2024 U.S. Open: Betting Picks and Key Stats

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2024 U.S. Open: Betting Picks and Key Stats

Scottie Scheffler's incredible season continued with his win at the Memorial Tournament on Sunday -- his fifth victory this season.

Now, the focus shifts to Pinehurst, North Carolina, for golf's third major: the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2.

How should you bet this week's major?

Here's all you need to know.

All golf odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

U.S. Open Info

Recent Winning Scores: -10, -6, -6, -6, -13
Recent Cut Lines: +2, +3, +4, +6, +2

Pinehurst No. 2 Course Info

All course data from GCSAA unless otherwise noted.

Par: 70
Distance: 7,543 yards (long)
Average Fairway Width: 35-45 yards
Average Green Size: 6,500 square feet
Green Type: Bermudagrass
Stimpmeter: N/A

Pinehurst No. 2 Key Stats

2024 U.S. Open Betting Picks

These picks stand out relative to their FanDuel Sportsbook golf betting odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. All stats cited below originate at datagolf and reference ranks relative to the field over the past 50 rounds unless otherwise noted.

Xander Schauffele

Defeating Scottie Scheffler in his current form is an extremely difficult -- and almost herculean -- task. It will either require Scheffler to finally have an off week or for someone else to elevate their game to the heights Scheffler occupies on a weekly basis. Lost in the historically dominant run Scheffler is on is how exceptional Xander Schauffele has been.

With the narrative that he can't win the big one finally dispelled after his win at the PGA Championship, there are now no gaps remaining in Schauffele's profile. He is second in the field in total strokes gained (+2.81) and sits more than half a stroke ahead of the next-closest golfer, Rory McIlroy (+2.22). He ranks inside the top 10 in every strokes gained category except around the green, where he ranks 15th. He is the only golfer in the field to rank inside the top 20 in every category.

At the center of Schauffele's game is exceptional approach play (fifth in the field) and putting (fourth) -- two stats crucial for success at Pinehurst No. 2. He is the only golfer in the field that ranks inside the top five in both categories, and he is the only golfer in the top 10 in total strokes gained that is also top 10 is strokes gained: putting. At the Memorial Tournament last week, Schauffele finished first in strokes gained: putting (+2.19 strokes gained per round). Schauffele's approach game is best from longer distances, something that will be required at a very long Pinehurst this week. Since January 1st, on approach shots from over 200 yards, he is in the 99th percentile in both strokes gained per shot and proximity.

Schauffele has finished T15 or better in each of his seven appearances at the U.S. Open, including six top-10 finishes and three top 5s.

Collin Morikawa

It's going to take something special to defeat Scheffler, and we almost saw that from Collin Morikawa at the Memorial Tournament last week. Morikawa finished solo second, one shot behind Scheffler, and was one of only two golfers to finish the event ranked inside the top 20 in every strokes gained category.

Morikawa has finished T4 or better in each of his last three events, and his strokes gained: approach has improved in each from +0.91 strokes gained per round at the PGA Championship to +1.62 at the Memorial Tournament. Putting has been Morikawa's "weakness" throughout his professional career, but he is in excellent form with the flat stick at the moment. Since the Masters, he has gained at least +0.90 strokes putting per round in four of six events. He is eighth in the field in strokes gained: around the green and has gained strokes around the green in seven of his last eight events.

Off the tee, Morikawa is more accurate (3rd) than long (98th). That hasn't stopped him from gaining strokes off the tee and competing at longer golf courses recently, including +0.92 strokes per round at Valhalla and +1.04 at Murfield Village. Per Datagolf's course fit tool, Morikawa's most common approach distance at Pinehurst is projected to be between 150-200 yards. Since January 1st, from that distance, he is in the 98th percentile in proximity.

Morikawa has finished T4, T5 and T14 in the last three U.S. Opens.

Ludvig Aberg

Ludvig Aberg is dealing with a lingering knee injury, but it didn't impact him at a very difficult Muirfield Village last week. He finished T5 while gaining at least +0.90 strokes per round putting, around the green, and on approach.

