2026 U.S. Open Odds & Betting Favorites: Clark Tracking Well for Second Major at Shinnecock

As we head to the third major of the golf season, all eyes will be on Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York, as it plays host to the 126^th edition of the U.S. Open. The early U.S. Open odds favorite, Scottie Scheffler, remains in contention, but the tournament is Wyndham Clark’s to lose after he fired a U.S. Open best 7-under through two rounds.

Clark entered the third round with a four-stroke lead over Matt Fitzpatrick, Tom Kim, Xander Schauffele, and Sam Stevens, but with difficult conditions expected anything can happen over the next two rounds.

⛳ 2026 U.S. Open Odds

Odds provided by FanDuel & DraftKings – accurate as of June 20

Finding the Right Fit in the 2026 U.S. Open Odds

When looking at the U.S. Open betting odds, there is no reason not to love Scheffler’s chances to win the event, but there are also many players offering incredible value in the U.S. Open sleeper picks.

In the two majors this season, we have seen a huge favorite win the Masters in Rory McIlroy and a massive longshot in Aaron Rai win the PGA Championship, so doing your homework to build your U.S. Open best bets for who fits best at Shinnecock Hills is a must.

With the U.S. Open cut line in play, those teeing it up will have two rounds to crack the top 60, plus ties, if they want to continue to play on the weekend.

Here is a detailed look at the 2026 U.S. Open favorites who are pulling the most betting handles before the June 18 opening tee shots.

U.S. Open Best Bets: Top Favorites to Conquer Shinnecock Hills

Scottie Scheffler | +950 with FanDuel

Still searching for his first U.S. Open title, Scottie Scheffler heads to New York also looking for just his second win of the 2026 season. Coming off a six-win season in 2025 and a seven-win season in 2024, the best player on the planet has been close several times this season but hasn’t been able to enter the winner’s circle since his first event of the year.

Making his ninth appearance at the tournament, the 29-year-old has four top seven finishes in his last five visits to the event. This marks his first time playing at Shinnecock Hills, which hosted the U.S. Open as recently as 2018, however, the Texas native was not in the field that year. While wins have not been as plentiful for Scheffler this season, expect him to be in contention Sunday on the back nine.

While a price of +950 in the US Open odds are incredibly short for a major championship field, it is the highest number you will find on the board for the world No. 1, making it a fair price for a player whose baseline game practically guarantees he will be in the mix.

Rory McIlroy | +1000 ▲ +2000 with FanDuel

Looking for his seventh major championship win after winning the Masters earlier this season, Rory McIlroy arrives at the U.S. Open in peak form. It’s been 15 years since his first and only win at the event, but his results have been spectacular with six top-nines in his last seven appearances and a pair of second-place finishes in his last three attempts.

Although he missed the cut in his only previous outing at Shinnecock Hills in 2018, he has posted five top-seven finishes in his last eight majors and is always a threat to win whenever he tees up for an event.

At +2000 through two rounds, McIlroy offers immense value as a near double-digit longshot compared to Scheffler, especially given his current major-winning momentum and relentless consistency on modern U.S. Open setups.

Wyndham Clark | +190 with FanDuel

Wyndham Clark has surged to the top of the US Open odds board at +190 after opening the tournament with rounds of 64 and 69 to build a four-stroke lead through two rounds at Shinnecock Hills. The 2023 U.S. Open champion has looked comfortable on one of golf’s toughest setups, posting the lowest 36-hole score in tournament history at the venue.

While a packed chasing group remains within striking distance and difficult weekend conditions loom, Clark has firmly established himself as the man to beat heading into Saturday’s third round.

Ludvig Aberg | +2000 ▲ 5200+ with DraftKings

Another player in search of his maiden major championship win, Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg has all the tools to get it down at the third major of the year.

While the two-time PGA Tour winner is still in search of his first win of the season, he has posted some incredibly consistent results with nine straight top 20 finishes, including six top eight finishes in his last eight events.

Appearing in just his third U.S. Open and 11^th career major, the 26-year-old star has posted a best result of a tie for 12^th at the event in 2024 to go with his three top-seven finishes in his previous 10 major appearances.

