Here's everything you need to know about the 2024 U.S. Open first-round leader picks — including our expert's three FRL bets for this week's PGA Tour major championship in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
With the Memorial Tournament in the rear-view mirror, we now look forward to this week's 2024 U.S. Open, which Pinehurst No. 2 will host for the first time since 2014.
Pinehurst No. 2 is a par-70, 7,534-yard track designed by Donald Ross that underwent a renovation in 2010 by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. While Coore and Crenshaw added some of their own changes to the landscape, the traditional Ross signature remains the same: small, undulating greens that run out fast and require precise approach shots.
Find my 2024 U.S. Open first-round leader picks below.
2024 U.S. Open First-Round Leader Picks (FRL)
Scottie Scheffler +1200 (FanDuel | 0.15 Units)
Thursday Tee Time: 1:14 p.m. ET
I'm going to keep this section short and simple: It's Scottie Scheffler.
That's pretty much all the handicap we need.
This is the best golfer in the world and is worth a look in any and every market. I prefer Scheffler in the FRL market this week because 12-1 is a pretty generous payout, especially when his outright market prices him around just 3-1.
Obviously, the price difference factors in the increase in variation and volatility of a one-round sample size, but Scheffler could easily win the first round and go wire-to-wire at a course that many expect to play the toughest on Tour since Shinnecock at the 2018 U.S. Open.
The course fit might be the best of the year for Scheffler, and this is a way to back him at longer odds than most other markets.
Bryson DeChambeau +3300 (BetRivers | 0.15 Units)
Thursday Tee Time: 1:25 p.m. ET
With Scheffler out of the way, let's do some actual handicapping and look at some fliers to take if he doesn't just go out and dominate from start to finish. That brings us to Bryson DeChambeau, who enters with momentum after a brilliant performance at the PGA Championship.
DeChambeau finished runner up as Xander Schauffele closed the tournament out to win his first major, but that doesn't take away from how well DeChambeau played across the board. There was not a single weakness in his game: he was sinking putts and chips, tossing tremendous approach shots and hitting bombs off the tee.
He was also the first-round leader at Augusta this year, which he did against an extremely similar field. DeChambeau is one of the best golfers in this field, making 33-1 an appealing number in the FRL market.
Max Homa +5000 (FanDuel | 0.15 Units)
Thursday Tee Time: 1:25 p.m. ET
Max Homa tees off in the same group as DeChambeau, and the Cal product is our final target in the FRL market this week. We have not seen Homa close out a win on American soil since last year's Farmers Insurance Open, which was nearly 17 months ago.
However, he is still one of the most talented golfers on Tour, so that is why I prefer him in this market instead of betting him to win outright. Homa has made the weekend in nine of his past 10 tournaments while posting three top-eight finishes over that stretch.
That includes his third-place finish at the Masters against a similar field.
He has also fared well on Ross designs, finishing inside the top 10 in each of his past two appearances at East Lake while also finishing inside the top 25 in each of his past three appearances at Detroit Golf Club.
It's not Homa's approach game that's been holding him back from winning, and as I highlighted in the introduction, the lowest scorers this week are likely to be the best approach players.
Here's my full betting card for the U.S. Open, and you can find more of my thoughts on this week's tournament on the Links + Locks Best Bets podcast:
- Collin Morikawa Outright Winner (+1700 at bet365) – 0.3 Units
- Viktor Hovland Outright Winner (+1800 at FanDuel) – 0.3 Units
- Matt Fitzpatrick Outright Winner (+4500 at FanDuel) – 0.3 Units
- Tony Finau Outright Winner (+6500 at FanDuel) – 0.3 Units
- Sungjae Im Top 10 (+650 at bet365) – 0.24 Units
- Byeong Hun An Top 10 (+650 at bet365) – 0.23 Units
- Scottie Scheffler FRL (+1200 at FanDuel) – 0.15 Units
- Bryson DeChambeau FRL (+3300 at BetRivers) – 0.15 Units
- Max Homa FRL (+5000 at FanDuel) – 0.15 Units
