US Open 2026 Betting Tips: Fitzy to win another US Open?

Following Rory McIlroy’s successful Masters defence at Augusta National and Aaron Rai’s impressive maiden major victory at Aronimink in the PGA Championship, the 2026 major season now moves on to its third chapter with the U.S. Open.

This year, the championship returns to the world-renowned Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, hosting the event for the first time since 2018 and the sixth in its history.

Our golf tipster Jamie Worsley is back with five more each-way picks this week, so let's check out his famous comprehensive US Open 2026 Betting Tips here at Betfred Insights...

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TOURNAMENT HISTORY

First held in 1895, the U.S. Open is the second-oldest of the four men’s majors and is widely considered to be the toughest test in golf.

Golfers from the U.K. dominated the early years of this championship, winning each edition from 1895 – 1911. However, home players soon assumed control and have won 89 of the last 125 renewals.

Scotland’s Willie Anderson was the first player to set the record of four U.S. Open wins, following his 1901 victory by claiming three on the spin from 1903 – 1905. He has since been equalled by Bobby Jones (1923, 1926, 1929, 1930), Ben Hogan (1948, 1950, 1951, 1953) and Jack Nicklaus (1962, 1967, 1972, 1980).

Hale Irwin (1974, 1979, 1990) and Tiger Woods (2000, 2002, 2008) have three wins, while the lengthy list of two-time winners includes esteemed names such as Walter Hagen (1914, 1919), Lee Trevino (1968, 1971), Ernie Els (1994, 1997) and Brooks Koepka (2017, 2018).

We’ve had plenty of memorable performances in this event, but none quite at the level of Tiger Woods’ staggering victory at Pebble Beach in 2000. He was the only player to finish under par that week, with his 12-under total handing him a 15-shot win over the field. It remains the most dominant win in major championship history, and it is regarded as the greatest individual display the game has ever seen.

Last five winners:

• 2025 (Oakmont Country Club)

Winner: J.J. Spaun (-1)

Runner-up: Robert MacIntyre (+1)

• 2024 (Pinehurst No. 2)

Winner: Bryson DeChambeau (-6)

Runner-up: Rory McIlroy (-5)

• 2023 (Los Angeles Country Club)

Winner: Wyndham Clark (-10)

Runner-up: Rory McIlroy (-9)

• 2022 (Brookline)

Winner: Matt Fitzpatrick (-6)

Runners-up: Scottie Scheffler, Will Zalatoris (-5)

• 2021 (Torrey Pines)

Winner: Jon Rahm (-6)

Runner-up: Louis Oosthuizen (-5)

Having sat no worse than 2^nd at the end of each round, J.J. Spaun won a brutally difficult U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club last year, holing an incredible 65ft putt on the 72^nd hole for his maiden major championship success.

THE COURSE

Shinnecock Hills Golf Club

• Original architect / Year opened: Willie Davis / 1891. However, it was the work that William Flynn did from 1929-1931 – creating 12 new holes and altering six already existing – that delivered the course as we know it today
• Latest renovation: The Coore & Crenshaw design team conducted a restoration of the layout in 2016, undertaking an extensive tree-removal program alongside widening fairways and expanding greens
• Previous U.S. Opens at Shinnecock:
  • 2018 – Winner: Brooks Koepka (+1)
  • 2004 – Winner: Retief Goosen (-4)
  • 1995 – Winner: Corey Pavin (E)
  • 1986 – Winner: Raymond Floyd (-1)
  • 1896 – Winner: James Foulis
• Par / Yardage: Par 70 / 7,440 yards
• Hole breakdown:
  • 4x par 3s (157-252 yards)
  • 12x par 4s (371-520 yards)
  • 2x par 5s (592-614 yards)
• Course style: A naturally undulating and rugged links-style layout that sits exposed to the elements on firm, sandy terrain
• Fairways:
  • The fairways are wide, though with several doglegs and the hard, sloping nature of the ground, players need to position the ball smartly to set up the best angles of attack into the greens
  • Bunkers (of which there are 155 around the course in total) litter the landing areas, whilst five-inch-thick fescue awaits to punish the most wayward drivers
• Greens:
  • The large (8,834 sq. ft.), fast poa annua greens deliver the primary challenge at Shinnecock
  • Elevated and often multi-tiered, they feature a blend of severe and subtle contours
  • Built to blend into their natural surroundings, slick run-offs and false fronts make them difficult to hold despite their size
  • This leaves demanding recoveries from bunkers, tightly-mown chipping areas and rough
  • They ranked 1^st in SG: Putting, 1^st in SG: Around-the-Green and 2^nd in SG: Approach difficulty in 2018
• Defences:
  • The green complexes place a variety of demands on players
  • With intelligent routing that forces players to play into ever-changing directions, prevailing winds can cause havoc and help firm up the ground
  • Some uphill approaches make distance control all the more difficult

