2023 British Open odds to win, picks: Tony Finau, Bryson DeChambeau among five sleepers at Royal Liverpool
Could another triple-digit longshot raise the Claret Jug?
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4 min read
Of the last 12 Champion Golfers of the Year, six entered the week of The Open Championship with odds of 40-1 or higher. Unlike the three prior majors where there is a shade of redundancy, The Open's variability is heightened due to weather, conditions, tee time advantages and much more. All of that gives way to the possibility of an unorthodox winner at Royal Liverpool.
Despite the number of champions with long odds, not all longshots come out of thin air. Collin Morikawa closed at 40-1 two years ago at Royal St. George's just a week after finish T71 at the Scottish Open and lamenting his irons were not properly interacting with the Scottish surface. Morikawa was already a major champion and had notched top-10 finishes in that year's PGA Championship and U.S. Open.
Shane Lowry was nearly double the odds of Morikawa at 70-1 at Royal Portrush. The Irishman's history in The Open was dreadful as he had missed his four prior cuts, but he had already won that calendar year and finished top 10 at the PGA Championship.
Louis Oosthuizen was as long as 250-1 the week of his runaway victory at St. Andrews in 2010, while veteran Darren Clarke was listed at 200-1 the following year at Royal St. George's. Zach Johnson was north of 100-1 the next time The Open travelled to the Old Course and put a bow on a stretch of six Opens where three victors went off at triple-digit odds
Let's take a look at five sleepers who could potentially follow in the footsteps of Morikawa, Lowry and others with their 2023 Open odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook. Don't miss a complete set of 2023 Open expert picks and predictions from our CBS Sports golf team ahead of the final major of the season.
2023 Open picks: Sleepers
| 1 | |
| It has been a poor stretch for Finau since winning at the Mexico Open, but when you pan out, his quality shines through. Over the last 12 months, the 33-year-old ranks sixth in total strokes gained, eighth in strokes gained tee to green and seventh in strokes gained approach. His current ball-striking metrics are close to matching his long-term numbers, and The Open could be his coming out party. He has made all six of his cuts in this championship with a third-place result in 2019 and no finish worse than T28. Odds: 55-1 | |
| 2 | |
| In a down year, DeChambeau still mustered together the strength to finish T8 at the 2022 Open at St. Andrews. He arrives at this year's championship in much better form but also in much better condition and in a much better head space. The 2020 U.S. Open champion has rattled off six straight top-20 finishes with close calls at the PGA Championship and LIV Golf Andalucia at Valderrama. The 2014 Open leaderboard at Hoylake saw the best driver in the game come out on top, and given the wet, green nature of the golf course this time around, the same may ring true in 2023. Odds: 60-1 | |
| 3 | |
| The missed cut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic throws a black cloud over what has quietly been a strong stretch of golf from the Masters champion. Over the last three months, he ranks seventh in strokes gained tee to green, third in strokes gained approach and ninth in strokes gained around the green. His driving and putting will need to improve, but Matsuyama is a proven major champion who has flashed his brilliance on links golf courses on more than one occasion. Odds: 65-1 | |
| 4 | |
| Let's buy a ticket on the rollercoaster. The 2014 Open leaderboard features a number of Players Championship winners where Lee bursted onto the scene this past March. Lee should be able to thrive at Royal Liverpool given its flat nature and need to flight shots into different windows. Since the PGA Championship, Lee has made six straight cuts with a top-five finish at the U.S. Open and a top-10 finish at the Travelers Championship. If his iron play cooperates, Lee has the game and gumption to raise the Claret Jug. Odds: 80-1 | |
| 5 | |
| Among the final qualifiers into The Open, the former U.S. Amateur champion rides a wave of momentum into Royal Liverpool. A podium finisher at The Renaissance Club, An gained more than eight strokes in terms of ball striking and put a bow on a subtle stretch of quality. Over the last three months, he ranks 21st in strokes gained tee to green, ninth in strokes gained off the tee and 18th in strokes gained around the green. Before missing out on the 2022 Open, An had made three straight cuts in this championship. Odds: 100-1 | |
Who will win the Open Championship, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected Open leaderboard, all from the model that has nailed nine golf majors, including this year's Masters.