Snagging Aberg at +2600 is an absolute steal on the US Open odds board for a player with this level, top-10 consistency, giving bettors a massive discount on one of the most complete ball-strikers in the field.

✨ 2026 U.S. Open Debutants: Fresh Faces at Shinnecock

A grueling qualification process has paved the way for a brand-new crop of talent ready to test their mettle against the toughest setup in golf. Here is a look at the 2026 debutants making their very first career U.S. Open appearances this week:

Hamilton Coleman

The rising young talent has shown immense promise in the amateur ranks and looks to make a strong first impression on the biggest stage in golf.

Ugo Coussaud

The Frenchman has put together highly consistent performances on the European front to rightly earn his way into his very first major championship appearance.

Cooper Dossey

After grinding through the mini-tours and developmental circuits, the former Baylor University standout finally gets his well-deserved crack at a U.S. Open setup.

Ethan Fang

Making it into the field as a young qualifier, Fang brings an aggressive style of play that will be tested thoroughly by the demanding layout this week.

Jackson Herrington

A name to watch for the future, Herrington survived the grueling sectional qualifying process to book his dream trip to Shinnecock Hills.

Brandon Holtz

Showing incredible nerve under pressure during final qualifying, Holtz secures a career-defining milestone by testing his game against the world’s best.

Mason Howell

Known for his steady ball-striking, Howell managed to navigate the high-stakes qualifying rounds to earn a coveted tee time for Thursday’s opening round.

Ryuichi Oiwa

The international standout brings his sharp iron game over from the Japan Golf Tour, aiming to prove his skills translate seamlessly to a rigorous major venue.

Kaito Onishi

Having played collegiate golf in the U.S. before competing internationally, Onishi returns to American soil with a well-rounded game ready for the ultimate test.

Marco Penge

The powerful Englishman, who has proven he can win on the continental tours, brings the elite driving distance required to handle Shinnecock’s penal rough.

Mateo Pulcini

Cracking the field through a display of stellar play in the qualifiers, the young competitor looks to embrace the underdog role and survive the 36-hole cut.

Taihei Sato

Another highly talented competitor emerging from the competitive Japanese circuits, Sato rounds out the debutant class as an intriguing name to watch for weekend contention.

2026 U.S. Open Betting Trends

While breaking par wasn’t an easy ask at the 2025 U.S. Open when J.J. Spaun won his first-ever major championship, winning the event at -1, recent history has shown the winning score to be far better than that. The winning score four out of the last six years has been -6 as players have been able to navigate the typical challenge courses with a bit more ease over recent years.

However, only three times since 2011 has a player won the event by shooting double-digit under par, as that happened that year when Rory McIlroy shot -16, in 2017 when Brooks Koepka also shot -16, and in 2019 when Gary Woodland shot -13.

The U.S. Open is traditionally the toughest major for players to shoot low scores at, and that is reflected in the cut line over the years. The number of players to qualify to play on the weekend has fluctuated between +2 and +7 over the last six years, with the number falling on each individual number between that range over that time.

Only twice over the last seven years has the cut line been the same number, and that was in 2023 and 2019 when the score to make it through to play on Saturday and Sunday was +2.

Other trends to consider are that 10 of the last 12 winners have been 31 or younger. Nine of the last 12 winners were ranked inside the top 25 in the world, and 11 of the last 12 winners were at least tied for 14^th place after the first round.

🏆 Historic U.S. Open Winners, Venues, and Cuts

How to Read Golf Betting Odds

Reading Golf betting odds is just as easy as reading the odds for any other major golf tournament or sporting event. Because the U.S. Open is famously known as the ultimate test in golf, sportsbooks offer a massive variety of ways to get skin in the game. You can wager on traditional outright winners, head-to-head tournament matchups, or daily 18-hole pairings. If you are new to the game or need a quick refresher, check out our how to bet on golf guide to quickly master the basics.

The betting options expand well beyond who lifts the trophy on Sunday. You can bet on whether there will be a dramatic hole-in-one on Shinnecock’s iconic par-3s, if the brutal conditions will push the tournament into a playoff, or if your favorite player will survive the grueling 36-hole cut line. Turn on the action, find your favorite value on the board, and enjoy watching the field battle the toughest setup of the season.