Rated by many as the best course in the U.S., Shinnecock Hills Golf Club is also one of the most formidable tests of golf anywhere in the world.

High-quality holes await at every corner, though it’s perhaps the wonderful collection of par 3s for which it is most famed. While the 252-yard 2^nd is the longest and toughest of these, and the 176-yard 17^th, with its narrow, angled and heavily bunkered, elevated green making for a demanding penultimate hole, it’s the other two that stand out.

The 187-yard 7^th is regarded as the signature hole at Shinnecock. Showcasing a classic Redan green, it slopes from front right to back left and is protected by bunkers on both sides. Going straight at the pin is not an option and players must use the contours of the putting surface to feed the ball towards the hole.

The 157-yard 11^th is the shortest but is hugely challenging and the most spectacular in look. Playing uphill to a small, raised target guarded by deep bunkers at the front, nothing is visible beyond the green, which runs off steeply at the back. Missing is a serious penalty and with that perplexing infinity green visual, many will fall foul of this diminutive but demanding hole.

This is just a taster of what’s to come this week and I’m excited to see how this refreshed group of contenders handles one of the most brutal U.S. Open layouts on the rota.

THE WEATHER

With the exception of a couple of passing showers on Wednesday and Thursday, it’s forecast to be a largely dry week in New York.

The opening round is set to be played in a stiff breeze, blowing at 16mph throughout and accompanied by gusts of up to 27mph. Although it’s not predicted to be quite as strong in the following days, speeds of 9-14mph will be enough to have an impact around this exposed venue and should help firm the course up.

KEY STATS

SG: Approach / Greens-in-Regulation (GIR) / Proximity from 150-200 yards

Simply hitting the brutal greens at Shinnecock is not enough, players have to approach them with the utmost precision to find the correct portion of the surfaces. Whilst quality throughout the ranges is required, it’s the mid-to-long irons that carry the most importance.

• 2018
  • Brooks Koepka (Winner): 1^st in SG: Approach / 4^th in GIR
  • Tommy Fleetwood (2^nd): 12^th in SG: Approach / 2^nd in GIR
  • Dustin Johnson (3^rd): 2^nd in GIR
  • Patrick Reed (4^th): 9^th in SG: Approach / 6^th in GIR
  • Tony Finau (5^th): 13^th in SG: Approach / 14^th in GIR

SG: Around-the-Greens (SG: ATG) / Scrambling

GIR percentages are naturally low around here and it was no surprise to see many of the sharpest short-game players rise to the top eight years ago.

• 2018
  • Dustin Johnson (3^rd): 1^st in SG: ATG / 6^th in scrambling
  • Patrick Reed (4^th): 15^th in SG: ATG
  • Tony Finau (5^th): 11^th in SG: ATG

SG: Putting (poa annua)

The sheer difficulty of these putting surfaces could be a leveller. That said, poa annua is ordinarily the trickiest grass to putt on. Therefore, those with proven experience of putting fast poa greens are of obvious interest.

• 2018
  • Brooks Koepka (Winner): 3^rd in SG: Putting
  • Tommy Fleetwood (2^nd): 10^th in SG: Putting
  • Tony Finau (5^th): 13^th in SG: Putting

CORRELATING EVENTS (COURSES)

I’m not sure there is any course that represents a true match to Shinnecock, but there are several that possess notable similarities.

