2023 Open Championship Picks & Predictions: McIlroy Looks to End Major Wait at Hoylake

2023 Open Championship Rory McIlroy Odds  

• ✅ Rory McIlroy first round leader (+1900) at BetMGM
• ✅ Rory McIlory first round score under 69.5 (+105) at Fanduel
• ✅ Rory McIlory to win by 2 strokes or more (+1200) with Bet365
• ✅ Rory McIlroy to make a hole in one (+8000) with Draftkings

Rory McIlroy enters this week's Open Championship brimming with confidence as he looks to end his lengthy quest for a fifth major championship. 

Although he secured his last major victory in 2014, McIlroy's performance in recent majors and tour events, coupled with the tournament's return to the familiar Royal Liverpool course, has heightened expectations that this could be his moment to shine.

Having clinched the Genesis Scottish Open in thrilling fashion last weekend and now returning to a course where he won his first Claret Jug back in 2014, it's clear to see why so many people are backing Rory McIlroy to win the 2023 Open Championship. 

2023 Open Championship: McIlroy Has Strong Recent Form

All eyes will be on McIlroy as he enters the Open Championship following a remarkable victory at the Genesis Scottish Open. This win marks his third triumph of the season, having previously claimed victory at the CJ Cup on the PGA Tour and the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour.

Additionally, McIlroy has achieved notable runner-up finishes at both the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the US Open, further solidifying his impressive performance. Remarkably, out of the 15 events he has participated in, he has managed to secure a spot in the top 10 in 10 of them. This streak includes his last six consecutive starts, commencing with a tied seventh-place finish at the US PGA Championship.

Furthermore, McIlroy replicated this success at both the Memorial Tournament and the Travelers Championship, where he also finished in a commendable tied seventh position. His strong form continued with a tied ninth-place finish at the RBC Canadian Open, in addition to his remarkable results at the US Open and the Genesis Scottish Open.

Notably, McIlroy's victory at the Genesis Scottish Open marked his 32nd career win across both the PGA Tour and the European Tour, including his previous win at the 2013 Australian Open, which was still an independent event before becoming part of the European Tour. While his impressive tally includes four major championships, McIlroy has yet to secure a major victory since 2014.

2023 Open Championship Pick: Rory McIlroy first round leader (+1900) at BetMGM

2023 Open Championship: Rory's Impressive Record in Majors

McIlroy's victory at the 2014 US PGA Championship held at Valhalla marked a significant milestone in his career. It was his second consecutive major win and his fourth triumph in his previous 15 attempts. This achievement followed his recent victory at The Open Championship and his earlier successes at the 2011 US Open and the 2012 US PGA Championship.

However, since that remarkable victory, McIlroy has faced a dry spell in major championships, failing to secure a win in the 33 contests he has participated in. Instead, he has encountered a series of close calls, leading to mounting frustration.

With the exception of missing the cut at this year's Masters, McIlroy has consistently performed well in the other six majors across the past two seasons. Notably, he achieved second-place finishes at the 2022 Masters and this year's tournament in Los Angeles, as well as a third-place finish at the 2021 Open Championship at St Andrews.

In his career, spanning 58 major championships, McIlroy has accumulated an impressive record. Alongside his four major victories, he has attained three second-place finishes and four third-place finishes. Furthermore, he has secured a remarkable 17 top-five finishes and an overall tally of 29 top-10 placings.

2023 Open Championship Pick: McIlory first round scoure under 69.5 (+105) at Fanduel

2023 Open Championship: Long Wait Could End at Royal Liverpool

If McIlroy manages to secure victory in this week's major championship or in any subsequent major, it would end one of the lengthiest waits in the history of golf. The span of eight years and 347 days between his 2014 US PGA triumph and this Sunday's event at Hoylake places him among a select group of players who have experienced considerable gaps between major victories.

Only 10 players have surpassed McIlroy's wait time, with Julius Boros holding the record for the longest duration of 11 years and nine days between his US Open victories in 1952 and 1963. Hale Irwin also achieved a similar feat, winning the US Open with an 11-year gap between his victories.

Other notable golfers who endured decade-long waits before securing additional major titles include Henry Cotton, Ben Crenshaw, Tiger Woods, Lee Trevino, and Ernie Els. John Henry Taylor and Bob Martin narrowly exceeded nine years in their waits.

If McIlroy doesn't win this week, any subsequent major victory would place him among the top eight players on this list, surpassing Taylor and Martin. A win at this week's championship would position him in 11th place, trailing Willie Park Sr.'s 1866 and 1875 Open wins.

It is worth noting that for many of the players on this list, their major victories often marked a swansong in their careers. Only Boros and Taylor went on to achieve another grand slam event afterward. At 34 years old, McIlroy is younger than most of these players were at the time of their victories, with Martin being 32 and Taylor being the only other player under 40 at 38 years old.

2023 Open Championship Pick: Rory McIlory to win by 2 strokes or more (+1200) with Bet365

Great News for Kentucky Sports Fans!

As we look forward to the thrilling conclusion of the 2023 Open Championship, there's another exciting development on the horizon for sports betting enthusiasts. Come this September, Kentucky will be launching online sports betting, paving the way for the emergence of new Kentucky sportsbooks. This opens up a new realm of opportunities for fans and bettors alike. Stay tuned for more updates on this front.