U.S. Open odds, picks and best bets for 2023 edition at Los Angeles Country Club

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If there's a tournament that can supply on-course drama to keep pace with the current off-course dramatics existing in the golf world, it's the U.S. Open. The public is always enthralled by this event. Course conditions are tightened up so much for this competition that the world's best golfers are often brought to their knees.

Couple that stress with the current tension surrounding men's pro golf following the recent announcement of merger between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf and it's going to make for a fascinating tournament that USGA brings its signature event to the Los Angeles Country Club in Beverly Hills for the first time.

Speaking of first time, 13 of the last 14 U.S. Open champions were first-time winners. That's a betting trend worth keeping in mind as you are weighing the U.S. Open odds.

Let's look at some of the top contenders worthy of consideration as the most talented ball strikers on the planet get set to tee it up on Thursday.

Heavy favorites

Last year was a breakthrough season in terms of majors for Scottie Scheffler. He won the Masters. Scheffler came within a stroke of earning his first U.S. Open title.

Currently No. 1 in the world golf rankings, how do you not look strongly at wagering on Scheffler to go one stroke better this year? He was second in the PGA Championship, the major leading into this event. Scheffler is the betting favorite to take this tournament at +700 in the U.S. Open odds. The consistent American has finished in the top 12 of every event he's entered this year save one.

Jon Rahm is right after Scheffler in this betting market at +1000. The 2021 U.S. Open champion and world No. 2 has four wins on his resume this year, including the Masters. But that's his only top-10 finish in a major since 2021.

Brooks Koepka (+1100) won back-to-back U.S. Open titles in 2017-18 among his five major victories. He's coming off his third victory in the PGA Championship and that followed a tie for second at the Masters, so Koepka is definitely bringing his best golf to the biggest events this year.

Offering value

The north course at the LA Country Club is a layout that requires elite ball striking in order to conquer the course. Accurate placement of tee shots is vital. Otherwise, the player is often left with a blind approach shot to the green.

On the PGA Tour this year, Victor Hovland is that level of ball striker. Statistics show that he's gained strokes via his ball striking in 18 successive events. During that span, Hovland has secured two wins and eight additional top-20 finishes. Hovland has also finished among the top seven in each of golf's last three majors. At a betting line of +1600, a Hovland victory would deliver a solid payday.

Jordan Spieth has won all four of golf's majors, capturing the U.S. Open title in 2015. He's been playing some spectacular golf of late. He gained 5.70 strokes off the tee during the PGA Championship. At odds of +2500, even a small bet on Spieth could provide a handsome return.

Long shots worthy of consideration

On the surface, Keegan Bradley doesn't seem to offer much, other than healthy long shot odds of +8000. His lone major win was at the 2011 PGA Championship and his best finish at the U.S. Open came nearly a decade ago, a tie for fourth in 2014.

However, his form is showing a revival of late. Bradley shows 10 top-10 finishes since the beginning of the 2022 season. He wound up tied for seventh in last year's U.S. Open. On the PGA Tour, he posted a win in October and a tie for second in February. Bradley's nemesis has been one bad round out of four each week. If he can remedy that issue, he could contend here.

Tyrell Hatton (+3300) was a shot away from victory at last week's Canadian Open. He's wound up in the top 15 in each of his last five tournaments, three times coming in among the top five.

His consistent game shows Hatton rating among the top-20 on the PGA Tour in strokes gained off the tee, via approach shots and on the green. That's a healthy combination coming into the toughest 72-hole test these golfers will face on American soil.

U.S. Open Best Bet: Victor Hovland.

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