I’ll be sharing my weekly picks for Fanteam’s fantasy golf contests. Fanteam, the UKGC-regulated platform and Europe’s largest DFS site, offers an exciting way to engage with golf. See below for a special offer!

It’s Open Championship week!

Working out fantasy line-ups is always a great test for the brain and the old grey matter gets an even greater workout in an Open.

As well as those unpredictable links bounces, there’s the significant dynamic of the weather. Are there signs of a draw bias? Maybe so but how much do you actually believe in the forecast?

Experienced Open go-ers will know that the weather can flip like a switch and that looks the case at Royal Portrush this week where across the four days the elements are listed as “changeable”.

And yet, after 72 holes of Open golf there is no faking it. Those with the right skills and attitude will work their way to the top and there are plenty of threads of logic we can use to build successful line-ups.

A reminder to those playing the Fanteam game for the first time: the Captain and the Underdog in your six-man teams (budget 100M) both score x1.25pts.

Before looking through the field at the Harry Colt-designed par 71 at Royal Portrush, let’s start with a SPECIAL OFFER below!

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Okay, let’s start building…

Top Tier Picks (18m and over)

Jon Rahm (20.8M): I’m confident that Scottie Scheffler will have a big week but I’m equally sure that Jon Rahm can flourish too. And, bottom line, Rahm is a massive 7.2M cheaper than the World No.1 which gives us far more leeway when building a team. Rahm was 11th here in the 2019 Open and is also a dual Irish Open winner, one of those coming down the road at Portstewart. A runner-up at LIV Golf Andalucia last week, the Spaniard has been getting progressively better in this year’s majors – 14-8-7 – while since his 11th here six years ago Rahm’s Open finishes read 3-34-2-7.

Robert MacIntyre (18M): There are lots of great options in this 18M and over range so it comes down to price and Bobby Mac potentially offers more bang for your buck. The Scotsman was sixth at Portrush on his Open debut in 2019 when 146th in the world and he’s added eighth at Royal St George’s in 2021. A low-key defence of his Scottish Open crown could well be a blessing and of far more relevance hopefully is his second place in last month’s US Open at Oakmont and fifth at Royal County Down in last year’s Irish Open.

Rory McIlroy (23.4M): Rory is a fascinating option. He has the same upside as Scheffler (a win) but probably a much larger downside. McIlroy infamously missed the cut here in 2019 and there’s a chance he will again want this too much. The other take is that second place at last week’s Scottish Open confirms that he’s in the right mental space again and, after completing The Grand Slam with that amazing win at Augusta, he’ll be hard to stop if getting on a roll. McIlroy boasts seven top sixes in the Open but has also missed the cut in two of the last five.

Others to consider: Xander Schauffele (19.4M): The current Open champion hasn’t been at his best this year but his calm attitude and all-round skills will count for plenty. Eighth at Augusta, eighth at last week’s Scottish Open, Schauffele has 16 top 10s in his 33 majors, a body of work which includes a first and a second in The Open. Shane Lowry (18.6M) blitzed the field by six shots in his thrilling Portrush win in 2019 and the Irishman could easily be inspired again. Tommy Fleetwood (19M) was runner-up to Lowry here six years ago and has a fourth and a 10th in two of the last three Opens. Adding to his case is second place at the Travelers two starts ago.

Mid-Range Value Selections ($14.2m up to 18m)

Tyrrell Hatton (17.8M): Many roads lead to Hatton this week. He contended heavily in the US Open before finishing fourth, his best finish in a major. He was sixth at Portrush in 2019. He’s a three-time winner and twice runner-up at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. And he’s also won at Wentworth, another Harry Colt design.

Viktor Hovland (16.6M): Some players click straight into gear at majors and Hovland did that when finishing as Low Amateur in his first two. As a pro he’s sprinkled four top fives, a seventh and two further top 20s in the last 12 and that run includes fourth in the Open at St Andrews and 12th and 13th either side. The Norwegian has form in the majors this season of 21-28-3, that top three in last month’s US Open along with 11th in last week’s Scottish Open showing he’s in good shape.

