Sky Bet can't split Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler in the betting for The Open Championship

The 154th edition of The Open Championship gets underway at Royal Birkdale on Thursday, with the world’s best golfers competing for the fourth and final major title of 2026.

According to Sky Bet’s latest outright winner market, the world’s top two players can’t be separated, with Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler installed as joint favourites at 8/1.

Scheffler heads into the championship as the defending Open champion, despite not having claimed a major title so far this calendar year, while McIlroy arrives on the back of a second consecutive Masters victory earlier in 2026. 

For those expecting someone to upset the market leaders, English duo Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick are joint second favourites at 14/1 with Sky Bet.

Fleetwood is still searching for his maiden major title, but the 35-year-old has enjoyed strong consistency throughout 2026, recording six top-10 finishes so far this season.

Fitzpatrick, meanwhile, has put together an outstanding campaign of his own, registering three victories and eight top-10 finishes. The former major champion will be hoping that impressive form can propel him to a second major title.

Rounding out the top five in the outright betting is Jon Rahm, with the Spaniard priced at 22/1. 

In addition to the outright winner market, Sky Bet is offering two Price Boosts that have attracted plenty of attention ahead of the opening tee shots.

The first sees McIlroy, Scheffler, Fleetwood or Fitzpatrick to be leading after Round 1 (including ties) at 6/1, while the second offers 7/2 on any Englishman lifting the Claret Jug.

There is recent form to support both selections. Fitzpatrick was the joint first-round leader at last year’s Open Championship, while English golf has already celebrated major success in 2026 after Aaron Rai claimed his maiden major title at the PGA Championship in May.

With the world’s leading players in contention and several eye-catching betting angles available, all the ingredients are in place for another memorable Open Championship.

• All odds are correct at the time of publication