Steve Bamford

Steve Bamford's Open Championship Longshots 2026

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With the leading bookmakers all keen to get your business, the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale 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 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:

  • 2025: Harris English (110/1 2nd); Chris Gotterup (100/1 3rd); Wyndham Clark (125/1 4th); Hao-tong Li (350/1 4th).
  • 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 Betfred Default 8 Places Each-Way at the 2026 Open Championship plus Bet £10, Get £50 in Free Bets for new customers who open a sports account – see below:

Betfred are offering 8 places each-way at the 2026 Open Championship on default pre-event market, with some cracking odds as well. Use Betfred “Pick Your Place” promotion to select from 6 places, 10 places or even 12 places at 1/5 odds each-way markets on the Open Championship this week.

✅ Bet £10 Get £50 In Free Bets
✅ 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

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bet365 have also upped their game for the 2026 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. 3 places, 10 or even 12 places each-way at 1/5 odds is also available for The Open and is a weekly feature at all 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 2026 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 18+, receive a fantastic Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets:

✅ Bet £10 get £30 in free bets for new customers with this qualifying link
✅ 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 Are As Follows:

Akshay Bhatia 1pt EW 100/1 (8EW, 1/5) with bet365

Akshay Bhatia arrives in the United Kingdom in great form and highly motivated. 17th at the U.S. Open was his second top 20 Major finish, plus the week after Shinnecock Hills he finished 5th at the Signature-event Travelers Championship.

Akshay is only 24 years of age but has already shown a liking for coastal golf. His 2021 Korn Ferry Tour title came on a coastal assignment in the Bahamas and once on the main PGA Tour he’s finished 6th at Pebble Beach (2026), 2nd in Puerto Rico (2024), 4th at the Hero World Challenge (2024) plus has top 16 finishes across Kapalua (2nd after 54 holes), Harbour Town, Torrey Pines, and Waialae Country Club.

30th at Royal Portrush last year when in far worse form, the potential for a huge injection of Presidents Cup Team USA qualification points will undoubtedly be driving Bhatia this week in Southport, as he looks to build on his current top 12 qualification position (above the likes of Bridgeman, English, McNealy and Cantlay).

✅ Bet £10 get £30 in free bets for new customers with this qualifying link
✅ 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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Ben Griffin 1pt EW 110/1 (8EW, 1/5) with bet365

Ben Griffin is back to flushing it again – across my 8-week Strokes Gained Analysis for the Open Championship he ranks in this field in the top 10 for Around the Green (great for an Open) and Tee to Green, plus he’s gained almost a stroke per round with the putter across his last 2 outings.

3rd at the Cadillac Championship and the Charles Schwab Challenge, plus 10th at the Travelers Championship, he was also 14th at the PGA Championship and 17th at the U.S. Open all within his last 8 appearances. 2025 saw Major top 10s – 8th PGA Championship and 10th U.S. Open – and across his last 5 United States Majors he finished in the top 17 four times. That gives me hope that’ll he’ll buck his Open Championship form of MC-MC-MC.

✅ Bet £10 get £30 in free bets for new customers with this qualifying link
✅ 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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J.T. Poston 1pt EW 200/1 (8EW, 1/5) with bet365

J.T. Poston is sporadic but can undoubtedly shock as we have seen over the past 15 months or so. 5th at the 2025 PGA Championship held at Quail Hollow (as big as 200/1) came in his home state of North Carolina. That would be easy to classify within the “fluke” category, but Poston as recently as June took out his biggest win to date at Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament (Signature Event) at Muirfield Village (available up to 110/1) and backed that up a fortnight later with 4th at the Shinnecock Hills-hosted U.S. Open (available up to 125/1). So that’s 2 top-5 finishes within his last 5 Majors.

The sort who gains strokes off the tee via straight driving could undoubtedly work this week at Royal Birkdale and J.T. is also within the top third on the PGA Tour in 2026 for Greens in Regulation. Tie than in with a putting game which ranks in the top 15 in this field over the past 8 weeks and on a firmish course, where short game becomes a lever, I can see Poston potentially being a feature on page 1 of the leaderboard.

6th in 2023 on his only visit to Renaissance for the Genesis Scottish Open, Poston made his only cut from 4 visits to The Open just down the coast at Hoylake in 2023 when finishing 41st.

✅ Bet £10 get £30 in free bets for new customers with this qualifying link
✅ 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 15:35BST 13.7.26 but are naturally subject to fluctuation.