2014 & 2024 U.S. Open (Pinehurst No. 2)

Although the densely tree-lined Pinehurst No. 2 doesn’t have the open and expansive look of this week’s host, the sandy, firm and undulating turf does give it a somewhat linksy feel. Fairways are wide but punishing when you miss, whilst the large, quick greens are heavily contoured and tough to hold, often leaving players with a devilish up and down from the greenside surrounds.

2023 U.S. Open (Los Angeles Country Club)

The host of the 2023 U.S. Open, L.A. Country Club, could provide another way into this week’s event. It’s a spacious layout with wide, sloping fairways that need to be attacked with thought to leave the optimum angles into the sizeable, speedy and resistant putting surfaces.

2016 & 2025 U.S. Open (Oakmont Country Club)

Maybe we can head back to the stage of last year’s U.S. Open for clues. As an exposed venue with sloping fairways, extensive bunkering, comparably thick rough and heavily contoured poa annua greens that are similar in speed and size, Oakmont has much in common with Shinnecock.

The Open Championship / Scottish Open

Among the closest comparisons to a traditional links course found in the U.S., Shinnecock is a place where proven links performers thrived in 2018. We had former Open Championship winners Henrik Stenson and Xander Schauffele in the top 10, alongside experts of that brand of golf such as Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton.

2012 & 2021 PGA Championship (Kiawah Island)

Kiawah Island is another U.S-based major course that somewhat resembles the challenge of British & Irish links venues. Wind is a factor around this open course, which showcases wide fairways and large greens built on firm ground.

The Masters (Augusta National)

Though not the most visually similar venues, Augusta National and Shinnecock share several key characteristics, including wide, undulating fairways and a premium on precise approach play and a sharp short game around demanding greens.

The 2018 leaderboard here was dominated by Masters performers, including former winners Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed finishing 3^rd and 4^th, respectively.

Farmers Insurance Open & 2021 U.S. Open (Torrey Pines)

Lastly, it may have narrower fairways and be less visually appealing than our host course, but if we’re looking for long, exposed championship layouts with tricky poa annua greens, then Torrey Pines is well worth checking out.

TOURNAMENT TRENDS (2016-2025)

• Eight of the last 10 winners had previously recorded a top-25 finish at the U.S. Open
• Eight had a prior top-10 in a major, seven had a top-five
• This event has witnessed eight first-time major winners in the last 10 years
• Eight recorded a top-10 finish across their three previous appearances
• Only two had won an event earlier in that calendar year
• Nine were already PGA Tour winners
• Nobody has won the U.S. Open on debut since 1913 winner Francis Ouimet

THE FIELD

This week’s U.S. Open field features 59 of the world’s top 60 and, as was the case last year, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are still ranked No. 1 and No. 2. England’s Marco Penge is the solo absentee from that group, currently taking time out to address some health issues.

J.J. Spaun returns to defend the title he won in incredible fashion 12 months ago. He is joined by 11 further former winners: Bryson DeChambeau (2024, 2020), Wyndham Clark (2023), Matt Fitzpatrick (2022), Jon Rahm (2021), Gary Woodland (2019), Brooks Koepka (2018, 2017), Dustin Johnson (2016), Jordan Spieth (2015), Justin Rose (2013), Rory McIlroy (2011) and Graeme McDowell (2010).

There are spots in the field for leading amateur Jackson Koivun – who will turn professional after this week’s event – alongside 2025 U.S. Amateur winner Mason Howell and 2025 Amateur Championship winner Ethan Fang. Meanwhile, at the other end of the experience scale, last year’s U.S. Senior Open champion Padraig Harrington has also earned a tee time at Shinnecock.

In addition, 13 qualifying events were held around the world, from which 62 players have gained a place in the field. Notable names include eight-time PGA Tour winner Billy Horschel, former No. 2 amateur Ben James, whilst J.B. Holmes will make his first major appearance since 2019.

