US Open Friday Betting Tips: An interesting double for day 2

Day one of the 126^th U.S. Open is in the books, and the game’s toughest test played into the hands of the championship’s proven specialists around a breezy Shinnecock Hills.

Our resident golf tipster Jamie Worsley is here with a couple of 3-ball picks he likes the look of in his US Open Friday betting tips...

You can read Jamie's full US Open Preview here..

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Leaderboard at the end of day one:

1^st – Wyndham Clark (-6, thru 16)

T2 – Sam Stevens (-2)

T2 – Ryder Cowan (-2)

T2 – Max McGreevy (-2)

T2 – Matt Fitzpatrick (-2, thru 16)

T2 – Dustin Johnson (-2, thru 15)

T2 – Gary Woodland (-2, thru 15)

T2 – Jon Rahm (-2, thru 13)

With fog causing a two-hour delay early yesterday, there are still 50 players yet to complete their first rounds in New York. However, there was still enough time for 2023 U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark to take advantage of the surprisingly calmer afternoon conditions, spectacularly launching himself into a four-shot lead with two holes of his opening round left to play.

Sam Stevens led the way in the blustery morning weather and two of the later starters have joined him in the clubhouse at -2 – the world’s No. 15 amateur Ryder Cowan alongside Max McGreevy.

We then have a high-class quartet of former U.S. Open winners on that same number with a chance to improve when play resumes. Matt Fitzpatrick rallied from a slow start, making five birdies in eight holes to move onto -2. Dustin Johnson will have an excellent opportunity to get back to -3 having briefly held solo 2^nd at -4 before a double-bogey on the 6th. Three birdies on the spin on his back nine saw Gary Woodland leap into a share of 2^nd, whilst Jon Rahm will be hoping to maintain his bogey-free round when play gets back underway.

Rory McIlroy and Ludvig Aberg will be happy with their under-par starts from the tougher side of the draw. Tommy Fleetwood, the runner-up here back in 2018, was rock-solid with a level-par opening round and, although cutting a frustrated figure, +2 was no disaster for world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.

SELECTIONS

Market leaders: Wyndham Clark 16/5, Jon Rahm 13/2, Matt Fitzpatrick 15/2, Rory McIlroy 8/1, Scottie Scheffler 12/1, Bryson DeChambeau 16/1, Ludvig Aberg 16/1

Wyndham Clark has forged his way to the top of the betting following his impressive start, now rated as the 16/5 favourite having been 35/1 at the beginning of the week. Jon Rahm comes next, closely followed by Matt Fitzpatrick and Rory McIlroy, whilst Scottie Scheffler is still among the top five in the outright market despite finding himself eight off the lead at this point.

That unexpected draw bias in round one didn’t work out favourably, as four of my five outright selections were out early, none managing better than Patrick Reed’s two-over 72. That said, headline selection Matt Fitzpatrick, the solo starter from the afternoon wave, has positioned himself nicely.

The forecast proved difficult to call on Thursday, but it is safe to assume wind will again be a factor, with speeds of 14-20mph predicted throughout.

I’m content to leave the outright betting alone for the time being and have instead chosen a couple of three-ball selections to provide some added interest in round two.

Kristoffer Reitan to beat Lucas Herbert & Sungjae Im

Kristoffer Reitan has been in better form than each of his playing partners of late and that certainly showed in round one, as he beat both Lucas Herbert and Sungjae Im by four strokes. He’s got some eye-catching form on the links over the last 12 months and looks value to lead the way again in round two.

Three birdies and three bogeys saw Reitan record a level-par round on Thursday, comfortably outperforming Lucas Herbert and Sungjae Im, who opened with rounds of four-over. He struck the ball noticeably better, ranking 41^st in SG: Ball Striking and 50^th in GIR, while Herbert was 65^th and 123^rd respectively and Im sat outside the top 130 in both categories.

The Norwegian also enjoyed a sizeable advantage on the greens, ranking 10^th in SG: Putting compared to Im’s 43^rd and Herbert’s 101^st.

With a victory at the Truist Championship, a 6^th-place finish at the Memorial Tournament, and having made the cut at the first two majors of the season, Reitan has played tremendously well of late.

Finishes of 5^th at the Dunhill Links, 13^th at the Scottish Open and 30^th at The Open last year represent excellent recent form at this brand of golf, and he can make those experiences pay for the second day in a row.

Keith Mitchell to beat Patrick Rodgers & Graeme McDowell

Keith Mitchell handed Patrick Rodgers and Graeme McDowell respective four and six-shot leads after seven holes yesterday, but he still went on to win this three-ball comfortably due to a sublime back-nine display. We saw evidence of his ability in the wind when he won the 2019 Cognizant Classic and, playing the better golf in the build-up, there’s every chance he pulls away from his playing partners.

Sitting on six-over after seven holes and going out in 41, you could’ve been forgiven for thinking Mitchell’s race was run before it had even begun. However, he produced an incredible turnaround on his back nine (Shinnecock’s front nine) to get back to level par, making four birdies and an eagle to come home in 29. This was not only the joint-lowest nine-hole score in the event’s history but also the lowest anyone had ever shot on Shinnecock’s front nine.

Rodgers endured a similarly up-and-down day, firing five birdies, five bogeys and a double to record a two-over 72. Meanwhile, after birdieing his opening two holes, McDowell followed with eight bogeys to card a six-over 76.

Whilst the Northern Irishman is typically at home in these conditions, his best years are well behind him and Rodgers has somewhat faded after a promising start to the 2026 campaign.

Mitchell, on the other hand, has missed just two cuts in 16 starts this season and finished 5^th at the Byron Nelson three outings ago. He was among the top 25 tee-to-green performers in this field on Thursday – an area in which he ranks 30^th season-long – and if the putter continues to cooperate, he can stamp his authority on this three-ball.

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