The U.S. Open is often referred to as golf’s toughest test, and that’s likely to be the case when the year’s third major championship is contested at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club this week.
The Long Island venue last hosted the U.S. Open in 2018, when Brooks Koepka captured his third major championship with a winning score of 1-over par. High winds forecasted for early in the week could make scoring quite difficult again in 2026.
In addition to watching the weather and how the USGA sets up the course, all eyes will be on World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who will make his first bid to complete the career Grand Slam this week.
Before the tournament tees off on Thursday morning, let’s assess the latest odds before I make my 2026 U.S. Open predictions.
John Arlia 2026 Golf Betting Record: Winner Picks 1-15 (+14.25 Units), Matchups 6-2 (+3.92 Units), Finishing Props 1-7 (-3.9 Units)
2026 U.S. Open Odds
All golf odds used for these 2026 U.S. Open predictions are current as of Wednesday, June 17, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Scottie Scheffler (+445)
- Rory McIlroy (+920)
- Jon Rahm (+1175)
- Cameron Young (+1900)
- Xander Schauffele (+1900)
- Tommy Fleetwood (+2200)
- Matt Fitzpatrick (+2300)
- Ludvig Aberg (+2500)
- Bryson DeChambeau (+3400)
- Si Woo Kim (+3500)
- Brooks Koepka (+3600)
- Sam Burns (+3600)
All other players have odds of +4000 or longer.
2026 U.S. Open Winner Predictions
Bryson DeChambeau (+3400)
WAGER: 1 Unit
For a two-time U.S. Open champion, this number is too good to pass up.
The 2020 and 2024 winner hasn’t lived up to expectations at major championships in 2026, missing the cut at both the Masters and the PGA Championship after posting three top-10 finishes in four major starts each of the previous two years.
While DeChambeau has failed to deliver in the big moments this season, he has played well on LIV, claiming two victories and three third-place finishes across nine starts.
His combination of elite driving and putting often puts him in contention in these difficult events, and he’ll have a great chance if he can sharpen up his iron play this week.
At these longer odds, I’m backing DeChambeau to win his third U.S. Open as one of my best golf betting picks today.
Chris Gotterup (+4300)
WAGER: 0.75 Units
Gotterup has been one of the PGA Tour’s breakout stars this season, starting the campaign strong with wins at the Sony Open and Phoenix Open.
Those results solidified his reputation as one of the game’s top young players after he burst onto the scene with a win in Scotland last summer.
- Sign up for The Game Day Newsletter to get the latest bet tips and sportsbook promos.
That victory is one of the reasons why I’m backing the 26-year-old this week, as he has proven to be one of the Tour’s top players in windy conditions.
Gotterup backed up that win in Scotland with a solo third at the 2025 Open Championship in his debut last August and has shown the grinder mentality needed to deal with blustery conditions expected at Shinnecock Hills this week.
The Rutgers University product is no stranger to northeast golf, and he should contend this week after strong finishes at the PGA Championship (T-10) and in his Masters debut (T-24).
2026 U.S. Open Best Bets
72-Hole Matchup: Cameron Smith (-108) vs Keegan Bradley
WAGER: 1.08 Units
After missing six straight cuts at major championships, Cameron Smith finally made the weekend at the PGA Championship, contending on Sunday and ultimately finishing in a tie for seventh.
The secret to his recent uptick in form has been new coach Claude Harmon, who has helped the 2022 Open Championship winner get back on track with his ball-striking, which had recently held back the elite short-game specialist.
Smith’s results have been trending up on LIV as well, with his most recent T-5 finish in Andalucia marking his best result of the 2026 season.
As a slight underdog at -108 odds, I like Smith’s chances to outplay Bradley, who doesn’t have a top-10 finish and has just four top-25s in 14 PGA Tour starts this season.
Top-30 Finish: Harris English (+124)
WAGER: 1 Unit
English has historically played his best golf on difficult golf courses, so he’s exactly the type of player you should be targeting this week.
The 36-year-old’s most recent victory on the PGA Tour came last season at Torrey Pines, and he has racked up three top-10 finishes in his previous six U.S. Open starts.
English has been particularly consistent this season, finishing inside the top 30 in 12 of 14 starts, including the Masters and PGA Championship.
The University of Georgia product may not overcome his 80-1 odds to win, but he should be on the first few pages of the leaderboard come Sunday.
Consider this wager with our top sportsbook promotions for 2026.
