The headliners for the 2025 Open Championship are the same familiar faces we’ve found at the top of the odds sheet (and the leaderboards) at the three previous majors this season. Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau will once again be the talk of the golf world to start the week at Royal Portrush.
Scheffler, Rahm and DeChambeau are seeking their first Open Championship win, while McIlroy hopes to add a second in his homecoming to Northern Ireland. While that quartet sits atop the sport, there are 152 others trying to etch their name in golf history and swipe the Claret Jug away from golf’s top stars.
Among them are young stars hoping to capture their first major, like Ludvig Åberg and Viktor Hovland, while reigning Open champion Xander Schauffele hopes to finally reclaim the form from his sensational 2024 campaign back in links country.
There are players even further down the odds sheet who could surprise at Royal Portrush, which is the focus here as we look at sleeper picks who could surprise many and claim the Claret Jug.
What makes a worthwhile sleeper pick? Having strong track record in The Open is certainly important, as is a golfer trending in the right direction with his play in 2025. The Open has produced its fair share of surprising winners over the years, and as such, it’s important to dig deeper into the odds sheet to identify some significant long shots worth considering.
When doing so, it’s worth shopping for the best possible odds for these golfers — because if you’re going to take a risk, you might as well maximize the payout.
2025 Open Championship sleeper picks
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
1. Jordan Spieth (55-1): How well Spieth has recovered from the neck injury that forced his withdrawal from the Travelers Championship is imperative, but provided he’s back to full strength, few Americans have been more consistently good at The Open. He has never missed a cut in 11 appearances at The Open with five top 10s, three top fives and a Claret Jug in 2017. Even during his more recent struggles generally, Spieth has managed top 25s at the last two Opens. The style of play and creativity required by links courses suits Spieth’s strengths and keep him from fixating on trying to perfect his golf swing. Provided he’s healthy, he’ll be part of the story on the weekend.
2. Cameron Young (80-1): Young is another American who has an excellent track record at The Open, albeit in a much smaller sample. He has a pair of top 10s (including a runner-up) in three starts, and his worst finish is a T31 last year. He’s started to show signs of life again after his T4 at the U.S. Open, and ever since he arrived on Tour, he’s been a player who has elevated his game in major championships.
3. Ryan Fox (90-1): Fox is playing the best golf of his career right now, winning twice on the PGA Tour already this season. The New Zealander spent a long time on the DP World Tour and has ample experience on links courses. His combination of power and ability to flight the ball should suit him well at Royal Portrush, and he should be playing with a ton of confidence right now. He’s had two of his best major finishes this season already, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see his name on the first page of the leaderboard on the weekend.
4. Dean Burmester (170-1): The South African has two top 20s in his three Open starts (all made cuts) and was in the top 10 after 36 holes in 2024. Putting together four full rounds is the big question with Burmester, but he can go low and has put himself on the first page of the leaderboard before. At 170-1, it’s hard to ask for too much more than a guy who gives you a chance.
5. Thriston Lawrence (200-1): Lawrence is extremely boom or bust, but when it comes to betting long shots, that can be a positive. He finished 4th at the Open in 2024 and was in the mix on the weekend before a T12 at the U.S. Open last month. Lawrence stayed in the mix all the way through Sunday at the 2024 Open with a solid final round 68, and one must imagine his internal belief in being able to compete in majors has grown tremendously. At 200-1, Lawrence feels like a worthwhile lottery ticket, even with the understanding a missed cut is a possibility if he doesn’t turn up with his A-game.