Ligue 1 Picks and Predictions – Syndication Server

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Golf’s toughest test is back in North Carolina for the 2024 U.S. Open this week, with Pinehurst No. 2 once again hosting this spectacular major championship. Scottie Scheffler is seeking his 2nd major title of the year, as is Xander Schauffele, as the world’s best players compete at the same venue where Martin Kaymer blew away the field by 8 shots in 2014.

Below, we look at BetMGM Sportsbook’s 2024 U.S. Open odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions.

Scheffler, fresh off a victory at the Memorial Tournament on Sunday, has already won 5 times this season and will try to make it 6 at Pinehurst. The world No. 1 is just +333 to win this week, by far the shortest odds and the only player under +1000. Schauffele, who won the PGA Championship at Valhalla, has the 2nd-best odds at +1100, followed closely by Rory McIlroy (+1100) and the Memorial runner-up, Collin Morikawa, at +1400. The 2023 U.S. Open champion, Wyndham Clark, has pre-tournament odds of +6000.

Pinehurst No. 2 isn’t a traditional layout in the sense that there is no real rough. Just off the fairways are waste bunkers, native areas and bushes that make for difficult lies and approaches into the greens. And speaking of the greens, they feature turtleback shapes that make target areas significantly smaller and shots around the greens difficult. It will be 7,550 yards and play as a par 70, making it a very long course on the scorecard, but the conditions will be firm so expect plenty of rollout off the tee.

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124th U.S. Open – Expert picks

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 12:58 p.m. ET.

Collin Morikawa (+1400)

Morikawa was up and down in the early portion of the season, but since the Masters, he’s been one of the hottest players in the world. He finished 3rd at Augusta, 4th at the PGA Championship, 4th at the Charles Schwab Challenge and 2nd last week at the Memorial. He hasn’t finished worse than 16th in his last 6 solo events and it’s easy to think he’s poised to win another major soon. It could be this week at Pinehurst where approach shots are ever so important.

Brooks Koepka (+2200)

Koepka’s form is harder to gauge because he’s on LIV Golf, but what we do know is he shot 7-under in Houston on Sunday to finish 9th, making 8 birdies on the day. He now heads to a championship that he’s won twice before and we all know how competitive he is when it comes to majors. After a couple of disappointing showings at the Masters and PGA, he should bounce back at Pinehurst.

Xander Schauffele (+1100)

Schauffele is one of the few players capable of going blow-for-blow with Scheffler, which isn’t easy to do. Part of the reason is his bogey avoidance and all-around skill set; he ranks 2nd in SG: tee-to-green and 16th in putting, so his game is ready-made for a tough test like Pinehurst.

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U.S. Open picks – Contenders

Cameron Smith (+4000)

With an added emphasis on around-the-green play this week, it’s hard not to like Smith. He’s an elite putter and a wizard around the green, making up-and-downs from everywhere. That will be needed at Pinehurst with turtleback greens that run off with even the slightest misses. Let’s ignore the fact that he shot 80 on Sunday in Houston, which included a 9-over stretch in his final 4 holes because that’s an anomaly.

Hideki Matsuyama (+4000)

Matsuyama has only played 2 events since the Masters (PGA Championship, Memorial), which admittedly made it a little tough to feel confident in him. But after a T-8 at Muirfield last week, confidence is growing. He’s by far the best player in SG: around the green this season and has always had a terrific short game, which will come in handy at Pinehurst. He ranked 7th in SG: tee-to-green at Muirfield, which is also encouraging.

Tommy Fleetwood (+4000)

Fleetwood has been lacking top-10s in the last month and a half but he also doesn’t have a finish worse than T-26 in his last 4 starts. His approach game has been struggling this season, but he’s great around the greens and very accurate off the tee (3rd on tour). His lack of length will be offset by the firmer conditions, allowing his low ball flight to create plenty of rollout.

U.S. Open picks – Long shots

Keegan Bradley (+8000)

I won’t quit Bradley. He was in contention at the Memorial Tournament before shooting 78 and 80 in the final 2 rounds. To put it into perspective, he was 5-under through his first 46 holes and 14 over in his last 26 holes, so he crashed hard on Saturday and Sunday. Even still, he’s found his game after finishing 21st, 18th and 2nd in his previous 3 starts.

Si Woo Kim (+10000)

In his last 9 starts, Kim has finished worse than 18th only 3 times. That’s 6 top-20s in 9 starts, including a T-6 at the Players Championship. His putting is awful, ranking 162nd on tour, but he’s 4th in SG: tee-to-green, which is an important metric.

Byeong Hun An (+10000)

An is playing too well to have odds this long. He finished 4th at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, 3rd at the Wells Fargo Championship and 22nd at Muirfield last week, 3 impressive performances in his last 4 starts. There are obvious concerns with his short game, ranking 102nd in strokes gained around the green and 84th in putting, but he’s long off the tee and 48th in SG: approach.

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Category: Ligue 1 Picks and Predictions

2024 U.S. Open odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions