The third major of the year is quickly approaching as the 2022 U.S. Open tees off on Thursday. There is added excitement this week given the context of last week’s drama with the LIV Tour. Which golfers are able to wade through it all and focus on the championship? Despite the drama, the favorites right now are Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm (pictured above), along with Scottie Scheffler. Let’s take a closer look.
The Favorites: McIlroy, Scheffler, Rahm
Rory McIlroy (10-1) is currently favored to win the US Open after finishing in second place in The Masters. However, his success has extended far beyond just this most recent event. In fact, his last five events have seen him place in fifth, eighth, 18th, and first along with that runner-up at Augusta. Even though his last major win came back in 2014, he has the putting strength to get the job done here.
Right alongside McIlroy is Scottie Scheffler (12-1). Scheffler has won four different tournaments since the month of December – including the Masters – as well as two other runner-up placements. He has only missed the cut once in his last 14 events, which was the PGA Championship. Scheffler also has a win and four top 10’s in the majors throughout his past three seasons of competition. While he missed the cut at the U.S. Open in 2019, he finished seventh last year. He is certainly improving and could be strong enough to win it this time.
Another competitor among the favorites is Jon Rahm (12-1), who is a force to be reckoned with when he is on his game. He has momentum on his side as he has finished first, third, third, ninth, and second over his last five tournaments. He’s the defending champion at the US Open and has been fairly competitive in majors.
The Top Longshots: Homa, Im, Horschel
One golfer that many bettors are eyeing is Max Homa (40-1). Homa has been great so far this season, ranking 12th in strokes gained so far this year. His last time out was a fifth-place result at the Memorial and he also won the Wells Fargo Championship in May. He’s flown under the radar for a few months but this might be his arrival on the scene if he can pull this off.
Another longshot bettors are looking at is Sungjae Im (40-1). Im was eighth at the Masters and finished in the top 10 at the Memorial Tournament. Im is a strong driver and that will be key here. He hasn’t finished worse than 21st in any of his last five tournaments, so he’s a good bet to be competitive. If you don’t think he can win it all, consider him for a Top 10 prop.
Lastly, Billy Horschel (40-1) is a longer shot that could win it all. He’s coming off a win at the Memorial Tournament. He also placed second at Zurich Classic and at the Arnold Palmer Invitational earlier in the year. He’s hit-or-miss, though, as he’s placed in the Top 11 six times this season and placed 21st or worse six times. If he’s on, he could push for a win.