For the third time in the last two years, Rory McIlroy was in the hunt on the final hole of a major championship, and he lost. Without question, McIlroy is one of the top three or four golfers on the planet. But his trophy case remains far too empty for someone of his skill.
On Sunday, he began the day three strokes behind Bryson DeChambeau, who was coming off an incredible third-round 67. But McIlroy was primed for a comeback. He closed out the front nine at one under par, and then he began the back nine with a birdie, par, birdie, birdie. McIlroy was on a roll, and DeChambeau was over par for the day and out of the lead.
But the final four holes were where McIlroy’s game disappeared. He bogeyed 15, he bogeyed 16, and then on the 18th, he lipped out a four-foot putt for another bogey, which opened the door for DeChambeau.
“For him to miss that putt, I’d never wish it on anybody. It just happened to play out that way,” DeChambeau said.
But in order to avoid a playoff, Dechambeau still needed a par on the 18th. And according to the now two-time U.S. Open champion, it was far from a sure thing.
“I can’t believe that up-and-down on the last. Probably the best shot of my life.” DeChambeau went from the bunker, to within four feet of the hole, and he made his putt for the championship.
The Open Championship Odds
Scottie Scheffler remains the best golfer in the world, even as he’s lost the last two majors. At the U.S. Open this past weekend, the course at Pinehurst No. 2 got the better of him, and he faded to a T41. This coming after finishing in the top 10 in five of his last six majors.
The next major on the schedule is The Open Championship, which will be played at Royal Troon in Scotland, July 18-21. Next week, we have a signature event at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut, and that will help clarify which golfers are primed to make a run at the oldest championship in golf.
More than a month out, and Scheffler is The Open betting favorite at +450, even though at his last two Opens, he finished T21 and T23.
McIlroy is +800 after his second place finish at the U.S. Open, the second consecutive time he’s finished as the runner-up there. Last year at The Open, he was T6, and the year before that, he finished third. He won The Open in 2014 when it was played at Royal Liverpool. When Royal Troon last hosted The Open in 2016, McIlroy was T5.
Tied at +1200 to win The Open are the last two major championship winners, PGA champion Xander Schauffele, and the newly minted U.S. Open champ, DeChambeau. Schauffele’s best Open finish was a T15 two years ago. Two years ago, DeChambeau had his best Open, finishing T8.
With over 25 years of experience as a distinguished sports writer for renowned platforms such as Fox Sports and ESPN, Kyle Garlett is a sports betting specialist who has been at the forefront of documenting the global surge in sports betting and online gaming. Based in Denver, Colorado, Kyle hosts an NFL betting YouTube show and podcast. Kyle also has two sports books published by HarperCollins.
Kyle graduated the Azusa Pacific University in 1996 with a B.A. Degree in Communication and Journalism.
