Who will win the US Open? Betting preview, tips and prediction

The third men’s golf major of the year gets underway this week as the US Open takes place at The Country Club - more commonly known as Brookline - in Massachusetts.

There’s been a flip at the top of the betting market following the first two majors of the season, as Rory McIlroy - fresh off an impressive win at the Canadian Open over the weekend - is now the bookies’ favourite, just ahead of US PGA champion Justin Thomas. World No 1 Scottie Scheffler and reigning US Open champion Jon Rahm have now slipped from the top two slots into third and fourth.

Below the top four, there are plenty of candidates with compelling cases as to why they will be lifting the trophy come Sunday evening, including the likes of Xander Schauffele, Cameron Smith, Matt Fitzpatrick, Shane Lowry and Collin Morikawa. The face of Saudi-funded breakaway tour LIV Golf, Phil Mickelson, will once again try to complete the career grand slam by winning that elusive US Open, having finished as runner-up on a remarkable six occasions.

In some ways, Brookline will provide a typical US Open test - higher scoring than the other majors, punishing, thick rough if you stray wide of the fairways, small, raised greens that often have false fronts and a demand for long driving in order to succeed - but, having been redesigned in 2009, it appears to be a fair test that offers some birdie chances including an intriguing par-three 11th hole that is only 131 yards, less than a full wedge for a lot of players.

US Open champions of a recent vintage have tended to be higher-ranked players - you have to go back to 2010 to find the last time a winner came from outside the world’s top 30 - and with 40 of the last 41 major winners ranked inside the world’s top 50 at the time