2020 US Open Golf Betting Tips, Predictions & Odds - Who will survive gruelling Winged Foot test?

John Eastwood

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Last updated: 18 Sep 2020

John Eastwood 18 Sep 2020

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2020 US Open takes place at Winged Foot Golf Club in New York
Tournament is taking place from September 17-20
World No. 1 Dustin Johnson is the favourite with Jon Rahm next best
Tiger Woods is aiming to win his 4th US Open title
Brooks Koepka won in 2018 & 2019

2020 US Open is taking place at Winged Foot Golf Club in New York (Getty Images)

2020 US Open Betting Tips, Preview & Predictions

The 2020 US Open is taking place from September 17-20 at Winged Foot Golf Club in New York. It will be the 120th edition of the tournament with $12,500,000 prize money on offer including $2,250,000 going to the winner.

The US Open was last staged at Winged Foot in 2006, Geoff Ogilvy coming out on top on +5. Tiger Woods claimed the New York venue is one of the three toughest courses in the golfing world, and Even Par could be more than good enough to get the job done this week.

Dustin Johnson and John Rahm boast excellent form on tough courses, and both bring plenty of momentum with them to Winged Foot. However, at 15/2 and 10/1 respectively, neither offer a tremendous amount of value, especially when many bookmakers are offering up to 10 places for each-way bettors.

As with any golf tournament, it makes sense to back more than one player using a sensible staking plan. There are plenty of players further down the betting to take into consideration, let’s take a look at the main contenders and find some players flying under the radar.

Dustin Johnson

Dustin Johnson enters the US Open as the newly crowned Fed-Ex Cup Champion, and the PGA Tour Player Of The Year.

DJ finished T8 in his third US Open in 2010. He had a great run at the tournament starting in 2014.

Johnson finished T4 in 2014, T2 in 2015 before winning the 2016 US Open at Oakmont Country Club in Pittsburgh.

He failed to make the cut in 2017 before finishing 3rd in 2018 and 2nd in 2019. Dustin Johnson has six top 10 finishes in 12 appearances at the US Open.

He has never played at Winged Foot.

Jon Rahm

John Rahm defeated Johnson in a Play-Off at the recent BMW Championship, a result which helped the Spaniard finish third in the Fed-Ex Cup.

Jon Rahm's first appearance at the US Open was in 2016 when he finished T23. He failed to make the cut in 2017 and 2018 but went close in 2019.

Rahm finished T3 at Pebble Beach, six strokes behind the winner Gary Woodland. He has never played at Winged Foot.

Justin Thomas

Justin Thomas led the Fed-Ex Cup standings for much of the 2020 campaign, only to be leapfrogged by Johnson, who secured better results in the play-off events.

Thomas failed to make the cut in the 2014 US Open and didn't compete in 2015. His best finish was T9 in 2017, his only top 10 finish in five appearances. Thomas has never played at Winged Foot.

Thomas' US Open record isn't the strongest, but he did finish tied-9th in 2017, the same year he won the PGA Championship.

Approach shots into the fearsome greens at Winged Foot is where the tournament will be won and lost this week. The Kentucky-native topped the PGA standings for iron play in 2020. Thomas also sat atop the Strokes Gained from Tee To Green statistics, as well as 18th on tour for Scrambling.

Thomas' putter went a little cold during the Fed-Ex Cup Play-Offs, opening the door for DJ. If Thomas can find his form on the greens again, then he could be the man to beat in New York.

Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy won the 2011 US Open at Congressional Country Club. He failed to make the cut from 2016-2018 before finishing T8 in 2019.

The Northern Irishman has four top 10 finishes in 11 appearances at the US Open. The birth of his third child may give Rory some extra impetus this week, and he could be one to watch.

McIlroy has never played at Winged Foot.

Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods needs no introduction. He finished T3 in the 1999 US Open before winning in 2000 and 2002. Woods finished 2nd in 2005 and T2 in 2007.

Tiger bounced back by winning the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines in California. His next two appearances was T6 in 2009 and T4 in 2010.

Tiger Woods US Open 2000 — Tiger Woods won the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach (Getty Images)

Woods has played in five US Opens since, failing to finish in the top 20 on each occasion.

He is the only contender to have played at Winged Foot Golf Club in the 2006 US Open. On that occasion he failed to make the cut after shooting 76 and 75 in his opening two rounds.

