The 154th Open Championship is almost here. A field of 156 players will descend on Royal Birkdale to battle for the Claret Jug in golf’s oldest and most prestigious major. While the championship’s official purse has yet to be revealed, there will be no shortage of motivation as the game’s biggest stars vie for both history and the lion’s share of the prize money.

Royal Birkdale has hosted the second most Open Championships, second only to St Andrews Links in Fife, Scotland. With a 137-year-old legacy of golfing greatness, the course is the ideal location for the last major of the calendar year.

As the best of the best battle it out between July 16 and 19, three players have emerged as the favorites. Here are the three leading bets in the event according to Golf.com.

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Scottie Scheffler

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler missed his first cut last week at the 2026 Genesis Scottish Open after making 78 consecutive cuts. While his streak is broken, he remains the favorite in the upcoming Open Championship. The Ridgewood, New Jersey native is a +600 favorite to win. He returns to defend his title, having won the Open last year. 

Although Scottie Scheffler has managed to secure just one win this year at The American Express in January, he has had seven top-five finishes. As for his performances at majors this year, he finished second at the Masters, tied for 14th at the PGA Championship, and tied for fourth at the U.S. Open. 

The 30-year-old has showcased strong performances in the toughest competition, making him the obvious No. 1 pick. 

Rory McIlroy

Right behind Scheffler, the World No. 2 is listed at +780 to win. The Scottish Open saw him lead in the initial rounds, but he later slipped down the board to finish tied for seventh. Despite that, Rory McIlroy has had a great 2026, having won the Masters this year by beating Scheffler.

The Northern Irishman recorded five top-10 finishes across the PGA and DP World Tour, even notching two top-five finishes. He is yet to miss a cut this year. His performances also stood out at The Genesis Invitational, where he finished tied for second alongside Kurt Kitayama, having been bested by Jacob Bridgeman. However, he did have to withdraw from the Arnold Palmer Invitational due to back pain in March. He seems to have recovered from it well, winning it all at Augusta National Golf Club.

Besides the Masters, his performances in the majors this year saw him finish tied for seventh at the PGA Championship, but he slipped back to T32 at the U.S. Open. 

Matt Fitzpatrick

Although Matt Fitzpatrick is ranked third, the Englishman has arguably had the best year so far. He is a +2150 favorite to win. But if you look at who has delivered the best performances among the three names, Fitzpatrick is the one to watch. 

He finished ahead of both Scheffler and McIlroy at the Scottish Open, tying for third place. In 2026, the 31-year-old has secured three wins, six top-fives, and eight top-tens, without missing a single cut. 

Fitzpatrick’s performances stood out at The Players Championship, where he finished second to Cameron Young by a single stroke. His other notable performances this season came at the Valspar Championship, the RBC Heritage, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the Travelers Championship, and the Scottish Open. 

As for his performances in the majors, he finished tied for 18th at the Masters, T14 at the PGA Championship, and 22nd at the U.S. Open. His form makes him a strong contender for the title, though Scheffler’s missed cut proves anything can happen.