As the dust settles on recent major championships, attention is already shifting towards the prestigious events on the horizon. The world of golf futures betting provides an early glimpse into who analysts and the market believe will contend for the sport`s most coveted titles over the next two years. Currently, two names consistently sit atop the probability charts: Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.
Scottie Scheffler, already a two-time Masters champion and a PGA Championship winner, is positioned as the favored player across the board for the upcoming slate of majors. Hot on his heels is Rory McIlroy, who recently achieved his career Grand Slam by capturing the Masters green jacket. Beyond this dominant duo, only Bryson DeChambeau appears with odds better than 10-1 in any of the surveyed tournaments, indicating a perceived significant gap between the top tier and the rest of the field at this early stage.
The 2025 Open Championship: Return to Royal Portrush
The 2025 Open Championship is set to take place from July 17th to 20th, returning to the challenging links of Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland. This venue holds recent history for Shane Lowry, who famously claimed the Claret Jug here in 2019, providing a potential sentimental favorite for some. Meanwhile, Xander Schauffele enters as the reigning champion of The Open, having won the 2024 edition at Royal Troon.
The odds reflect the current hierarchy, with Scheffler and McIlroy leading the pack for this historic championship.
The 2026 Masters Tournament: Augusta`s Enduring Allure
Scheduled for April 9th through 12th, the 2026 Masters will once again grace the hallowed grounds of Augusta National Club in Georgia. This tournament stands alone as the only major held annually at the same location, adding to its mystique and allowing players to build deep course knowledge (or simply nurse recurring anxieties). Rory McIlroy arrives at the 2026 edition as the defending champion, having finally conquered Augusta in 2025 to complete his career Grand Slam – a monumental achievement that undoubtedly factors into his favorable future odds.
The 2026 PGA Championship: Aronimink`s Rare Appearance
The PGA Championship in 2026 will be held from May 14th to 17th at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. This marks a relatively rare hosting appearance for the 129-year-old course, which last welcomed the PGA Championship field in 1962, a tournament won by golf legend Gary Player. Scottie Scheffler will be looking to defend the title he secured in 2025, adding another layer of intrigue to his candidacy for this major.
The 2026 U.S. Open: Back to Shinnecock Hills
The U.S. Open in 2026 is slated for Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York. This classic American links-style course is known for its demanding setup, typically favoring accurate ball-striking and strategic play. J.J. Spaun claimed the 2025 U.S. Open title at Oakhurst, but the focus for 2026 shifts to Shinnecock, a venue where Brooks Koepka won his second consecutive U.S. Open championship in 2018. Spaun finds himself further down the odds list at 70-1 for a repeat bid at a different, formidable course.
Futures Odds for the Next Four Major Championships
Below is a snapshot of the early betting odds for leading contenders across these four significant events, providing a quantifiable measure of current expectations in the golf world.
| Golfer | The Open (2025) | Masters (2026) | PGA Champ. (2026) | U.S. Open (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scottie Scheffler | +475 | +500 | +450 | +400 |
