The 2026 U.S. Open heads to one of the toughest golf courses – Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York, from June 18-21. The Shinnecock is notorious for punishing greens and brutal coastal winds. The U.S. Open relishes being the toughest test in professional golf, and that routinely makes it one of the most exciting tournaments for golf betting all year.
Defending champion J.J. Spaun returns after his dramatic 2025 U.S. Open win at Oakmont Country Club, while several of the biggest names in golf enter the week among the favorites. With Bovada golf odds for the 2026 U.S. Open winner, matchup bets, prop wagers, and live betting all available leading up to the event, fans and bettors have plenty of options to put them on the green with the competitors.
But before you cash in, here’s our U.S. Open golf betting preview with picks and tips from the oddsmakers that put the golf lines together.
View the latest Golf odds at Bovada
Shinnecock Hills: The Course and Why It Matters
To understand a golfer’s performance and the odds attached, you have to understand the course. While a lot of pros can shine on anything from lush, tree-lined layouts to windy links-style tests, every course still has a way of exposing specific weaknesses in a player’s game that can affect the final score – even for the winner.
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club has built a reputation as one of the most demanding championship courses in America. Meaning, don’t expect a birdie fest like The Masters.
Previous winners at Shinnecock include Raymond Floyd, Corey Pavin, Retief Goosen, and Brooks Koepka. All these golfers are mentally tough, excellent ball strikers, and comfortable grinding out pars rather than chasing birdies.
The course is famous for deep bunkers, firm fairways, punishing rough, and strong winds coming from the Atlantic Ocean and Peconic Bay.
The last US Open here in 2018 showed exactly how difficult conditions can become. Koepka won the championship at one-over par, while the third-round scoring average climbed above 75 after challenging setup conditions pushed players to the limit. At the same time, Tommy Fleetwood produced a final-round 63, one of the lowest scores ever recorded in a US Open.
2026 U.S. Open competitors who are capable of managing the wind, while maintaining patience and consistency, include Koepka, Scottie Scheffler, Tommy Fleetwood, and Rory McIlroy.
The Favorite
Scheffler is expected to enter the 2026 U.S. Open as the betting favorite after another dominant stretch on the PGA Tour. The world’s top golfer has become the standard for consistency thanks to his elite ball striking and ability to contend almost every time he tees it up.
Scheffler already owns multiple Major championships and has consistently performed well at the U.S. Open, including a runner-up finish in 2022 and a third-place finish in 2023. His controlled approach and calm temperament fit the demands of Shinnecock Hills extremely well.
“Bettors only see one winner, Scottie Scheffler,” Bovada Trader Sean Trump said. “49.3% of all bets thus far are on him to win.”
The challenge for bettors is deciding whether the favorite still offers enough value in a tournament known for unpredictability. The U.S. Open has a long history of surprise contenders emerging late on Sunday, especially when conditions become difficult.
The Contenders: Where the Value Is
Brooks Koepka immediately stands out because of his history at Shinnecock Hills. Koepka won here in 2018 and has built a reputation as one of the strongest Major performers of his generation.
“His putting has been stone cold,” Trump noted. “But the rest of his game is very much in winning condition and brings good value.”
Tommy Fleetwood finished runner-up at Shinnecock in 2018 and still holds the course record after his remarkable 63 in the final round.
“[Fleetwood] had gained a reputation for always being the bridesmaid, never the bride, but seems to have shaken those accusations off after winning the Tour Championship last year,” Trump said.
But ultimately, when asked for his personal pick, Trump made a surprise choice: Open underdog Cameron Young.
“Young is yet to win a Major but has had a top-five finish in all four of them,” he explained. “Also, he has an ‘unofficial major’ to his name, having won this year’s Players Championship.”
Young is sixth in Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green, a stat that measures overall ball striking and long-game performance, and has also gained strokes from putting.
“He’s the perfect mix for this challenge,” Trump added.
Five percent of the bets taken so far are on Young, making him the third-most popular choice in the field behind Scheffler and Kim Si Woo (13.6% of the action).
Special Bets and Prop Markets
Outright winner odds will attract most of the betting attention during the 2026 U.S. Open, but Shinnecock Hills also provides value across a wide range of Bovada golf odds. Shinnecock’s history of difficult scoring conditions makes round-finish wagers and longshot bets more appealing than at a tournament like The Masters.
Nationality props are expected to draw heavy action as bettors compare strong American, European, and international contenders throughout the week. First-round leader bets also become especially interesting at Shinnecock, where wind conditions can create major scoring differences between morning and afternoon tee times.
Head-to-head matchups remain one of the sharpest ways to attack the U.S. Open, while the top amateur market offers bettors a chance to back rising stars before they fully break onto the PGA Tour scene.
FAQ
When is the U.S. Open golf?
The 2026 US Open takes place from June 18-21 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York.
How to watch the U.S. Open golf?
The US Open will air on NBC, USA Network, and Peacock in the United States.
Where is the U.S. Open golf?
The 2026 US Open will be played at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on Long Island, New York.
Who won the U.S. Open golf tournament?
The 2025 winner was J.J. Spaun at Oakmont Country Club with a one-under-par total.
Is the US Open a Major?
Yes. The US Open is one of golf’s four Major championships.
What is the U.S. Open Golf Tournament?
The U.S. Open is one of golf’s four Major championships held annually each June. First played in 1895, the tournament is open to pros and amateur golfers with a handicap index of 0.4 or lower. The championship rotates venues yearly and is known for its difficult course setups and fast greens that push even the world’s best players to the limit.
Winning the U.S. Open earns automatic entry into all four Major championships and has become one of the biggest achievements in professional golf. The tournament has also grown into one of the most-bet events on the golf calendar, with outright winner bets, props, and live betting drawing massive action every June. Fans can find more golf coverage and betting insight at our golf hub.
Last Year’s Leaderboard
The 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club delivered the kind of difficult, dramatic finish fans have come to expect from the championship. J.J. Spaun battled through brutal conditions before sealing his first Major title with a stunning 64-foot birdie putt on the final hole to finish one-under par.
| Pos | Player | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | To Par | FedEx Pts |
| 1 | J.J. Spaun | -4 | +2 | -1 | +2 | -1 | 750 |
| 2 | Robert MacIntyre | E | +4 | -1 | -2 | +1 | 500 |
| 3 | Viktor Hovland | +1 | -2 | E | +3 | +2 | 350 |
| T4 | Cameron Young | E | +4 | -1 | E | +3 | 300 |
| T4 | Tyrrell Hatton | +3 | E | -2 | +2 | +3 | 0 |
| T4 | Carlos Ortiz | +1 | +2 | -3 | +3 | +3 | 0 |
| T7 | Jon Rahm | -1 | +5 | +3 | -3 | +4 | 0 |
| T7 | Scottie Scheffler | +3 | +1 | E | E | +4 | 225 |
| T7 | Sam Burns | +2 | -5 | -1 | +8 | +4 | 225 |
| T10 | Ben Griffin | -1 | +1 | +4 | +1 | +5 | 165 |
| T10 | Russell Henley | E | +2 | +2 | +1 | +5 | 165 |
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