Russell Henley (15.8M): In contrast to Hovland, didn’t have his first top 10 in a major until 2023, 13 years on from his debut. But now he has four in the latest 11 including fifth in last year’s Open. He’s been in great form this year, winning at Bay Hill, and won three matches out of four here in the 2010 Palmer Cup.

Others to consider: Ryan Fox (14.2M) has won two of his last seven PGA Tour events and was 16th at Royal Portrush in 2019. The Kiwi loves links golf and any adverse weather will faze him far less than most. Patrick Reed (14.2M) was 10th at Portrush in 2019, his best Open finish, and highs this season include third at April’s Masters and a win at LIV Golf Dallas at the end of June. A delicate short game will serve him well here. Matt Fitzpatrick (15.6M) continued his return to form with third in Scotland last week and although not a lover of links golf he’s made his last five Open cuts and that includes 20th at Portrush. He’s also a winner of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship (2023). Adam Scott (14.6M) once had a run of 2-3-5-10 in this tournament and the veteran Aussie added another Open top 10 last year. In the 2025 majors, he was second with a round to go in the US Open (finished 12th) and also made the top 20 in the US PGA. Justin Thomas (17M) will likely have low ownership as he’s not thought of as an Open type. But he’s had some big weeks this year (won the RBC Heritage) and fell in love with Royal Portrush when he first saw it in 2019. He finished 11th (best Open result) that year and 22nd in last week’s Scottish Open suggests he could thrive here again.

Underdog Options (14m and Under)

Tom McKibbin (12.6M): Want to play the local angle? McKibbin, a member at Portrush for the last 10 years, is your man. He won on the DP World Tour as a 20-year-old and has warmed up for this with back-to-back top fives on LIV after joining the breakaway tour at the start of 2025. He’s relatively new to majors but has made the cut in all four he’s played.

Harry Hall (12.8M) has been a quiet star of the PGA Tour this season and the Englishman can boast seven straight top 25s which includes a top 20 in the PGA Championship. Tied 17th in the Scottish Open was another good knock and his back story includes playing plenty of links golf growing up in Cornwall. He had to qualify to make the field this week but made light work of that and the case for him performing well is enhanced by a brilliant short game. Hall is 3rd for SG: Putting and 8th for Scrambling on the PGA Tour this season.

Thriston Lawrence (12.8M) was a surprise contender in last year’s Open when fourth at Troon although was it really a shock given that he finished third on the Race to Dubai that season? More recently, he’s added 12th in the US Open followed by eighth in the Rocket Classic and a second at Wentworth, another Harry Colt design, last year could also be a good pointer.

Others to consider: Christiaan Bezuidenhout (12.4M) is another bargain-priced South African with UD (Underdog credentials). He has a third and a fifth from three starts at Wentworth, took 12th in last month’s US Open and has played the weekend in three of the last four Opens. An impressive short game makes him a good fit. Nick Taylor (12M) is an absolute bargain on the basis of being a five-time PGA Tour winner (the latest at this year’s Sony Open). His majors record is littered with missed cuts (0-for-2 in The Open) but 23rd at the US Open and 40th in the Masters this year hints at a change of fortunes. Matteo Manassero (11.8M) is ranked No.1 in Scrambling on the PGA Tour this season. The Italian has a 19th and a 31st (2024) in two of his last four Opens and was sixth at the Canadian Open two starts ago. Finally, 2009 Open winner Stewart Cink (10.6M) was 20th at Portrush in 2019 and 23rd at Hoylake in 2023. He’s having a big year on the Champions Tour (second in the Charles Schwab Cup standings) and could be a sneaky play if you’re running out of budget.

That’s this week in the books. It should be a brilliant one to watch unfold.

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