The Open Championship, first-round threeballs: Prediction, Tips and Odds

The first round of the Open Championship takes place on Thursday at Royal Troon and there are 156 players going to post in 52 groups of three.

Here we look at some potential first-round-threeball betting options. Four players have been identified who could boss their day-one groups. Of course, doubles, trebles and fourfolds are available on threeball investments.

The Open Championship first-round threeballs betting tips and predictions

Ernie Els to win first-round threeball - 13/10

Ernie Els has been enjoying a revival in form in recent weeks and the former world number one is an interesting runner for the Open Championship. The Big Easy has won the Open twice before and will feel he is not just making up the numbers this time.

Winning the Open may prove beyond the 54-year-old South African, but the 13/10 about him outscoring playing partners Gary Woodland and Altin van der Merwe in the 12:31 threeball seems well worth considering.

Els, a four-time Major champion, lifted the Claret Jug in 2002 and 2012 - at Muirfield and Lytham. He has also enjoyed his trips to Troon, where he finished 10th in 1997 and runner-up in 2004 when he was beaten by Todd Hamilton in a play-off.

He has always been a links master and his form on the Champions Tour this year merits respect. Woodland has struggled this season, returning to action after brain surgery, while Van der Merwe is a nervous amateur debutant.

Sepp Straka to win first-round threeball - 6/5

Sepp Straka finished tied second in the last Open Championship - at Royal Liverpool 12 months ago - and the Austrian enjoys the challenge of this Major.

Straka can be backed at 6/5 to defeat Brendon Todd and Jordan Smith in the 13:04 threeball, which could prove a bargain given some of the quality performances Straka has been producing on the PGA Tour this year.

A share of 16th place in the Masters in April was followed by fifth spot in the RBC Heritage and eighth in the Wells Fargo Championship - two PGA Tour Signature Events. Fifth place in the Charles Schwab Challenge was followed by fifth again in the Memorial Tournament - another high-class Signature gathering.

Straka has been performing at a much higher level than his playing partners. For instance, Englishman Smith has never bettered 41st place in the Open.

Daniel Brown to win first-round threeball - 23/20

A lot of the later groups in the Open Championship are filled with lesser-lights, who will be finishing their rounds in the gathering gloom as spectators leave the course, but there can be some value bets in them.

The 23/20 about Daniel Brown winning the 16:16pm contest could prove popular as he is up against Matthew Dodd-Berry and Denwit Boriboonsub. Dodd-Berry has never played in a ranking event. He came through the West Lancashire qualifier to earn his Open spot.

Boriboonsub qualified through the Malaysian Open, which is part of the Open Qualifying Series. Brown is so much more experienced than his two 20-year-old playing partners. The Yorkshireman won the ISPS Handa World Invitational on the DP World Tour last August - achieving that success by five shots.

The former English Amateur champion should have the edge over his young opponents.

Ryan van Velzen to win first-round threeball - 5/4

Ryan van Velzen is a player well known to DP World Tour fans - he made a huge impact in his homeland of South Africa at the start of the season - and this rising star may shine on his Open debut this week.

The 5/4 about Van Velzen outscoring Luis Masaveu and Charlie Lindh in the 15:54 group may appeal to many. Van Velzen finished second in the South African Open at the end of last year and he has already won twice on the Sunshine Tour.

Spanish amateur Masaveu and world number 774 Lindh may be left behind.

Read more golf betting tips and predictions on site.

The Open Championship odds

Scottie Scheffler	11/2
Rory McIlroy	9/1
Xander Schauffele	13/1
Ludvig Aberg	17/1
Bryson DeChambeau	17/1
Collin Morikawa	17/1
Tommy Fleetwood	22/1
Jon Rahm	24/1
Tyrrell Hatton	24/1

View the full market and more odds for The Open Championship on site

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.