Tony Finau

Tony Finau has still only won once on the PGA Tour, but his record in the majors is very strong. Since switching to a claw grip, Finau's putting has been much more solid, and he should be there-or-thereabouts once again.

Tommy Fleetwood

Tommy Fleetwood found some form with his irons at the Portugal Masters this weekend. Like Finau, Fleetwood has previous in the US Open, and his game is suited perfectly to this sort of test.

Matthew Fitzpatrick

Being comparatively short off the tee, Matthew Fitzpatrick can struggle to compete when courses are playing exceptionally long and soft. On the tougher courses, however, the Sheffield man comes into his own.

Fitzpatrick shot five-under over the weekend to finish sixth in the BMW Championship, which John Rahm won on -4. The 26-year-old finished third in the Memorial this season, while also securing top-10 finishes in the St Jude Classic and the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The 26-year-old has never missed the cut at the US Open, finishing in a tie for 12th the last two seasons. Since the restart, no-one has putted better on the PGA Tour than Matt Fitzpatrick - a stat which cannot be underestimated, considering the severe difficulty of the greens at Winged Foot.

Accuracy off the tee will be much more important than distance this week. Winged Foot is not a bombers paradise and cannot be overpowered. Fitzpatrick has all the attributes needed to pass this most severe of tests. 50/1 looks a massive price.

2020 US Open Winner Odds

World number 1 Dustin Johnson leads the way ahead of World No.2 Jon Rahm. Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Collin Morikawa are all listed under 20/1.

Odds from bet365 and correct on 16 September 2020:

Player
Odds
Dustin Johnson
7.50
Jon Rahm
11.00
Justin Thomas
15.00
Xander Schauffele
15.00
Rory McIlroy
17.00
Collin Morikawa
17.00
Webb Simpson
26.00
Bryson DeChambeau
26.00
Hideki Matsuyama
29.00
Tommy Fleetwood
29.00
Daniel Berger
31.00
Patrick Cantlay
31.00
Tony Finau
31.00
Jason Day
31.00
Patrick Reed
36.00
Adam Scott
41.00
Tyrrell Hatton
46.00
Tiger Woods
51.00
Matthew Fitzpatrick
51.00
Justin Rose
56.00
Paul Casey
56.00
Viktor Hovland
61.00
Rickie Fowler
67.00
Matthew Wolff
67.00
Harris English
67.00
Louis Oosthuizen
76.00
Sungjae Im
81.00
Gary Woodland
91.00
Abraham Ancer
91.00
Brendon Todd
91.00
Kevin Kisner
91.00
Shane Lowry
91.00
Sergio Garcia
101.00
Billy Horschel
101.00
Phil Mickelson
101.00
Jordan Spieth
101.00
Martin Kaymer
111.00
Matt Kuchar
126.00
Bubba Watson
126.00
Cameron Champ
126.00
Joaquin Niemann
126.00
Si Woo Kim
126.00
Alex Noren
141.00
Ian Poulter
151.00
Source: bet365

Player	Odds
Dustin Johnson	7.50
Jon Rahm	11.00
Justin Thomas	15.00
Xander Schauffele	15.00
Rory McIlroy	17.00
Collin Morikawa	17.00
Webb Simpson	26.00
Bryson DeChambeau	26.00
Hideki Matsuyama	29.00
Tommy Fleetwood	29.00
Daniel Berger	31.00
Patrick Cantlay	31.00
Tony Finau	31.00
Jason Day	31.00
Patrick Reed	36.00
Adam Scott	41.00
Tyrrell Hatton	46.00
Tiger Woods	51.00
Matthew Fitzpatrick	51.00
Justin Rose	56.00
Paul Casey	56.00
Viktor Hovland	61.00
Rickie Fowler	67.00
Matthew Wolff	67.00
Harris English	67.00
Louis Oosthuizen	76.00
Sungjae Im	81.00
Gary Woodland	91.00
Abraham Ancer	91.00
Brendon Todd	91.00
Kevin Kisner	91.00
Shane Lowry	91.00
Sergio Garcia	101.00
Billy Horschel	101.00
Phil Mickelson	101.00
Jordan Spieth	101.00
Martin Kaymer	111.00
Matt Kuchar	126.00
Bubba Watson	126.00
Cameron Champ	126.00
Joaquin Niemann	126.00
Si Woo Kim	126.00
Alex Noren	141.00
Ian Poulter	151.00