How to Bet on the U.S. Open

Betting on the 2026 U.S. Open goes far beyond picking the outright winner. Because the USGA designs this tournament as the ultimate survival test, sportsbooks offer unique markets tailored to the brutal conditions at Shinnecock Hills. You can wager on daily 18-hole head-to-head pairings, 3-ball matchups, or target safer Top 10 and Top 20 finish props using the best sportsbooks.

The specialized props are where things get creative. You can bet on the exact winning score relative to par, whether a player will card a hole-in-one on Shinnecock’s treacherous par-3s, or project the exact 36-hole cut line. Given the extreme course difficulty, wagering on which U.S. Open favorites will miss the weekend entirely is also highly popular.

As one of the biggest betting events of the summer, top sportsbooks heavily compete for your action. Capitalizing on the best sportsbook promos before the tournament can give you a massive edge, offering odds boosts on favorites, bet-and-get deals, or expanded place terms that pay out if your pick finishes in the top 8 to 10 spots.

📅 2026 U.S. Open Tournament Information

• Dates: June 18 – 21, 2026
• Course: Shinnecock Hills Golf Club (Southampton, NY)
• Defending Champion: J.J. Spaun

📺 2026 U.S. Open: How to Watch

💻 Streaming Options

• Peacock: Streams all live NBC windows plus exclusive morning and evening coverage.
• USGA App / USOpen.com: Streams daily Featured Groups and Featured Holes for free.

2026 U.S. Open odds FAQs

Who is the betting favorite to win the 2026 U.S. Open?

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler entered the week as the clear favorite across all major sportsbooks, sitting around the +400 to +567 range. However, through two rounds, former U.S. Open winner Wyndham Clark has surged to the top of the U.S. Open odds boards.

How many times has Shinnecock Hills Golf Club hosted the U.S. Open?

Shinnecock Hills has previously hosted five U.S. Opens. The first was in 1896 when James Foulis won the title. Since then, it hosted the tournament in 1986 when Raymond Floyd won, in 1995 when Corey Pavin won, in 2004 when Retief Goosen won, and in 2018 when Brooks Koepka won.

What is the best score ever posted in the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club?

By shooting -4 in 2004, South African Retief Goosen has the best final score in a U.S. Open played at Shinnecock Hills. Prior to Goosen, Raymond Floyd was the only other player to shoot under par to win the tournament when he shot -1 in 1986. In comparison, when Brooks Koepka won the tournament in 2018, his final score was +1.

Who has won the most U.S. Open titles?

With four wins over the history of the tournament, Willie Anderson, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, and Jack Nicklaus lead the way in all-time victories. Anderson set the record first by winning in 1901 and then three straight years from 1903-1905, while Jones won in 1923, 1926, and then went back-to-back in 1929-30. For Hogan, he won in 1948 and went back-to-back in 1950-51 and added his fourth win in 1953, while Nicklaus is the most recent to do it by winning in 1962, 1967, 1972, and 1980.

Who won the first U.S. Open?

In 1895, Horace Rawlins won the inaugural U.S. Open. Rawlins defeated Willie Dunn by two strokes that year on his way to winning the tournament. It was a match play event at the time. The victory was the only time Rawlins ever won, as he came in second place the following year, but was never able to repeat his performance from 1895.

What is the tournament record score at the U.S. Open?

By shooting 16 under par in 2011, Rory McIlroy posted the lowest number to par in the event until Brooks Koepka equaled that score in 2017. McIlroy defeated Jason Day by a wide margin of eight strokes on his way to his first major championship victory. For Koepka, he won the event by four shots over Hideki Matsuyama and Brian Harman when he won his first of back-to-back U.S. Open titles in 2017.

What is the largest margin of victory at the U.S. Open?

In 2000, Tiger Woods won his first-ever U.S. Open title and smashed the field on his way to the win. Woods was the only player to shoot under par that week as he posted a winning score of 12 under par. His closest competitors, Ernie Els and Miguel Angel Jimenez, both finished at three over par that year as Woods would win his third ever major championship title at the time.