It has been a stunning year for golf in 2025, with Rory McIlroy finally winning the Masters in the most dramatic fashion and Europe lifting the Ryder Cup on a fairytale weekend in New York.
However, all eyes are already on the 2026 schedule, with the 154th Open Championship taking place at Royal Birkdale in the North West of England.
The oldest major by a distance, The Open is a favourite of many players — with the Claret Jug rivalling the famous Masters green jacket for the most prestigious individual award in the sport.
As the countdown to next year's majors begins, here's a full breakdown of the betting favourites, the current odds and our early prediction for the winner of the 2026 Open Championship.
The Open Championship 2026 betting odds
The early odds are already out for the major at Royal Birkdale, with the usual suspects making up the top 10 favourites on the board. Keep checking back with AllSportsPeople' betting content for updated prices as we get closer to the event itself.
| Player | Odds | Bet With |
| Scottie Scheffler | 4/1 | Bet Victor |
| Rory McIlroy | 13/2 | Bet365 |
| Jon Rahm | 12/1 | Virgin Bet |
| Bryson DeChambeau | 16/1 | AK Bets |
| Xander Schauffele | 16/1 | AK Bets |
| Tommy Fleetwood | 18/1 | AK Bets |
| Ludvig Aberg | 22/1 | Bet365 |
| Tyrrell Hatton | 25/1 | Sky Bet |
| Robert MacIntyre | 28/1 | Virgin Bet |
| Shane Lowry | 33/1 | AK Bets |
Who is the favourite to win the Open Championship 2026?
Scottie Scheffler is the current bookmakers' favourite (4/1 BetVictor)* to retain the Claret Jug he won in such dominant fashion in 2025.
*Odds will update automatically as prices change. Click odds above to make your bet direct with our selected partners.
Scottie Scheffler odds to win the Open
Scheffler is unsurprisingly the favourite to win the 2026 Open Championship at 4/1 odds with Bet Victor.
The World No.1 lifted the famous Claret Jug for the first time this year after a brilliant four rounds of golf and will be looking to retain the trophy next summer.
MORE: How to bet on golf: A complete beginners' guide
Rory McIlroy odds to win the Open
The World No.2 is currently second favourite here at odds of 13/2 with Bet365.
McIlroy has enjoyed the year of his career in 2025, winning the Masters for the first time and ending his long wait for both a major and the career grand slam.
He followed up that with the Irish Open on home soil and a starring role in Europe's victory in the Ryder Cup.
The 36-year-old last won the Open in 2014 but has come agonisingly close in recent years to a second title. Could 2026 be the year he wins it again?
Will Tiger Woods play the 2026 Open?
It is currently unclear if the 15-time major champion will be cleared to compete in Southport.
Woods has undergone two back surgeries in recent months and also ruptured his Achilles playing back in the spring.
However, the world's most famous golfer has battled back from injuries throughout his late-career and he will certainly do everything possible to play and potentially win a fourth Claret Jug.
When is the 2026 Open Championship?
The 2026 Open will take place at the Royal Birkdale in Southport from Thursday, July 16-Sunday, July 19 2026.
Who won the 2025 Open?
Scottie Scheffler claimed his first Open Championship and fourth major overall with a dominant display at Royal Portrush.
The World No.1 hit four sub-70 rounds on his way to a four-stroke victory over fellow American Harris English.
Who has won the Open the most times?
| Golfer | Total | Years |
| Harry Vardon | 6 | 1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914 |
| James Braid | 5 | 1901, 1905, 1906, 1908, 1910 |
| John Henry Taylor | 5 | 1894, 1895, 1900, 1909, 1913 |
| Peter Thomson | 5 | 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1965 |
| Tom Watson | 5 | 1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983 |
| Tom Morris Sr. | 4 | 1861, 1862, 1864, 1867 |
| Tom Morris Jr. | 4 | 1868, 1869, 1870, 1872 |
| Willie Park Sr. | 4 | 1860, 1863, 1866, 1875 |
| Walter Hagen | 4 | 1922, 1924, 1928, 1929 |
| Bobby Locke | 4 | 1949, 1950, 1952, 1957 |
| Jamie Anderson | 3 | 1877, 1878, 1879 |
| Bob Ferguson | 3 | 1880, 1881, 1882 |
| Bobby Jones | 3 | 1926, 1927, 1930 |
| Henry Cotton | 3 | 1934, 1937, 1948 |
| Gary Player | 3 | 1959, 1968, 1974 |
| Jack Nicklaus | 3 | 1966, 1970, 1978 |
| Seve Ballesteros | 3 | 1979, 1984, 1988 |
| Nick Faldo | 3 | 1987, 1990, 1992 |
| Tiger Woods | 3 | 2000, 2005, 2006 |
MORE: All the latest golf news here
The Open 2026 prediction: Who will win?
Given the event is still months away, it's very hard to make a clear prediction with form likely to change over the next season. However, it's obvious that Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy will be the frontrunners, with the rest of the field looking to keep up with the two standout players in the game right now.
Xander Schauffele won it in 2024 and is worth a look again, while Shane Lowry (2019) was the last European to lift the Claret Jug.
We'll plump for McIlroy given he has the career slam monkey off his back and could be playing with far less pressure in 2026.