Steve Bamford

Steve Bamford's Open Championship Longshots & Barracuda Tips 2025

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With the leading bookmakers all keen to get your business, the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush makes for an exciting punting proposition this week. With a record-breaking amount of additional each-way places on offer, finding a value outsider is a tactic that’s potentially packed full of profit this week.

Some players simply can’t handle links style golf where the ability to grind in bad weather, or score in calm conditions, is paramount. In reality this is probably the most likely of all Majors to produce a long-priced, even 3-figure winner, as per Louis Oosthuizen in 2010, Darren Clarke here in 2011, Zach Johnson in 2015, and how about Brian Harman in 2024. The last few years have produced the following outsiders, each of whom finished in the top 7:

  • 2024: Billy Horschel (250/1 2nd); Justin Rose (150/1 2nd); Thriston Lawrence (600/1 4th); Russell Henley (125/1 5th).
  • 2023: Brian Harman (110/1 1st); Jason Day (100/1 2nd); Sepp Straka (200/1 2nd); Emiliano Grillo (350/1 6th); Shubhankar Sharma (1500/1).
  • 2022: Cameron Young (110/1 2nd); Brian Harman (175/1 6th).
  • 2021: Dylan Frittelli (275/1 5th); Mackenzie Hughes (350/1 6th).
  • 2019:  Tony Finau (80/1 3rd); Lee Westwood (110/1 4th); Tyrrell Hatton (90/1 6th); Robert MacIntyre (200/1 6th); Danny Willett (125/1 6th).
  • 2018: Xander Schauffele (110/1 2nd); Kevin Kisner (300/1 2nd); Kevin Chappell (250/1, 6th); Eddie Pepperell (175/1 6th).
  • 2017: Hao-tong Li (300/1 3rd).
  • 2016: J.B. Holmes (200/1 3rd), Steve Stricker (250/1 4th), Tyrrell Hatton (175/1 5th)
  • 2015: Zach Johnson (110/1 Winner); Marc Leishman (250/1 2nd); Danny Willet (125/1 6th); Jordan Niebrugge (1000/1 6th).
  • 2014: Marc Leishman (150/1 5th); Edoardo Molinari (200/1 7th).
  • 2013: Hideki Matsuyama (250/1 6th).
  • 2012: Brandt Snedeker (175/1 3rd).
  • 2011: Darren Clarke (200/1 – Winner); Thomas Bjorn (200/1); Chad Campbell (250/1); Anthony Kim (175/1) – all finished 5th.
  • 2010: Louis Oosthuizen (250/1 – Winner); Henrik Stenson (100/1 3rd); Nick Watney (125/1) & Robert Rock (300/1) – both finished 7th.
  • 2009: Stewart Cink (175/1 – Winner); Tom Watson (750/1 2nd); Chris Wood (500/1 3rd).

betfred 10 Places Each-Way at the 2025 Open Championship plus Bet £10, Get £50 in Free Bets for new customers who open a sports account – see below:

  • Betfred are offering 10 places each-way at the 2025 Open Championship on their default pre-event market, with some cracking odds as well.

✅ New UK customers: Bet £10 Get £50 in free bets for new customers using code BETFRED50 and this qualifying link
✅ For further details read our Betfred promo code> page
✅ Odds compiler takes a different view of many events meaning value can be found
✅ Flexible each-way terms available with 5, 7, 8 and 10 place options to choose from

Betfred New Customer Offer: New customers only. Register (excl 05/04/25), deposit with Debit Card, and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility exclusions & T&Cs Apply. #Ad

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bet365 have also upped their game for the 2025 Open and, as they have done for every Major Championship this year, they are offering standard 8 places each-way at 1/5 odds, plus market leading odds. 8 places, 10, or even 12 places each-way at 1/5 odds is a weekly feature at all full-field PGA Tour and DP World Tour events via their Each Way Extra facility.

bet365 8 Places Each-Way at the 2025 Open Championship with bet365

  • bet365 are offering a superb balance this week at the 2025 Open Championship, with market-best odds on a whole host of leading players, plus extended 8 places each-way at 1/5 odds. Brand new customers receive a fantastic Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets offer as detailed below:

✅ Bet £10 get £30 in free bets for new customers
✅ Bonus code SPORT30 can be used, but does not change the offer amount in any way
✅ For further details read our bet365 new customer offer page
✅ Early odds available each week on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour
✅ ‘Each Way Extra’ promotion where you can choose between 3, 8, 10 or 12 places each way

bet365 New Customer Offer: Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Registration required. The bonus code SPORT30 can be used during registration, but does not change the offer amount in any way. #Ad

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My Open Championship Longshots For 2025 Are As Follows:

Cameron Young 1pt EW 80/1 (8EW, 1/5) with bet365

He may not win but Cameron Young has both a strong Open Championship and Major Championship record. 6 top-9 finishes in Majors across his last 14 Majors is excellent. 7th (2023) and 9th (2024) at The Masters, 3rd at the PGA Championship (2022), 4th at the U.S. Open as recently as last month, plus 2nd (2022 St Andrews) and 8th (2023 Hoylake) at the Open Championship are a set of top-level results that highlight Young comes to the fore in Majors.

