2023 British Open odds, favorites: Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler top board entering Royal Liverpool

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It's easy to notice all the changes at Royal Liverpool since the last time it hosted the Open Championship nine years ago; still, the players who are among the betting favorites entering the final major of 2023 have somehow remained the same. World No. 2 Rory McIlroy headlines the betting action this week after claiming his 24th career PGA Tour title at the Scottish Open over Robert MacIntyre on Sunday.

Listed at 9-1 the week following his runner-up finish at the U.S. Open, McIlroy stood as the solo favorite almost all week entering the site of his 2014 Open Championship victory. The four-time major champion initially created separation from himself and the rest of the field, though world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler pulled even with him as the co-favorite sit at 6-1 entering Thurday's action.

Right behind them on the leaderboard is 2023 Masters champion Jon Rahm at 12-1. Reigning PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka is next at 16-1 as defending Open champion Cameron Smith rounds out the top five alongside Viktor Hovland at 18-1.

Let's take a look at the 2023 Open odds, courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook. Don't miss our full slate of Open expert picks and predictions from our CBS Sports golf team as well as Kyle Porter's list of the nine golfers most likely to capture the Claret Jug.

2023 Open odds

The favorites

Rory McIlroy: 23/4
Scottie Scheffler: 6-1
Jon Rahm: 12-1
Cameron Smith: 16-1
Viktor Hovland: 18-1
Brooks Koepka: 18-1

Plenty will be made of McIlroy's return, but let's take a moment to appreciate Fowler's position. This is a man who failed to qualify for five of eight major championships between 2020-21, ranked outside the top 100 in the world at the beginning of the season and didn't even earn an invitation to The Masters. He was listed at 100-1 for the PGA Championship, 75-1 for the U.S. Open and 45-1 for this championship the Monday following the U.S. Open. He is now the fourth betting favorite. In 11 Open appearances, the 34-year-old has three top-six finishes including the runner up in 2014.

Contenders

Patrick Cantlay: 20-1
Xander Schauffele: 25-1
Tyrrell Hatton: 28-1
Rickie Fowler: 28-1
Collin Morikawa: 30-1
Shane Lowry: 30-1
Dustin Johnson: 30-1
Tommy Fleetwood: 30-1
Jordan Spieth: 30-1
Matt Fitzpatrick: 35-1
Tom Kim: 40-1
Justin Rose: 45-1
Cameron Young: 45-1

The biggest drop in price over the last month has been Spieth, who was as low as 15-1 at some stages of the season. Ever since tweaking his back at the Wells Fargo Championship and injuring his wrist later that week, he has been subpar. At comfortable spots like Colonial, Los Angeles Country Club and The Renaissance Club, the 2017 Open champion was an early exit. Since his Open debut in 2013, Spieth leads in score relative to par, top-10 finishes and made cuts.

Sleepers

Tony Finau: 50-1
Adam Scott: 50-1
Bryson DeChambeau: 50-1
Max Homa: 50-1
Wyndham Clark: 50-1
Justin Thomas: 55-1
Min Woo Lee: 55-1
Hideki Matsuyama: 65-1
Jason Day: 65-1

Of the nine players listed above, six can call themselves major champions. While Clark looks primed to factor once again, it is another U.S. Open champion in DeChambeau who sparks interest. In 2014, Royal Liverpool identified the best driver of the golf ball (McIlroy) as the best player. DeChambeau would certainly fit that bill and arrives with strong starts at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open under his belt. A runner-up finisher at LIV Golf Andalucia and a top-10 finisher last year at St. Andrews, the artist formerly known as "the big one" could be worth a nibble.