This article is part of our Golf Draft Kit series.
One of the best feelings in sports betting is securing a ticket on a golfer whose odds drop significantly before a tournament begins -- particularly when that tournament is a major championship.
As always, four of those will be played in 2024, and if you buy in early the payoff will be better if your player winds up in the winner's circle.
All odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of December 12, 2023.
The Masters
The Course: Augusta National Golf Club
Best Bet: Sungjae Im (40-1)
Given all the undulations and nuances of the course, a track record of success at Augusta National is arguably more important than anywhere else. That's particularly key to note when making bets, as it's tough to back those with little-to-no experience. Course history is no concern when it comes to Im, who will be making his fifth trip down Magnolia Lane and has already recorded finishes of T2 and T8. The 25-year-old has a strong all-around game, which makes him a great fit at a course that can expose weaknesses. Im traditionally plays well early in the year, so don't be surprised if this number is lower by the time April rolls around.
Dark Horse: Sahith Theegala (80-1)
PGA Championship
The Course: Valhalla Golf Club
Best Bet: Ludvig Aberg (30-1)
Aberg has yet to play in a major championship, but it would shock almost no one if he makes an immediate impact and hoists a trophy at some point in 2024. Among the majors, the PGA Championship tends to put more of an emphasis on driving distance than any other, and Aberg has already proven to be one of the longest and best drivers on Tour. That should certainly benefit him at Valhalla, which plays over 7,500 yards and is the course Rory McIlroy won at in 2014. The 24-year-old has recorded eight straight top-15s -- including two wins -- across the world, and if he keeps the momentum going it's easy to envision his odds dropping to 20-1 -- or lower.
Dark Horse: Mito Pereira (150-1)
U.S. Open
The Course: Pinehurst No. 2
Best Bet: Min Woo Lee (80-1)
Another golfer who closed out 2023 in fine fashion is Lee, who jumped into the top 40 of the Official World Golf Ranking after besting a field including Cameron Smith, Adam Scott and Joaquin Niemann and winning the Australian PGA Championship in November. The 25-year-old seems to be built for major championships, having already posted four top-20s across nine major starts. U.S. Open setups seem to suit him best, as he posted a T27 in 2022 and a T5 in 2023. He has elite length off the tee and a world-class short game, and he should only get more comfortable stateside after securing a PGA Tour card for 2024.
Dark Horse: Russell Henley (130-1)
The Open
The Course: Royal Troon Golf Course
Best Bet: Tom Kim (40-1)
The Open will head back to Royal Troon -- the site of Henrik Stenson's impressive win at 20-under-par in 2016. That leads me to another excellent ball striker in Kim. The 21-year-old heads into 2024 with back-to-back top-10 finishes in major championships -- most notably the T2 he posted in The Open in 2023. Although he hit a couple rough patches in his first full season on the PGA Tour, he closed the year with nine consecutive top-20s and defended his title at the Shriners Children's Open. Kim's only deficiency is his average length off the tee, but the Open is typically the major that devalues that the most.
Dark Horse: Nicolai Hojgaard (100-1)
Drop in on the action with the DraftKings Sportsbook promo code!