3 top-7 finishes in his last 7 appearances shows momentum after a slow start to 2025, and with FedEx Cup Playoffs and Ryder Cup qualification races coming to a close in August, Cameron will need the momentum to continue imminently so there’s plenty to play for on his first visit to Royal Portrush.

✅ Bet £10 get £30 in free bets for new customers
✅ Bonus code SPORT30 can be used, but does not change the offer amount in any way
✅ For further details read our bet365 new customer offer page
✅ Early odds available each week on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour
✅ ‘Each Way Extra’ promotion where you can choose between 3, 8, 10 or 12 places each way

bet365 New Customer Offer: Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Registration required. The bonus code SPORT30 can be used during registration, but does not change the offer amount in any way. #Ad

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Daniel Brown 1pt EW 150/1 (10EW, 1/5) with Betfred

Daniel Brown loves golf in Ireland, he loves golf by the coast, and he’s in great form heading into the Open Championship where 12 months ago at Troon he was the First Round Leader, eventually finishing T10. The winner of the BMW International Open in Germany a fortnight ago at -22/266, Daniel must be bursting with confidence and undoubtedly he loves playing In Northern Ireland.

The winner of the 2023 ISPS Handa World invitational at Galgorm Castle in Ballymena, he also finished 4th at last year’s Horizon Irish Open played at Royal County Down, which is a pure, Par 71, links test on the Irish Sea coast.

I’ll take all 10 places available on Dan at Betfred.

✅ New UK customers: Bet £10 Get £50 in free bets for new customers using code BETFRED50 and this qualifying link
✅ For further details read our Betfred promo code> page
✅ Odds compiler takes a different view of many events meaning value can be found
✅ Flexible each-way terms available with 5, 7, 8 and 10 place options to choose from

Betfred New Customer Offer: New customers only. Register (excl 05/04/25), deposit with Debit Card, and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility exclusions & T&Cs Apply. #Ad

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Nick Taylor 1pt EW 175/1 (8EW, 1/5) with bet365

Across my 8-week Strokes Gained Analysis, Nick Taylor ranks in this field within the top 8 for Strokes Gained Current Form. Take out LIV mainstays Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed, and Taylor sits in the top 6. So these prices seem on the generous side for the World Number 29 / Datagolf Rankings Number 31, but clearly take into account his Open Championship record – 2 MCs from 2 appearances – plus a Major Championship record that is unspectacular.

Scratch the surface though and I can see a path for contention this week. 2025 has seen 40th at The Masters and a Major best 23rd at the U.S. Open, and Nick for me is a professional who is finding confidence at Major level a little later in life. On a relatively short (especially with firm fairways) Royal Portrush Open Championship test I think will be scoreable, coastal wins on the PGA Tour at Pebble Beach in 2020 (-19/268) and this year at the Sony Open (-16/264) make loads of sense, plus Nick was T22 at the Scottish Open ranking in the top 20 for Driving Accuracy, top 11 for Greens in Regulation, and 5th for Ball Striking.

✅ Bet £10 get £30 in free bets for new customers
✅ Bonus code SPORT30 can be used, but does not change the offer amount in any way
✅ For further details read our bet365 new customer offer page
✅ Early odds available each week on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour
✅ ‘Each Way Extra’ promotion where you can choose between 3, 8, 10 or 12 places each way

bet365 New Customer Offer: Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Registration required. The bonus code SPORT30 can be used during registration, but does not change the offer amount in any way. #Ad

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Odds and bookmaker offers correct at 15:15BST 14.7.25 but are naturally subject to fluctuation.

Barracuda Championship Tips

Whilst the Open Championship takes place at Royal Portrush, another ‘opposite’ alternate tournament on the PGA Tour takes place. The Barracuda Championship is played at the Old Greenwood Golf Course, in California. Played at altitude in the Sierra Nevada mountains, this event since 2012 this event has been played utilising the Modified Stableford scoring format.