SELECTIONS

Market leaders: Scottie Scheffler 6/1, Rory McIlroy 11/1, Jon Rahm 12/1, Cameron Young 18/1, Matt Fitzpatrick 20/1, Tommy Fleetwood 20/1, Xander Schauffele 20/1

Check out the full US Open Odds here

2.5 pts Matt Fitzpatrick each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 20/1

With three PGA Tour victories under his belt, 2026 has already been a stellar year for Matt Fitzpatrick. He’s hitting his irons better than ever and, having impressed with a runner-up finish in Canada last week, the 2022 U.S. Open champ looks primed to challenge for a second major title.

Fitzpatrick hasn’t missed a cut since April last year and has hit the top 25 in 10 of 14 appearances this campaign. A narrow runner-up finish at THE PLAYERS Championship was immediately followed by a win at the Valspar Championship, and after finishing 18^th at The Masters, he beat Scottie Scheffler in a playoff to claim a second RBC Heritage trophy, before memorably taking the Zurich Classic alongside brother Alex a week later.

He’s since finished a never-nearer 14^th at the PGA Championship thanks to a final-round 65 and fired four rounds in the 60s to finish 2^nd at TPC Toronto.

Each area of his game fired at the Canadian Open, but much like they’ve been all season, it was his irons that were his biggest asset, ranking 2^nd in GIR and 5^th in SG: Approach. He sits 4^th in both of those stats season-long and has been almost as strong with the short game, ranking 6^th in SG: ATG and 18^th in scrambling.

The driver also remains a positive and whilst this typically excellent putter has lacked for consistency on the greens in 2026, he did produce his best SG: Putting display of the season last week, ranking 12^th.

Fitzpatrick took to the nuances of Shinnecock right away back in 2018, ending each round inside the top 20 and eventually finishing 12^th. This rates as his second-best finish in the championship after his 2022 win at Brookline.

As a former winner of the Dunhill Links who has finished 2^nd and 4^th at the Scottish Open and 4^th at The Open Championship, his links pedigree is another plus for a player performing at the peak of his powers in 2026.

1.5 pts Tyrrell Hatton each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 35/1

That links connection is further strengthened by Tyrrell Hatton, who, alongside Matt Fitzpatrick, was one of six British players to finish inside the top 19 at Shinnecock in 2018. He arrives after winning at Valderrama just two weeks ago on LIV and, with his two best major displays coming in the last two years, he’s ready for a breakthrough.

Hatton has had three top-five finishes on LIV this year, finishing 3^rd in Adelaide and 5^th in Mexico City before that latest win in Andalucia. However, undoubtedly his standout result of the campaign came at Augusta, where he recorded a career-best 3^rd-place finish.

That came courtesy of a high-class tee-to-green performance, ranking 5^th. This is something that he has maintained since, sitting 10^th in SG: Tee-to-Green across the last two months. He putted superbly on the tricky surfaces at Valderrama and as a proven wind player, his profile matches up perfectly.

Go back to 2018 and Hatton had missed four of his previous five cuts prior to teeing it up at Shinnecock, but he duly put that aside to produce an excellent 6^th-place finish – his best result in the event until he finished 4^th at Oakmont last year.

That is an eye-catching duo of results alone, though when we also consider that he’s a three-time winner of the Dunhill Links who has two top-six finishes at The Open, there are few players as suited to this brand of golf as the Englishman.

1.5 pts Patrick Reed each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 40/1

I’ve been a little put off by Patrick Reed’s lack of match practice in the build-up to the first two majors, though having finished 12^th at The Masters and 10^th at the PGA Championship, I shouldn’t have been so concerned. He now returns to the scene of his highest U.S. Open finish back in 2018, and with his all-round game as sound as it has in quite some time, there’s every chance he’s in the reckoning comes Sunday.

Since announcing his departure from LIV back in January, with the ultimate aim of rejoining the PGA Tour, Reed has been in electric form on the DP World Tour, winning twice. The first of those victories came at the Dubai Desert Classic and he almost went back-to-back in Bahrain, losing out in a playoff to Freddy Schott, but he did get that second win the following week in Qatar.

