Scottie Scheffler and Haotong Li, while playing together during last year’s final round of the Open Championship, also laughed together. Throughout the day, Scheffler and Li were seen hamming it up, and afterward, Li was asked what had been so funny.
“We did a joke about each other a little bit,” he said, “and just so nice to play with him.”
Interesting. What was one of the jokes?
“I just said, is there any time I can practice with you when I go to the PGA Tour, and he said yes,” Li said. “But I said, when I text you, you better reply to me.
“And he goes, ‘Haotong Who?’” Li said. “That was actually funny.”
Haotong Who? Should you have also wagered on Li ahead of the Open, you might have gotten a similar reaction — according to golfodds.com, he was listed at 500-1 to win, and a top 10 bet presumably also had low odds. And yet there Li was after 54 holes, in second alone, and he finished tied for fourth.
And you, the Li bettor, were also smiling.
Who could do something similar at this week’s Open, to be played at Royal Birkdale? Some ideas are below, where members of our staff have each made a long-shot selection to assist you with your own weekly picks, whether those are for a low-stakes office fantasy league, or (legal!) big-bucks bets with a sportsbook. It’s an enjoyable endeavor for us. Deploy it as you wish.
On to our analysis.
2026 Open Championship sleeper picks to watch
Alan Bastable
Sleeper pick: Ryan Fox, +15,000. The guy has a knack for playing tough setups well, with just two missed cuts in his past 14 major starts and top-35 finishes at both this year’s PGA Championship and U.S. Open. He hasn’t missed a cut since early April. I don’t see that streak ending this week and wouldn’t be stunned to see him raising the jug on Sunday.
Adam Christensen
Sleeper pick: Alex Fitzpatrick +6,600. For the second straight major, my sleeper pick will be the younger Fitzpatrick. Royal Birkdale can be punishing off the tee, and his above-average driving accuracy and stellar approach play this season make him an intriguing pick at +6,600 for me. He did not have a great time at the Scottish Open but that let him get to the Open early and maybe that gives him the reset he needs to get in contention.
James Colgan
Sleeper pick: Rickie Fowler, +10,000. This would be a very, very nice story. And the past 50 years of Open Championship history at Royal Birkdale tells us the winner will be a familiar name. Rickie is the biggest familiar name at +10,000 or worse odds, so he’s the choice.
Alex Gelman
Sleeper pick: Jordan Spieth, +6,600. Spieth is finding himself as of late. He won the Open nine years ago at Royal Birkdale — why can’t he do it again?
Jack Hirsh
Sleeper pick: Jordan Spieth, +6,600. This pick requires no further explanation. The heart wants what the heart wants.
Jessica Marksbury
Sleeper pick: Min Woo Lee, +5,500. Min Woo has been a bit hit and miss this season, with a number of top 10s and top 20s, but missed cuts at the Masters and U.S. Open. That said, he’s still in the midst of the most consistent season of his career, and given his runner-up finish in Scotland last week, I feel like he can ride this current wave of positive momentum into contention.
Maddi MacClurg
Sleeper pick: Viktor Hovland, +3,300. Hovland’s game looks to be peaking at the right time. He’s flushing his irons, driving it with confidence, and when he’s playing like this, he’s dangerous. A tie for 13th at the Genesis Scottish Open indicates that he’s getting dialed, and if he can carry that momentum to Royal Birkdale, he’ll be in the mix come Sunday.
Nick Piastowski
Sleeper pick: Maverick McNealy, +10,000. These are lovely odds for a player who’s missed just one cut this year and is one of golf’s best putters.
Josh Schrock
Sleeper pick: Jordan Spieth, +6,600. He has been consistently volatile this year but really feels like he’s playing his best golf of the past eight years. I think he channels the good vibes of 2017 and contends. Will see if he can win on Sunday.
Josh Sens
Sleeper pick: Tom Kim, +4,500. We saw it at Shinnecock. We saw it again last week at the Scottish Open. Kim is in fine form and seems largely unfazed by the big stage. Come to think of it, he seems enlivened by it.