Won by Richy Werenski (33/1), Erik van Rooyen (66/1), Chez Reavie (40/1), Akshay Bhatia (40/1) and Nick Dunlap (50/1), the full 2-year PGA Tour exemption available to the winner is a huge carrot, as is the possibility of harvesting enough FedEx Cup points to help grab a spot in the magical top 70 for the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

Max Homa 2pts EW 25/1 (8EW, 1/5) with bet365

Max Homa has seemingly hit rock bottom. He’s playing the Barracuda Championship rather than the Open Championship but in this situation he can take stock from Billy Horschel last year. Horschel missed The Masters and then played the Corales Championship on the basis he couldn’t get into the Signature event RBC Heritage. He won that at 20/1. Kudos to Homa for playing the Barracuda – he sits 98th in the FedEx Cup and needs to be in the top 70 to play the Play Offs by the close of July. It’s really a case of results required now and it’s worth remembering the Californian was 5th last time out at the John Deere Classic, where he gained his most strokes Off the Tee since September 2023 and was 7th for Tee to Green.

Max could add to his list of wins in California this week. Homa is a 6-time PGA Tour winner who has already won 4-times in the Golden Gate State at Riviera Country Club, Silverado Country Club (twice) and Torrey Pines.

✅ Bet £10 get £30 in free bets for new customers
✅ Bonus code SPORT30 can be used, but does not change the offer amount in any way
✅ For further details read our bet365 new customer offer page
✅ Early odds available each week on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour
✅ ‘Each Way Extra’ promotion where you can choose between 3, 8, 10 or 12 places each way

bet365 New Customer Offer: Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Registration required. The bonus code SPORT30 can be used during registration, but does not change the offer amount in any way. #Ad

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Austin Eckroat 1.5pts EW 45/1 (8EW, 1/5) with bet365

Austin Eckroat like Max Homa has played at a higher level than most in this field in 2025, and of late there have been signs off life. An opening -9/62 at the Signature event Travelers Championship was good enough to tie with Scottie Scheffler for First Round Leader. 25th there was his best finish since 13th at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February. And since his trip to Connecticut, the 26 year old from Oklahoma has shot 5 of his last 8 rounds at 68 or lower, including another opening round -8/63 on his last start at the John Deere Classic. 6th after 54 holes, Eckroat finished 11th at TPC Deere Run, and has something to build on as he looks to crack the FedEx Cup top 70.

It’s also worth recognising that Austin can shoot super low totals. His second PGA Tour title last November came at the World Wide Technology Championship at El Cardonal in the Mexican Baja desert where he shot -24/264 to beat Justin Lower and Carson Young by a single shot. He also shot -22/262 at the 2023 CJ Cup Byron Nelson at the TPC Craig Ranch drag-strip, losing by a shot to Jason Day.

✅ Bet £10 get £30 in free bets for new customers
✅ Bonus code SPORT30 can be used, but does not change the offer amount in any way
✅ For further details read our bet365 new customer offer page
✅ Early odds available each week on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour
✅ ‘Each Way Extra’ promotion where you can choose between 3, 8, 10 or 12 places each way

bet365 New Customer Offer: Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Registration required. The bonus code SPORT30 can be used during registration, but does not change the offer amount in any way. #Ad

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Luke List 1pt EW 55/1 (8EW, 1/5) with bet365

I know, but as I’m backing the Chairman of the “Post-It Note of Doom” list Russell Henley at The Open Championship, I might as well throw Luke List into the mix as well! Across this field in my Strokes Gained 8-week Rankings, he’s top 22 for Putting (his real nemesis), top 15 for Tee to Green, top 7 for Off the Tee, and top 10 for Current Form. Fascinatingly his irons were also great at the ISCO Championship last week where he ranked 6th for Approach gaining 1.33 stokes per round – his best for over 12 months.

A Washington State guy who has won at Torrey Pines as recently as 2022, these Bentgrass/Poa Annua greens will feel like home and his record in California is sneaky good. 6th (2016) at PGA West, 2nd (2024) at Riviera and 4th (2016) at Silverado, he also has a list of top 12 finishes across both The Country Club at Soboba Springs and TPC Stonebrae across his Korn Ferry career. 8th last week in Kentucky, List is a 2-time winner on the PGA Tour who knows how to get over the line.

✅ Bet £10 get £30 in free bets for new customers
✅ Bonus code SPORT30 can be used, but does not change the offer amount in any way
✅ For further details read our bet365 new customer offer page
✅ Early odds available each week on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour
✅ ‘Each Way Extra’ promotion where you can choose between 3, 8, 10 or 12 places each way

bet365 New Customer Offer: Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Registration required. The bonus code SPORT30 can be used during registration, but does not change the offer amount in any way. #Ad

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Barracuda Championship odds and bookmaker offers correct at 06.25BST 15.7.25 but are naturally subject to fluctuation.