British Open props: Will we see a first-time major winner at Royal Birkdale?

Remember to set your alarm clock, check the latest forecast, and make your selections at DraftKings Sportsbook before The Open Championship begins early Thursday morning. Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are the top choices in the field of 156 players at Royal Birkdale, but there are more ways to cash besides betting the outright winner. Let’s dig in!

(Editor’s Note: For more expert betting picks, fantasy advice and event previews, visit DraftKings Network.)

First-time major winner

• Yes (-115) or No (-108)

The winners at Royal Birkdale have included legends such as Peter Thomson (twice), Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller and Tom Watson, to name a few. Mark O'Meara completed the Masters-The Open double here in 1998. The Open has crowned 12 consecutive first-time The Open winners, but three of the last five winners (Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa) already were major champions. If you choose “Yes,” you will have 32 of the top 50 players in the OWGR as opposed to 18 from “No.” But stars shine the brightest at the toughest tests. It’s a no for me!

England’s “Three Lions” – Same Game Parlay

• Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick and Tyrrell Hatton to make the cut (-114)

A nod here to the English World Cup team that will play in a semifinal match on Wednesday. The English trio of Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick and Tyrrell Hatton have all been in form and have plenty of experience on the links of the United Kingdom. The return here is not all glitz and glamour, but making the cut is the first step to contending on the weekend on the Southport coast. Navigating the weather, the breaks, both good and bad, and grinding out pars is the DNA of all three of these stars. Fitzpatrick is on a run of six straight cuts made, Fleetwood seven of eight, and Hatton five of his last seven, at the oldest major championship. Adding Aaron Rai and Alex Fitzpatrick to this treble would return +274 for the quintet for those who prefer plus-money odds.

Locals Only

• Matthew Baldwin and Tommy Fleetwood to make the cut (+263)

Royal Birkdale member Matthew Baldwin (+205) will hit the first shot of the championship as his group opens the event at 1:35 a.m. ET. The last time Royal Birkdale hosted the event was in 2017, and Baldwin did not qualify. Freshly turned 40 in February, he knows this will probably be his first and only attempt on his home course. I will pair him with Southport legend, Tommy Fleetwood (-525), to push this action to almost +300.

Top 10 (including ties)

• Chris Gotterup and Tom Kim (+1800)

Chris Gotterup (+255) answered any questions about his comfort level on links golf with his victory against a loaded field at the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open. He followed his win by hitting the podium for solo third-place at The Open Championship at Royal Portrush. In 2026, his title defense at The Renaissance Club positioned him one shot off the 54-hole lead before he earned T11. He ranked fifth in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee, circled 18 birdies and won two weeks ago at the John Deere Classic. The winner of the 2026 Genesis Scottish Open, Tom Kim (+385), continued his hot summer play. The Korean, who rounded off the podium in third at the U.S. Open, added his first win in 1,001 days three weeks later in North Berwick. His best Open Championship payday is T2 in 2023 at Royal Liverpool, less than 30 miles south down the coast. Remember, these can be combined in a same game parlay or played individually.

Top 20 (including ties)

• Aaron Rai and Robert MacIntyre (+580)

Aaron Rai (+190) has made the cut in 10 consecutive major championships, highlighted by his first win at the PGA Championship in May. The Wolverhampton, England, native ranks second in Fairways and 10th in Greens in Regulation in 2026, a fantastic pair of skills to have for taming major championship golf. Although he missed the cut last week in Scotland, he earned a paycheck of T11 at the difficult Shinnecock Hills at the U.S. Open. Robert MacIntyre (+138) cashed in the top 10 in three of his six visits to The Open Championship and has never missed the cut. The Scotsman, who is a tremendous putter (ninth, SG: Putting), tuned up nicely at The Renaissance Club last week with a T3 after hitting the top 10 (T10) at the Travelers Championship the week after the U.S. Open.

Birkdale’s Best – Same Game Parlay

• Jordan Spieth and Padraig Harrington to make the cut (+237)

Jordan Spieth conquered Royal Birkdale in 2017, the last time it hosted the event, to become the sixth American winner in 10 tournaments hosted on the Irish Sea. His total of 12 under was 15 shots better than Padraig Harrington’s winning total in 2008, the previous time Royal Birkdale hosted. Spieth earned his third major championship to go along with his 2015 Masters and U.S. Open titles. Harrington, who is the last man to win The Open back-to-back, added the 2025 Senior British Open at Sunningdale to his collection last summer.

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