By admin 
No outright winners on the SI Golf betting panel card last week after two of us cashed Russell Henley (+2000) the week before, but we do have an emerging battle for the top prop bettor. That, plus a full recap of where the panel stands halfway through the season.
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The SI Golf betting panel features SI Betting insider Iain MacMillan, Inside Sports Network Tap in Birdie podcast host Brian Kirschner, Betting analyst Brad Thomas, The Model Maniac Byron Lindeque, FanSided content director Cody Williams, and me, Minute Media VP of Betting Content Brian Giuffra. Each Wednesday, we post our betting picks for outright and longshot winners, first-round leader, our favorite prop bet, and a final score prediction.
This week we have IMac’s national championship, the Canadian Open. He’s calling it the fifth major. I contend it’s the John Deere. Next week, we get the real thing with the U.S. Open at Shinnecock. I’ll be on location for that.
Tommy Fleetwood is your betting favorite for the Canadian Open at +1300 on FanDuel, followed by Matt Fitzpatrick, Sam Burns, Wyndham Clark, and Collin Morikawa. TPC Toronto is a long course, but driving accuracy is as important as length. SG: Approach is a very important metric. Spike putting, harder to predict, plays a big role in the outcome.
As we’re essentially halfway through the season, it felt like a good time to give an overall update. I’m up over 101 units thanks to four outrights and two FRL hits. Byron, who has a couple of outrights and FRL hits, is up over 30 units, and BK, who also has an outright, is up 12.16 units overall. Cody, IMac, and Brad are still looking for their first outrights and are down 27, 39, and 61 units, respectively. Cody is leading the prop bet challenge, followed by IMac and Byron.
So that’s where we stand now, but we still have a full half-season ahead of us. That starts with back-to-back national opens. Let’s get some more outrights!
Outright
Iain MacMillan: Sam Burns +1600 (FanDuel)
Burns has collected some strong finishes this season with three separate top 10s, but he is yet to get over the hump in 2026. Now could be the time he does it after finishing T4 at The Memorial Tournament last week and heading to an event he finished runner-up at last year. He gained +1.89 true strokes with his approach play last week.
Brian Kirschner: Michael Thorbjornsen +4000 (FanDuel)
I think that I have enlightened the masses that Thor plays his best golf on TPC Courses. Some of his best results are at TPC River Highlands, TPC Sawgrass, and TPC Scottsdale. Let’s add one north of the border to this list. Thor is coming off a Top 20 finish at Colonial, where he gained strokes in all major categories. I believe that he played a lot better, and this course should be a great spot for him to get his first PGA Tour win.
Brad Thomas: Alex Fitzpatrick +4200 (DraftKings)
I really like Alex Fitzpatrick at 40-1 this week. I think I was wrong about him as a golfer after he won the Zurich Classic. At the time, I thought he might be a guy who flashes for a bit and then fizzles out, but he has proven he has real game. He finished T9 at the Cadillac Championship, 4th at the Truist Championship, and T6 at the Memorial Tournament. In all three of those starts, the ball striking was really good. When you’re playing a TPC course, you really need good ball striking metrics. His putting hasn’t been great yet, but it’s not poor putting. I’d call it untimely putting. He could have another big week, and 40-1 is not a bad price to find out.
Byron Lindeque: Wyndham Clark +2350 (DraftKings)
Look, there is no denying that Wyndham’s ways are as weird as he is priced, but at roughly double the odds of the other big names ahead of him, it’s tough not to back the guy who has gained the most strokes over the last two months. Clark is not afraid to rattle off wins, winning both the Wells Fargo and the 2023 U.S. Open in the space of four starts. Clark has found a resurgent putter on Bentgrass greens, having recently won on a similar surface at the Byron Nelson two starts ago. He will be looking for his third consecutive top 3 this week, and if there is a name I trust to win a golf tournament when in contention, it’s Wyndham Clark.
Cody Williams: Eric Cole +4500 (DraftKings)
Do I love that Eric Cole missed the cut last year at Toronto? Of course not – but let’s also recognize that he’s playing substantially better golf this year at this point on the calendar. In his last four individual starts, he’s finished inside the Top 8 three times, including a runner-up finish at Colonial, which is not entirely dissimilar to the course this week. Cole is second in the field in SG: Approach and 11th in SG: Tee-to-Green over the last 24 rounds in this field, and should be a terrific fit to succeed this week.