Aberg is fourth in the field in total strokes gained and, outside of his play around the greens, has everything needed to succeed this week. He is 12th in the field in driving distance, 38th in accuracy and 10th in strokes gained: off the tee. He is one of only two golfers, alongside Schauffele, that ranks inside the top 20 in both strokes gained: putting (18th) and strokes gained: approach (11th). This year, Aberg is in the 91st percentile in proximity from 150-200 yards and 88th percentile in proximity from 200-plus yards.

While Aberg is an excellent putter, his play around the greens has been a weak point; he is 67th in the field in strokes gained: around the green. Pinehurst's unique greens may provide Aberg with an opportunity to cover that weak point by putting in situations where he would have to chip on other courses. Any improvement in Aberg's outlook around the greens will go a long way as there are no other holes in his game at the moment.

Sahith Theegala

Sahith Theegala is another golfer who will benefit from being able to utilize the putter more often around the greens this week. Like Aberg, his strokes gained: around the green numbers (101st) are a weak point, while his strokes gained: putting (17th) is a strength. Theegala barely missed the cutoff for being top 20 in both strokes gained: putting and strokes gained: approach (23rd).

Theegala is 11th in the field in total strokes gained, 17th in strokes gained: off the tee, and 33rd in distance. His recent results have included some lows -- T52 at the Wells Fargo Championship and a MC at the RBC Canadian Open -- and highs, including a second at the RBC Heritage and T12s at the PGA Championship and the Memorial Tournament.

Looking at strokes gained averages, Theegala is setting career-best marks this season in every category except around the greens (-0.14 strokes gained). For his career, he is actually a plus golfer around the greens, having gained strokes in both 2022 and 2023. Being able to pull the putter out more often should be a plus for Theegala, and the rest of his game matches up well with Pinehurst.

Sepp Straka

Sepp Straka enters the U.S. Open is exceptional form. After missing the cut in four of his first eight events in 2024, Straka has now finished T16 or better in five of his last six events with four top-10 finishes, including a T5 finish in each of his last two events.

The turnaround came as a result of a drastic improvement in approach play and putting. Straka has gained at least 1.0 strokes on approach per round in five of his last six events. After losing strokes putting in six of his first seven events, Straka has now gained at least 0.75 strokes putting per round in three of his last five. On average, he has gained strokes: putting every season since 2020, so the turnaround is a regression to the mean.

Straka does lack distance off the tee (101st), but his accuracy (4th) should keep him out of the unpredictable native sandscapes at Pinehurst this week. Over the last three months, he is 16th in the field in total strokes gained. He has struggled at the U.S. Open in the past with two missed cuts and a T28 in three appearances, but he has recorded great finishes at recent majors, including T7 (2023 PGA Championship), T2 (2023 The Open), and T16 (2024 Masters).

Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Christiaan Bezuidenhout enters this week in excellent form and is coming off a fourth-place finish at the Memorial Tournament. He is 14th in the field in total strokes gained and has only finished worse than T28 once in his last nine events. That includes six top-20 finishes and three top 10s.

Throughout his career, the strength of Bezuidenhout's game has been his play on and around the greens. He has gained strokes putting and around the greens in every year of his career since 2018. He is 6th in the field in strokes gained: putting and 26th in strokes gained: around the greens. At +1.51 total strokes gained per round, Bezuidenhout is in the middle of the best season of his career thanks to a significant improvement in approach play; his +0.62 strokes gained approach average is nearly half a stroke better than 2023 and 2022.

Adding improved approach play to an excellent skill set around the greens has Bezuidenhout playing the best golf of his career. His lack of distance off the tee (123rd) is a concern -- his approach game is significantly better from 100-150 yards than over 150 yards -- but that didn't hurt him much at a Muirfield Village (+1.01 strokes gained: approach per round) or Quail Hollow Club (+1.03). Those are also two long courses.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.