The 2024 Open Championship: Royal Troon set to Stage the Fourth Major

The 2024 Open Championship: Royal Troon set to Stage the Fourth Major

Golf fans worldwide are in for a treat in July as the 152nd edition of the Open Championship is staged at Royal Troon in Scotland.

The prestigious tournament will be played during a hectic period for sport, with several other major events taking place across the world at the moment.

They include the European Championship and Copa America in football, while the Summer Olympic Games in Paris are just around the corner.

Royal Troon has hosted The Open twice since the turn of the century (2004 & 2016) and each tournament produced plenty of memorable moments.

American Todd Hamilton secured his first and only major victory in 2004, while Henrik Stenson emerged victorious 12 years later after a thrilling battle with Phil Mickelson.

The latest online betting for the tournament paints an intriguing picture, with world number one Scottie Scheffler rated as a 9/2 shot to emerge victorious.

The 2024 Masters champion has been in fine form this season, but has never finished higher than tied for eighth at The Open (2021) and makes limited appeal as a betting proposition.

Northern Irish star Rory McIlroy is also prominent in the outright market as he strives to win the tournament for the second time.

Other potential contenders include Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Ludvig Aberg, while Viktor Hovland, Jon Rahm and Collin Morikawa could also be competitive.

Look further down the betting list, three Australian players may attract plenty of interest from punters in the run-up to the tournament.

Cameron Smith (33/1), Min Woo Lee (66/1) and Jason Day (100/1) all have the ability to give sports bettors a good run for their money at Royal Troon.

Many Aussie punters are currently focused on horse racing, with the ante-post markets for the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup garnering plenty of attention.

Bettors in Australia have been clamouring to find reliable horse racing tips for the big races, but they would be well-advised not to overlook their compatriots’ chances of winning The Open.

Smith won this tournament in 2022 and undoubtedly has the game to shine on links courses if everything clicks into gear for him.

Lee finished tied for 21st place that year before just missing out on the top 40 last time around. He has been in reasonable form this season and could improve on those efforts.

Day is perhaps the most intriguing betting proposition for The Open. He finished joint-second behind Brian Harman last season and odds of 100/1 to win this year will tempt each-way bettors.

He has enjoyed a productive season on the PGA Tour, winning more than $3.4 million in prize money and claiming four top ten finishes.

The 36-year-old last won a major when clinching the PGA Championship in 2015, but he has the talent to belie his odds at Royal Troon.

With some bookmakers paying one-fifth of the odds for a top six finish, Day could be worth chancing in what promises to be an extremely competitive tournament.