The 2023 US Open tees off on Thursday at Los Angeles Country Club. This is the first major since the announcement of the LIV-PGA merger and the field is loaded with the top talent in golf. Los Angeles Country Club has wilder fairways and is favorable for players with strong second shots in their bag. However, this is a firm course with crosswinds on the back 9 from the Pacific Ocean.
There are some very interesting holes in this course that make it unlike any other: a 124-yard Par 3 on the 15th hole that played 78 yards in the 2017 Walker Cup (featuring Colin Morikawa and Scottie Scheffler), a 284-yard Par 3 on the 7th hole, and a 330-yard Par 4 on the 6th hole. This event should have a big name at the top come Sunday. Previous winners of the US Open include John Rahm, Brooks Koepka (x2), Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth.
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2023 US Open Predictions and Best bets
US Open best bet: Scottie Scheffler (+650)
Line available on FanDuel Sportsbook at the time of publishing.
Scheffler is the best player in golf right now and if he can get his putting in order he should walk away with this event. I rarely bet chalk in these big events, but Scheffler justifies it and if you have an odds boost to use, he is your guy. He’s played in 16 events with 15 Top-25 finishes this season, to go along with 2 wins and 1 runner-up. He has 4 straight top 5 finishes ( you read that correctly) and has never won the US Open. He is #1 on tour in: Total Strokes Gained, Strokes Gained Off the Tee, and Strokes Gained Approaching the Green. His putting is the only thing holding him back.
US Open prediction: Cam Smith (+3000)
Line available on FanDuel Sportsbook at the time of publishing.
Smith is my only non-Californian in the bunch. He’s only played 2 events this season (Masters/PGA) due to playing for LIV golf and finished 34th and 9th respectively. This will be his quick welcome back to the PGA and I expect him to come out firing. Many are likening this course to St. Andrews due to the firm ground and winds on the back 9. Smith won the British Open last year at St. Andrews so I’m hoping it translates. The wider fairways should help Smith’s game and put him in contention come Sunday.
Don’t miss Diane Knox Balas’ 2023 US Open best bets — she cashed a 75-1 winner on Nick Taylor last week!
2023 US Open Top 20 best bets
US Open Top 20 best bet: Cam Smith (+125)
Line available on DraftKings Sportsbook at the time of publishing.
See above.
US Open Top 20 prediction: Max Homa (+130)
Line available on DraftKings Sportsbook at the time of publishing.
You’re going to hear a lot about Homa’s 61 on this course in the first round of the 2013 Pac-12 championship. Homa went on to win the Pac-12 championship that year and continues to play out of Burbank, CA. The 32-year-old who played at UC-Berkeley is having his best season to date with 11 top-25 finishes in 16 events played and 14 cuts made. He’s finished top 25 in each of the last 3 events and I love these odds given his familiarity with the course along with recent success.
US Open Top 20 prediction: Collin Morikawa (+125)
Line available on FanDuel Sportsbook at the time of publishing.
Morikawa is recovering from back spasms that forced him to withdraw from the Memorial Tournament in early June. However, he is claiming that the back is doing significantly better and I’ll take the ex-UC Berkeley Golden Bear’s word for it. Yes, Morikawa has played this course in the Pac -12 championships in college as well as the 2017 Walker Cup. Morikawa has 6 top-25 finishes in 17 events played and 13 cuts made with 4 Top 10 finishes. He has two top-30 finishes in his last two events (excluding withdrawal).
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2023 US Open Top 30 best bets
US Open Top 30 best bet: Sahith Theegala (+180)
Line available on DraftKings Sportsbook at the time of publishing.
Theegala is a California native and very familiar with the course, playing his college golf at Pepperdine. He currently plays out of Chino Hills, CA which just borders Los Angeles County. In 21 events played this season, he has 10 top-25 finishes and 7 top-10 finishes and has made the cut in 20/21. He’s been on a bit of a slide recently but finished 9th at the Masters and 5th at the RBC Heritage. Theegala’s inaccuracy on drives should be masked by these wider fairways and he is 2nd in the PGA tour with 316 total birdies this season. His putting is some of the best on tour.
US Open Top 30 prediction: Justin Suh (+330)
Line available on FanDuel Sportsbook at the time of publishing.
Another California Kid coming at you. Suh played at USC and his time in the Pac-12 championships gives him familiarity with Los Angeles Country Club. He has 6 top-25 finishes in 24 events with 19 cuts made. Suh has 3 top-30 finishes in the last 3 events and is one of the best long-distance putters on tour this season. He is 3rd overall putting from 10-15 feet and these greens are slightly larger than normal.
US Open Top 30 Lotto (+6138)
Lines available on FanDuel Sportsbook at the time of publishing.
- Cameron Smith
- Max Homa
- Collin Morikawa
- Sahith Theegala
- Justin Suh
$25 pays $1534
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