That run of 1-2-1 in the Middle East has all but secured his PGA Tour card for 2027, which is probably why he hasn’t teed it up on the circuit a whole lot in recent months. That said, he has looked no less sharp despite his inactivity, spending almost a month out before recording those top-15 finishes in our first two majors.

The American has been typically strong with his short game in 2026, ranking 12^th in SG: ATG and SG: Putting in this field. Although it’s his iron play that has been most encouraging, ranking 11^th in SG: Approach. He’s gaining more strokes with the clubs than he has at any point during his career and with the driver also more sound, he has a skillset tailor-made for tough major championship golf.

As a former Masters champion who has won at Torrey Pines, it shouldn’t come as a shock that Reed was comfortable with the challenge at Shinnecock in 2018, finishing in a fantastic 4^th place. That is still his only top-10 finish in his national championship and, currently enjoying an impressive resurgence, he can double his tally this week.

1.25 pts Chris Gotterup each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 45/1

That figure of eight first-time major winners in the last 10 editions is rather striking, and I’m going to finish with a couple of rising home players to continue this theme. After going well for us to finish 10^th at the PGA Championship, I’m happy to give Chris Gotterup another shot in New York.

Gotterup had been progressing nicely on the PGA Tour in the last couple of years, winning the Myrtle Beach Classic in 2024 before taking down an elite field to win last year’s Scottish Open. He’s taken his game to another level this campaign, winning both the Sony Open and Phoenix Open across his first three starts and has continued to look like a player destined for the top, making it four major top-25s in a row by finishing 24^th on his Masters debut and 10^th at Aronimink in the PGA Championship.

The driver has been his biggest weapon throughout his pro career, and he is still thriving with the club, ranking 19^th in SG: OTT. He sits 4^th in driving distance and though somewhat inaccurate, he should benefit from these expansive fairways. His short game is neat and tidy, but it’s the irons that have really come on in 2025, ranking inside the top 50 in SG: Approach as opposed to being outside the top 100 in the previous two seasons.

Gotterup’s major record speaks for itself. He finished 3^rd on his Open Championship debut at Royal Portrush last year and has made both cuts in this event, finishing 23^rd at Oakmont in 2025. Added to those two efforts this year, he’s amassing an extremely promising record in these premier events and, with that Scottish Open victory also boding well, the New Jersey-raised powerhouse should be comfortable in this environment.

1 pt Jacob Bridgeman each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 125/1

Jacob Bridgeman was one of the stories of the early part of the year, as he capitalised on some fabulous play to win a first PGA Tour title at the Genesis Invitational. He has suffered a drop in form, though signs have been much more promising in recent weeks, and as a strong iron player with an elite short game, this is the ideal place for him to spring into life.

Bridgeman hit the top 20 in each of his first eight outings this campaign, complementing that superb victory at Riviera – where he led by an incredible six shots with 18 holes to play – with further top five-finishes at the Sony Open and THE PLAYERS Championship. He was decent enough when 41^st on his Masters debut but has been largely underwhelming in recent months.

That said, he played solidly at the Memorial Tournament two weeks ago to finish 34^th, and he kicked on again in Canada, rattling home with rounds of 67, 64 and 68 to finish 11^th after a slow start.

He ranked 5^th in SG: Approach at TPC Toronto and it’s indeed in this area where he’s made the biggest upgrade across the whole season, jumping to 37^th from 124^th position in 2025. The putter remains a real asset, ranking 3^rd in SG: Putting and, whilst his play around the greens has been a little inconsistent, any player who has the skill to handle the greenside areas at Augusta should be able to transfer that ability to other elite short-game tests.

Major championship and comp form is obviously thin on the ground for a competitor who has only reached these higher echelons relatively recently. However, having secured his maiden pro title on an undulating and challenging major-level course with difficult poa annua greens at Riviera, I’m confident he can contend at Shinnecock.