2023 U.S. Open: Golfers to Fade Picks & Predictions

by BettingPros Staff |
Jun 13, 2023

The U.S. Open comes to the Los Angeles Country Club this week for the first time ever, and to the city of Los Angeles for the first time since 1948, when Ben Hogan won at Riviera.

A fascinating and unfamiliar venue should make for an entertaining tournament. Los Angeles Country Club's north course features five par-3s, and two of them are monsters. The 11th hole measures 290 yards, though it will play shorter since it's downhill. The 7th plays at 284 yards. Then there's the tiny 15th, which is listed at 124 yards. It could play even shorter if the pin is in front, but it's a harrowing tee shot to a small, well-guarded green. Another hole that promises high entertainment value is the 6th, a reachable 330-yard par-4 with a blind tee shot over a tree.

LACC has wider fairways than a typical U.S. Open venue, but course management will be of the essence, as having the proper angle of attack on approach shots is critical. The course figures to play firm and fast, and its undulating greens will present a stern test.

Scottie Scheffler is the betting favorite, followed closely by reigning Masters champion Jon Rahm. Not far behind is Brooks Koepka, who won the PGA last month and leads the contingent of players from the LIV Tour.

And speaking of LIV, this will be the first major since the bombshell announcement of a planned merger between the LIV and PGA tours. The deal is a controversial one, and with a blended field of PGA Tour and LIV Tour players, merger talk will add to the intrigue of the event.

The 123rd U.S. Open should be a fun ride. Buckle up.

Check Out Our 2023 U.S. Open Betting Guide: Odds, Picks & Predictions >>

Golfers to Fade

Here are golfers weâ€™re fading in the betting markets for the 2023 U.S. Open.

Keegan Bradley

When Bradley won the PGA Championship as a rookie in 2011, it seemed as if heâ€™d be a perennial contender in majors. But the 37-year-old Bradley hasnâ€™t made a lot of noise in majors since that landmark win 12 years ago. His next-best finish in a major mwas a tie for fourth at the U.S. Open in 2014, and the native New Englander may have felt especially comfortable at that once since it was played at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. Bradley had a couple of nice showings ealier this season, with a solo second at the Farmers Insurance Open and a T10 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, but he hasnâ€™t had a top-25 finish since the Masters. Bradleyâ€™s balky putting has improved this season, but itâ€™s hard to imagine him putting well enough to win on Los Angeles Country Clubâ€™s challenging greens.

Tom Kim

After taking the golf world by storm in 2022 and posting a T5 at the Tournament of Champions and a T6 at the American Express early in 2023, Kim has fallen off the radar in recent months. Unless you count the Zurich Classic, an event with two-man teams, Kim hasnâ€™t recorded a top-10 since January. The 20-year-old Kim has yet to seriously contend in a major. His future is bright, but itâ€™s hard to envision Kim in contention at the Los Angeles Country Club this week.

Corey Conners

Corey Conners has been very inconsistent this year, missing cuts in several of the big tournaments, including The Masters and the Players Championship. While he has had some strong showings and notched a win at the Valero Texas Open in April, I'm not overly confident in backing him this weekend based on his dismal U.S. Open track record. We typically see the world's best elevate their game in the majors, and I'm not sure Conners has that potential at this point in his career.

Collin Morikawa

Collin Morikawa has been solid this season but nowhere near his typical standards. He started the year in decent form, posting three top-6 finishes over his first six tournaments. Since then, he possesses just one top-10 finish over his past eight tournaments. Granted, that top-10 finish took place at The Masters. Morikawa followed that up with a 26th-place finish at the PGA Championship.

Jason Day

Day is a wild card. The Australian seemed to be over his back issues with a strong start to 2023. Lately, though, his play has been erratic. A win at the Byron Nelson, sandwiched between three missed cuts leaves one wondering which Jason Day weâ€™re going to get this week. Look for his media appearances this week to see if you can pick up on anything. Otherwise, tread lightly.

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