Brian Giuffra: Justin Rose +2800 (BetMGM)
If Rose can switch golf clubs in the middle of the season to a set made by a car manufacturer with no prior golf experience and contend at the PGA Championship, he can win the Canadian Open. Rose was T10 at the PGA using his McLaren irons and was T12 last week at Memorial after struggling in his first two events with the new gear. He missed the cut at TPC Toronto last year, but has had success at plenty of other TPC courses in the past, including winning the 2025 St. Jude at TPC Southwind. His statistical profile fits this course and, after cashing on him when he won the Farmers earlier this year, I’m back on the F1 car for another ride to the ticket counter.
Longshot
Iain MacMillan: Zach Bauchou +13500 (DraftKings)
If you want a longshot bet, consider Zac Bauchou at 130-1. He has posted four straight Top 25 finishes, including a T22 finish at the Charles Schwab Challenge, where he gained a blistering +1.60 true strokes per round with his approach play. Whether or not he has what it takes to turn that momentum into truly contending for a win is another question, but I’m willing to take a shot on him at 130-1.
Brian Kirschner: Zach Bauchou +13500 (DraftKings)
Yes, give me a two-time Canadian amateur champion in great form at 135/1. This is a no-brainer bet for me, given how well he is playing. T13, T24, T6, and T22 in his last four starts with some very impressive iron play along the way. He gained well over 6 strokes on approach at Colonial and can absolutely spike with the putter. Winner on the KFT last year, I think he can be a PGA Tour winner without a current wiki page.
Brad Thomas: Zach Bauchou +13500 (DraftKings)
I tried to give you another longshot that isn’t already selected by the entire group. Byron Lindeque forced by hand. It’s fine, because this is an excellent selection. Bauchou has been a ball-striking machine over his last 16 rounds.
Byron Lindeque: Eric Cole +4500
While 45-1 is in the grey zone for long shots, I, too, like the other independent thinkers on this panel, have a ZB longshot at 135-1. But, I have also bet the second-most in-form golfer over the last two months at +4500, which is not something you often get to type in the same sentence. With a driver that has been a weapon the last two starts, and with finishes of 8th, 2nd, 31st, and 6th in his last four starts, you would think that oddsmakers would stoke Cole’s outright odds, burning away any value. Yet here we are, hoping to strike a match between his incredible incoming play and his first PGA Tour win.
Cody Williams: Jackson Suber +18500 (DraftKings)
Shoutout Zach Bauchou, as is apparently customary on this panel. But I’m going even deeper down the board with Jackson Suber. He completely dominated the field in Maryland on Monday for U.S. Open qualifying, finishing first in the field by three shots. While some might not like the fatigue factor, I’m going to buy into the ball-striking. His short game has been a mess, but he’s 10th in SG: Approach and 17th in Tee-to-Green in the last 24 rounds. He showed how good he can be when he’s even passable around and on the greens, which makes 185-1 worth a look.
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Brian Giuffra: Alex Fitzpatrick +4200 (DraftKings)
While most other books have Alex Fitzpatrick in the 35/1 range, I found this on DK and couldn’t resist. If you want to bet on someone with longer odds, be my guest. This felt like solid value on a red-hot player whose game fits this course. T6 at Memorial last week, 4th at the Truist, T9 at the Cadillac; any question of his ability to compete with big bro is gone. His tee-to-green game is elite. If the putter spikes, he’ll win another tournament this year. This time on his own.
First-Round Leader
Iain MacMillan: Nick Taylor +6600 (DraftKings)
Nick Taylor continuously brings his best stuff in the opening round of tournaments. Over the past three months, he leads the field in total strokes gained in the opening round at +2.73, which is +0.22 strokes better than the next closest golfer. The 2023 Canadian Open winner will be teeing it up in his home country, hoping to get off to a hot start at TPC Toronto.
Brian Kirschner: Alex Fitzpatrick +4500 (DraftKings)
Even though he did not have a PGA Tour card a couple of months ago, I think that Alex Fitz has really put on some great form recently. His results read, Win, Win, T9, 4th, T75, and T6. He absolutely can get out to a very hot start this week, and I think that 45/1 is a great price.
Brad Thomas: Ryan Fox +6600 (DraftKings)
Defending champion vibes who is a fast starter? Yes, sign me up. I think Fox makes so much sense for FRL. There’s a reason he won. He was second in the field T2G, his driver was a weapon and his irons were on fire. I think that may be hard to replicate over four rounds, but he is due for one spike. Hopefully it’s in the first round.