| Rory McIlroy | +500 | +600 | +550 | +750 |
| Bryson DeChambeau | 12-1 | 12-1 | +900 | +800 |
| Jon Rahm | 12-1 | 14-1 | 14-1 | 12-1 |
| Xander Schauffele | 16-1 | 14-1 | 20-1 | 20-1 |
| Ludvig Åberg | 16-1 | 14-1 | 22-1 | 20-1 |
| Collin Morikawa | 16-1 | 14-1 | 22-1 | 25-1 |
| Tommy Fleetwood | 18-1 | 33-1 | 33-1 | 40-1 |
| Viktor Hovland | 22-1 | 28-1 | 33-1 | 28-1 |
| Shane Lowry | 22-1 | 40-1 | 50-1 | 40-1 |
| Tyrrell Hatton | 25-1 | 50-1 | 40-1 | 30-1 |
| Robert MacIntyre | 25-1 | 50-1 | 100-1 | 50-1 |
| Brooks Koepka | 33-1 | 28-1 | 40-1 | 40-1 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | 33-1 | 33-1 | 40-1 | 40-1 |
| Patrick Cantlay | 35-1 | 33-1 | 33-1 | 40-1 |
| Russell Henley | 35-1 | 66-1 | 66-1 | 50-1 |
| Justin Thomas | 40-1 | 20-1 | 18-1 | 30-1 |
| Jordan Spieth | 40-1 | 33-1 | 40-1 | 50-1 |
| Cameron Smith | 40-1 | 50-1 | 66-1 | 100-1 |
| Justin Rose | 40-1 | 50-1 | 100-1 | 100-1 |
| Tony Finau | 40-1 | 66-1 | 66-1 | 70-1 |
| Tom Kim | 40-1 | 100-1 | 100-1 | — |
| Aaron Rai | 40-1 | 125-1 | 100-1 | 110-1 |
| Joaquín Niemann | 50-1 | 33-1 | 33-1 | 40-1 |
| Sahith Theegala | 50-1 | 80-1 | 100-1 | 100-1 |
| Matt Fitzpatrick | 50-1 | 100-1 | 80-1 | 100-1 |
| Min Woo Lee | 66-1 | 50-1 | 80-1 | 70-1 |
| Sungjae Im | 66-1 | 66-1 | 66-1 | 100-1 |
| Dustin Johnson | 66-1 | 100-1 | 100-1 | 110-1 |
| Adam Scott | 66-1 | 100-1 | 125-1 | 70-1 |
| Daniel Berger | 66-1 | 125-1 | 60-1 | 100-1 |
| Sam Burns | 66-1 | 125-1 | 80-1 | 50-1 |
| Cameron Young | 66-1 | 125-1 | 80-1 | 70-1 |
| Sepp Straka | 70-1 | 66-1 | 50-1 | 40-1 |
| Corey Conners | 80-1 | 50-1 | 50-1 | 55-1 |
| Jason Day | 80-1 | 50-1 | 66-1 | 70-1 |
| Akshay Bhatia | 80-1 | 60-1 | 100-1 | 110-1 |
| Wyndham Clark | 80-1 | 80-1 | 80-1 | 100-1 |
| Max Homa | 80-1 | 80-1 | 80-1 | 110-1 |
| Keegan Bradley | 80-1 | 100-1 | 100-1 | 100-1 |
| Billy Horschel | 80-1 | 125-1 | — | — |
| Brian Harman | 80-1 | 150-1 | 100-1 | 175-1 |
| Ryan Fox | 80-1 | — | 150-1 | 100-1 |
| Alex Noren | 80-1 | — | — | 100-1 |
| Louis Oosthuizen | 80-1 | — | — | — |
| Will Zalatoris | 100-1 | 50-1 | 80-1 | 70-1 |
| Sergio Garcia | 100-1 | 80-1 | 150-1 | — |
| Byeong Hun An | 100-1 | 150-1 | 150-1 | 175-1 |
| Nicolai Højgaard | 100-1 | 150-1 | 200-1 | — |
| Si Woo Kim | 100-1 | — | 80-1 | 110-1 |
| Davis Thompson | 110-1 | 100-1 | 125-1 | — |
| Harris English | 125-1 | 150-1 | 100-1 | 100-1 |
| Rasmus Højgaard | 125-1 | 150-1 | 150-1 | 150-1 |
| Rickie Fowler | 125-1 | — | 150-1 | 110-1 |
| Dean Burmester | 125-1 | — | 150-1 | — |
| Nico Echavarria | 125-1 | — | — | — |
| Christiaan Bezuidenhout | 125-1 | — | — | — |
| Thriston Lawrence | 125-1 | — | — | — |
| Tom McKibbin | 150-1 | — | — | 200-1 |
| Matthieu Pavon | 150-1 | — | — | — |
| Victor Perez | 150-1 | — | — | — |
| Abraham Ancer | 150-1 | — | — | — |
| Maverick McNealy | 175-1 | 125-1 | 80-1 | 70-1 |
| Denny McCarthy | 200-1 | 150-1 | 100-1 | 150-1 |
| Tiger Woods | 200-1 | — | 200-1 | — |
| Tom Hoge | 200-1 | — | — | 200-1 |
| Matt Wallace | 200-1 | — | — | — |
| Matthew Jordan | 200-1 | — | — | — |
| Matteo Manassero | 200-1 | — | — | — |
| Thorbjørn Olesen | 250-1 | — | 200-1 | — |
While these odds represent early projections and are subject to change based on player performance, form, and potentially even surprising news from the ever-evolving golf landscape, they clearly underscore the current dominance projected for Scheffler and McIlroy. The next four major championships promise compelling narratives as these top players vie for history, and others seek to disrupt their predicted reign.
