2023 US Open Golf Betting Preview and Tips – JP
2023 US Open Golf Preview & Tips
The 2023 US Open Golf comes from the Los Angeles Country Club in California. This North Course has never hosted a major before but was host to the 2017 Walker Cup. The USA team that year featured Scotty Scheffler, Denny McCarthy and Colin Morikawa.
Revamped
The course was revamped by Gil Hanse in 2009 and 2010 with the aim to bring back more to its original design. Hanse has carried out renovations at other recent US Open venues, Winged Foot and Brookline.
Like all the major venues these days, it is very long. A classic parkland course, with no water hazards in play, it stretches to over 7400 yards with a par of 70. It is a hilly course with ravines, elevation changes, raised greens and no less than five par 3s, some long par three’s and one very short.
Tough Test
US Open courses are famously tough so do not expect a birdie fest. Some of the rough is ball swallowingly deep but there is a bit more room off the tee than usual. It is said to be a second shot course, a bit like Augusta in that getting the ball in the right place is more important than firing at the pin.
The playing conditions are said to be firm and fast and dry weather is expected for all four days. The fairways are running which will help the shorter hitters, but it won’t hurt the big hitters either.
It is quite a level playing field in that not many have had played competitive golf here but there are a few native Californians who will have played it more than others. The leading Cali natives are Xander Schauffele, Colin Morikawa, Bryson de Chambeau and Ricky Fowler.
California Form
California has played host to four recent major championships:
2021 US Open at Torrey Pines, won by Jon Rahm, Oosthuizen was runner up, Harris English 3rd, Koepka and Morikawa were T4, Schauffele, Scheffler, McIlroy and Casey T7.
2020 USPGA Championship was won by Morikawa, Casey and Dustin Johnson T2, De Chambeau and Scheffler T4, Rose 9th, Schauffele T10.
2019 US Open was won by Gary Woodland, Koepka was runner up, Rahm, Rose, Schauffele T3, Oosthuizen T7, McIlroy T9.
The 2012 US Open was won by Webb Simpson but it is a bit too long ago to be really relevant.
There are some names that keep on creeping up in the recent Californian majors. Jon Rahm, Colin Morikawa, Brooks Koepka, Xander Schauffele, Scotty Scheffler, Paul Casey, Justin Rose, Louis Oosthuizen and to a lesser degree, Rory McIlroy.
Rahm Solid
Jon Rahm has a lot of great form in California. In the last six years he has picked up three wins and 17 top 10 finishes in total. Clearly, it is a part of the world where he feels comfortable. Colin Morikawa has a regular tour win in California and another two top 10s. He had to withdraw from his last tournament with back spasms which is enough to swerve him, with some reluctance.
First time winners have been a feature of recent US Opens. 11 of the last 14 winners have been first timers. Most of the fancied runners have already picked up at least one major but there are plenty of in-form players who can be on that shortlist. Such as Xander Schauffele, Ricky Fowler, Victor Hovland, Tony Finau and Patrick Cantlay, to name but a few.
US Open Ante Post Selections
Brooks Koepka is half the price he was to win the USPGA Championship but he is hard to pass by. Now definitely restored to full fitness, he is a threat to win any major he enters. He has already won five majors, two US Opens and three USPGA Championships.
Koepka has been runner up in four more and has a total of 14 top 7 major finishes. He wins more majors than regular events, PGA or LIV. He has good form in majors played in California and fits the bill as a big hitter.
2023 US Open Golf Tip: 2 points Brooks Koepka to win the US Open @ 13.00 with Betvictor
Jon Rahm’s form since winning the Masters hasn’t been stellar by his standards but not has it been rubbish. A return to California might flick the switch he needs to win his fifth title in 2023. 16th for shots gained off the tee and 3rd for shots gained in approaching the green suggests he will be well suited to this course.
2023 US Open Golf Tip: 1 point Jon Rahm to win the US Open @ 11.00 generally available
A first time winner and a native Californian? Step forward Xander Schauffele. A super consistent player but too often the bridesmaid.
He has had five top 7 finishes in the last six US Opens. He has yet to win this year but was a runner up in the Wells Fargo Championship last month, 10th at the Masters with a couple of 4th places in between.
4th for overall shots gained and 6th for shots gained approaching the green will be good here. While he isn’t the longest off the tee, he still averages 302 yards.
The question is, do we back e/w outright, or just to finish in the top 10? He is 3.40 for a top 10 finish for the more conservative punter. However, I’ll follow the first time winner line and go the whole hog.
2023 US Open Golf Tip: 0.5 point e/w Xander Schauffele to win the US Open @ 21.00 with BET365 (e/w1-8)
The final pick is on a fellow Californian and another player who has yet to pick up a major. Ricky Fowler had fallen away in recent years and he looked finished, but there have been promising signs that he is back in form.
He missed the cut at the PGA but outside of that, his last five tournaments have seen top 15 finishes, including a 9th and 6th in his last two. He is 11th for total shots gained and 8th for approach to green. Fowler is 307 off the tee and his game should be a good fit here.
