British Open Predictions: 3 Last Minute Picks Before Round 1

With the best of the best set to tee off at Royal Portrush in less than 24 hours, we're looking at Viktor Hovland, Dean Burmester, and a special SGP ahead of the 153rd edition of The Open Championship.

Neil Parker - Analyst at Covers.com
Neil Parker • Betting Analyst
Jul 16, 2025 • 10:34 ET • 4 min read
 Viktor Hovland British Open PGA Tour
Photo By - Imagn Images. Viktor Hovland takes a shot during the US Open.

The 153rd edition of The Open Championship is almost here, and all eyes will be on Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland for the final major of the 2025 season.

With the British Open odds consistently moving leading into the opening round, there’s late betting value to take advantage of.

So, here is a trio of golf picks and British Open predictions to add to your portfolio before the best of the best hit Royal Portrush for Round 1 on Thursday, July 17.

British Open picks and predictions

Pick: Dean Burmester to make the cut
-125 at bet365

With consecutive Top 20 finishes in The Open and a solid T40 in his 2021 debut alongside a solid resume of worldwide wins, Dean Burmester has developed a more well-rounded game in recent seasons, playing well at Royal Portrush this week.

This is also a numbers play. The 36-year-old bomber is priced at -190 to make the cut at DraftKings, which attaches a positive expected value of 18% to these -125 bet365 odds comparatively.

Pick: Viktor Hovland Top 20
+150 at DraftKings

Viktor Hovland profiles as a solid course fit this week at Royal Portrush.

He ranks sixth in this field in true strokes gained tee-to-green and third on approach dating back to his Valspar victory in March, and he’s gained true strokes on the greens during that stretch. 

Hovland has three Top 5s in majors since the 2022 Open, and his ball-striking remains elite heading into a setup that rewards precision. The links layout should also help mask his short-game lapses and allow him to play to his strengths.

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Pick: Ludvig Aberg Top Swede + Hideki Matsuyama Top Japanese
+250 at DraftKings

Who doesn’t love a little parlay?

Ludvig Aberg and Hideki Matsuyama head to Royal Portrush in excellent form.

Aberg is coming off a T8 in the Genesis while carding 20 birdies and two eagles while ranking 13th in true strokes gained putting.

Similarly, Matsuyama led the way in true strokes gained on approach during his T13 finish in the Rocket Classic, and he’s also gained +1.54 true strokes on approaches per round to rank second in this field in the metric dating back to the U.S. Open.

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Neil Parker - Covers
Betting Analyst

Neil Parker is, first and foremost, a sports fan. A huge supporter of the Cowboys, Cubs, and Maple Leafs, he has managed to parlay his passion into writing gigs at some of the top websites in the industry.

Neil takes a numbers-based approach to his handicapping and complements his in-depth statistical analysis with a keen eye on the markets to provide the best available odds. He loves to lean on his rolodex of idioms to offset his inner nerd. When it comes to wagering, he throws down on anything that catches his eye at bet365, Betway and BetVictor. He also keeps a close eye on CoolBet because the polar bear brand often has outlier NHL and NFL moneyline prices.

Neil graduated with honors from St. Thomas University in 2007 before completing his BEd at Acadia University in 2010. After teaching a myriad of courses and subjects, he found a groove delivering fun lessons to exceptional learners in non-traditional classroom environments. If his decade-plus teaching run taught him anything about sports betting, it’s to stay the course and use the summer – or offseason – to refresh and prepare to be better in the year to come.

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