Entered +4000)
2016) Dustin Johnson (Entered +1500)
Who Are The Favorites Entering the U.S. Open?
The U.S. Golf Association announced last week that it would allow LIV Golf members to participate in the U.S. Open, despite the PGA Tour suspending golfers who made the switch. With LIV Golf successfully plucking some major names from the PGA Tour, majors such as the U.S. Open are suddenly the only events that feature golfers from both tours. Even so, the favorites to win this year’s U.S. Open are almost entirely PGA Tour members.
McIlroy leads the pack at +1100, while Justin Thomas (+1200), Scottie Scheffler (+1300), and Jon Rahm (+1500) round out the top four. The favorites have certainly proven themselves in the weeks and months leading up to the U.S. Open. McIlroy is coming off a win this past weekend, while Thomas and Scheffler have won the previous two majors. Rahm won the U.S. Open a year ago. These four are all ranked top-5 in the world this week, joined by Patrick Cantlay (+2400). Dustin Johnson has the best odds of any LIV Golf defector at +4400, while Phil Mickelson enters at +22000 after a disappointing showing in the startup tour’s first event.
Who Should You Watch For?
While Rahm won after entering as the favorite in 2021, his success wasn’t part of a U.S. Open trend. Bryson DeChambeau opened 7th among all golfers when he won in 2020, and Gary Woodland was considered a long shot when he earned the win in 2019. Even Brooks Koepka wasn’t the betting favorite for either of his back-to-back wins in 2017 and 2018. McIlroy enters with the momentum after a top-10 finish in three of his last four events, dating back to a strong finish at the Masters, but trends show he will have to watch out for some surprises.
Patrick Cantlay (+2400) is the only player ranked top-5 with odds worse than +1500. Cantlay hasn’t delivered in majors but finished top-3 in his last two non-major events. At some point, he figures to finally win a big one. Will Zalatoris (+2800) could be a good value after finishing tied for 5th at the Memorial Tournament earlier this month and nearly winning the PGA Championship in May. Is this the week he captures his first major? Cameron Young, who joined the PGA Tour last year, is another potential sleeper. Young enters at +4400 but finished top-3 in three consecutive events earlier this spring. His first win coming in a major might be a stretch, but it’s far from impossible.
The 2022 U.S. Open will begin Thursday morning at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.