Byron Lindeque: Nick Taylor +6600 (DraftKings)
Nick Taylor strokes gained in R1/2/3/4 is +1.6/ +0.9/ +0.0/ -0.6. To paint those numbers into reality, Nick Taylor cashed you a first-round Top 5 last week, but not a weeklong Top 40. The Canadian who finds his silhouette inside the Canadian Open logo needs to go low so that he can find himself in the clubhouse with a first-round lead in his home open. The fourth-best Thursday strokes gained in the field, the crowd favorite, the putter kissed by the golfing gods themselves, all will culminate in a Nick Taylor FRL this week.
Cody Williams: Sam Burns +3500 (FanDuel)
I don’t trust Sam Burns to win a golf tournament right now, quite frankly. But on the whole, he continues to play solid golf and, more importantly, get off to hot starts. I think he immediately puts himself in contention this week and in play to cash FRL, but then fades as we get into the weekend.
Brian Giuffra: Sam Burns +3500 (FanDuel)
I was on Burns last week, and his double doink off the tree in the third round ruined what could have been my fifth outright cash of the year. I do think he can compete and win here. I bet him last year and he choked away the win. He’s fourth on Tour in first-round scoring average, was red hot on approach and putting last week, and has a history of success at this event and this course. At least this week, I won’t have to sweat things out too long with Burns.
Prop Bet
Iain MacMillan: Eric Cole Top 20 +185 (FanDuel)
Eric Cole is quietly playing some strong golf lately. He’s fifth in the field in total strokes gained over the past 30 days. He has posted a solo runner-up finish at the Charles Schwab Challenge and a solo eighth finish at the Memorial Tournament in his last two starts. In those performances, he gained strokes in all four major areas, a great sign ahead of TPC Toronto.
Brian Kirschner: Wyndham Clark Top 20 +136 (DraftKings)
Will happily bet these odds on one of the most in-form players in the field. Clark is back in the winner’s circle after his big win at the CJ Cup and followed it up with a stellar 3rd at The Memorial. His approach game was stellar, gaining over 10 shots, and I see no reason why this form wouldn’t continue on a great course fit.
Brad Thomas: Wyndham Clark Top 10 +225 (DraftKings)
I’m quite shocked where Wyndham Clark’s game is right now. He’s in love, he’s playing good golf, and he’s making a ton of money. He won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and finished T3 last week at the Memorial Tournament. In both events, his approach numbers were excellent. He should get a bit of a boost with the driver this week as well. All over Clark. Placement, outright, and even FRL.
Byron Lindeque: Brooks Koepka Top 20 incl. ties +155 (FanDuel)
Brooks Koepka has the second-highest Top 20 rate in the field, finishing T20 or better in 56% of his starts. He has the same finish rate of 56% for his Top 30s and Top 40s. So, when Brooks is finishing Top 40, he is also finishing Top 20, BUT hardly ever Top 10, which he only finishes 13% of the time. His elite ball striking gives him such a fantastic floor, but opposite of elite putting keeps the lid on his golf game. Once a Master of the Majors, we now bet Brooks as a Titan of Top Twenties.
Cody Williams: Eric Cole Top 10 incl. ties +350 (BetMGM)
I should’ve been more aggressive with Alex Fitzpatrick last week and I’m not making the same mistake with Eric Cole. I believe in the form, I believe in the fit, and I believe he’s at the top of the leaderboard, even if he doesn’t take home the outright for us this week in Canada.
Brian Giuffra: Luke Clanton Top 40 +250 (DraftKings)
After a disastrous start to this season (four missed cuts, one WD, one cut made), Clanton seems to have found something. He’s gained OTT and with the putter the last two weeks, including a T31 at the Byron Nelson. For a guy who was contending to win as a 20-year-old amateur two years ago, I refuse to believe he can’t conjure up some magic this week and make a run at a Top 20. Those odds were very enticing to me.
Winning Score
- Iain MacMillan: -20
- Brian Kirschner: -19
- Brad Thomas: -22
- Byron Lindeque: -18
- Cody Williams: -21
- Brian Giuffra: -22
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Canadian Open Picks, Props, Predictions: Betting Justin Rose, Wyndham Clark, and Sam Burns.
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This story was originally published June 10, 2026 at 3:00 AM.