Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm are the top betting favorites for the U.S. Open

For the third time in six seasons, the U.S. Open will identify its champion in California, but for the first time since 1948, Los Angeles will be the host city. A field of 156 players, exempt or qualified, will take on Los Angeles Country Club and its famed North Course to determine the 123rd winner. Created in 1921 by W. Herbert Fowler, updated by George C. Thomas in 1928, and renovated by Gil Hanse in 2010, LACC (North) will play 7,423 to Par-70 and hosts for the first time.

Scottie Scheffler (+700) returns to his place at the top of the board at BetMGM Sportsbook as his red-hot spring turns into summer next week. The only missing element from his seven events since closing out a win at THE PLAYERS Championship is another trophy. All seven have produced T11 or better, with five T5 or better, including the last four attempts. The streak of T12 or better in his previous 15 events reflects a remarkable consistency unmatched. There's only one club in his bag, the putter, holding him back. The Texan will be looking to add his third straight top-10 payday at the U.S. Open and his second major championship (2022 Masters).

The last time the U.S. Open was held in the Pacific Time Zone Jon Rahm(+1000) picked up his first major championship at Torrey Pines (South) in 2021. The reigning Masters champion went close to defending in late April in Mexico (runner-up) but has cooled since. The chance at the calendar Grand Slam went begging with a T50 finish at Oak Hill last month. His happy hunting ground at the Memorial played in difficult conditions and saw him close 74-74 for T16. Los Angeles should bring the positive vibes as the Spaniard knocked off Max Homa at The Riviera Country Club, another George C. Thomas design, in February for his third win of the season.

Two-time U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka (+1100) has done what the two in front of him on the board this week could not do this season: finish first or second in each of the first two majors of 2023. Koepka couldn't run down Rahm at Augusta, but was head-and-shoulders above the pack winning his third PGA Championship at Oak Hill. He will be looking to win his third U.S. Open title this week after going back-to-back at Erin Hills in 2017 and Shinnecock Hills in 2018. He was second to Gary Woodland at Pebble Beach in 2019 and T4 at Torrey Pines in 2021.

With three consecutive top-10 paydays over his last three starts, Rory McIlroy (+1200) sits as fourth choice. Playing Sunday from two shots off the lead last week in Canada, he drifted to T9 with 72. Playing from the final group at Memorial, he signed for 75 for T7. Putting together four rounds is the next step. The 2011 winner (and record-setter) at Congressional, will be looking to secure his fifth consecutive top-10 at the ultimate test of the USGA.

The former course-record holder at LACC (North), Patrick Cantlay (+1600), posted 62 here in his days at UCLA in the early 2010s. The last time the Californian was in contention was two weeks ago at the Memorial where he sat two shots off the lead entering Sunday. A final-round 78 (T30) derailed his chances of winning that event for the third time. Cantlay has a fantastic record on Bentgrass greens, and that's what's on the putting surfaces this week, and loves this part of the world. A recent winner at Sherwood Country Club, he also was third at Riviera in February. Cashed T14 or better in his last four major championships and has never MC at the U.S. Open in seven tries.

Viktor Hovland (+1600) had never won a PGA TOUR event on the U.S. mainland until he defeated Denny McCarthy at the Memorial two weeks ago. The Norwegian had never secured at top-10 finish in major championship golf before T4 last summer at The Open Championship at St Andrews. His streak of top-10 payouts is now three straight after adding T7 (Masters) and T2 (PGA Championship) this season. Everything is coming together for the 25-year-old at the perfect time. The last three U.S. Open winners have been 26 or 27. He fits right in this week.

Xander Schauffele (+2000) and his streak of five consecutive top-10 paydays at the U.S. Open ended last year at The Country Club as he signed for...T14. Yep, that's the worst of the lot. From 24 starts in major championships, he's played the weekend 21 times and hit the top 25 seventeen times. Collecting 10 top 10s is a solid rate of return as well. He'll be looking to join the list of first-time major champions at this event. Six of the last seven have joined the club at this event.

I always find it interesting to point out that Jordan Spieth (+2500) has only one top 10 in 11 attempts in his country's national championship. Nobody will forget 2015 as the Texan won the US Open at Chambers Bay to go along with his Masters title and solo second at the PGA Championship. A nagging wrist impingement has produced uneven results this spring, but three top-five finishes from six events beginning at the Masters should encourage him.

Here's a look at some other notable odds via BetMGM, starting with a California product who shot a 61 at LACC during the Pac-12 Championship back in 2013:

+2800: Max Homa

+3000: Cameron Smith

+3300: Collin Morikawa, Tony Finau, Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Fitzpatrick, Hideki Matsuyama

+4000: Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood

+4500: Justin Thomas, Sungjae Im

+5000: Cameron Young, Jason Day, Sam Burns, Shane Lowry

+5500: Corey Conners

+6600: Patrick Reed, Rickie Fowler, Adam Scott

+8000: Joaquin Niemann, Keegan Bradley, Mito Pereira, Si Woo Kim, Wyndham Clark

+10000: Denny McCarthy, Gary Woodland, Russell Henley, Sahith Theegala, Tom Kim

How it works:

Field of 156 players includes 17 amateurs and 89 fully exempt players. The rest of the field was filled via Final Qualifying.

Top SIXTY players and ties will play the final two rounds.

The purse and winner's share will be announced later this week. Last year's purse was $17.5 million, with the winner claiming $3.15 million plus 600 FedExCup points.

Top 10 and ties automatically qualify for next year’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2.

Top 4 finishers and ties automatically qualify for the 2024 Masters.

Circle back tomorrow as I post more details in Horses for Courses plus the Betting Stat Pack.

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