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The 2024 Open Championship was full of surprises. While many top-ranked golfers, including Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Bryson DeChambeau struggled on the greens of Royal Troon, fans witnessed some unexpected names on the leaderboard. Xander Schauffele secured his second major title of the year, winning by two shots over Justin Rose and Billy Horschel.
The leaderboard of The 2024 Open Championship was truly unexpected, and here are five golfers who outperformed their odds at the major.
5 golfers who overperformed their odds at The Open Championship 2024
#1 Billy Horschel
- Odds: +25,000
- Result: T2
Billy Horschel surprised fans with his performance at The Open 2024. Before the major began, his odds to win were +25,000, as per CBS Sports.
However, he exceeded all expectations and finished tied for second place, just two shots behind the winner. Horschel shot 72 in the opening round, followed by rounds of 68, 69, and 68.
In 2024, Billy Horschel has competed in 19 tournaments and missed six cuts. Although he did not play at the Masters, he has had decent outings at the other three majors: tied for eighth at the PGA Championship, T41 at the US Open, and finally T2 at The Open. Horschel has won ten professional events in his career but is still seeking his first major title.
#2 Daniel Brown
- Odds: +150,000
- Result: T10
The most unexpected name to shine on the leaderboard of The Open Championship in 2024 was Daniel Brown. His odds of winning the major were +150,000 before the event began.
However, he was on fire from the start, taking an early lead with an impressive 65 in the first round.
Despite this strong showing, Brown struggled in the following rounds, shooting 72 in the second round, and 73 and 74 in the final rounds, ultimately finishing tied for 10th place. Brown significantly outperformed his odds at The Open. Notably, this was his major debut.
#3 Justin Rose
- Odds: +15,000
- Result: T2
Justin Rose entered the stellar field of The 2024 Open Championship with odds of +15,000, according to CBS Sports. However, he outperformed expectations and achieved an impressive tie for second place after four rounds.
Rose shot 69 in the first round, followed by rounds of 68, 73, and 67. He narrowly missed out on winning the major.
Rose has won 25 professional events in his career, including his only major victory at the US Open in 2013. Prior to The 2024 Open Championship, he was tied for second place at the major in 2018 when Francesco Molinari won it.
#4 Thriston Lawrence
- Odds: +50,000
- Result: 4
Thriston Lawrence’s odds to win The Open Championship were +50,000 before the event began, according to CBS Sports. However, the South African golfer grabbed the attention of many with a standout showing.
He had a rough start, shooting 71 and 74 in the first two rounds. But the 27-year-old excelled in the final two rounds, shooting 66 and 69, ultimately finishing in solo fourth place.
Notably, this was Thriston Lawrence's third appearance at The Open Championship, and his best finish at a major. The 2024 Open Championship is now the only major in which he has recorded a top-10 finish.
#5 Matthew Jordan
- Odds: +35,000
- Result: T10
Matthew Jordan's odds were +35,000, but he played remarkably well, finishing tied for 10th place at The Open 2024. He shot 71 in all four rounds to end with an even-par score.
Notably, the English golfer made headlines at The Open in 2023 with an impressive performance, also finishing tied for 10th place. Jordan maintained this consistency in 2024.
