Tom Phillips highlighted Collin Morikawa as his favorite value play at Royal Portrush, available at 33/1 outright. Phillips emphasized that Portrush punishes errant tee shots but rewards players who keep it in play and attack flags with dialed-in long irons—the exact profile that made Morikawa a two-time major champion early in his career. Citing the 2019 leaderboard that was dominated by accurate drivers and elite iron players, Phillips believes Morikawa’s ball-striking gives him as much win equity as names half his price. With bookmakers focused on Scheffler and McIlroy, Phillips sees Morikawa’s odds as a mis-pricing for bettors looking to sprinkle on a longer number with legitimate upside.

Tom Phillips said bettors should ride with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler at Royal Portrush, noting the track rewards measured driving and precise iron play rather than sheer length. Scheffler ranks among the most accurate drivers on TOUR and is fresh off wins at the 2025 PGA Championship and two recent Masters, showing he can handle major-championship pressure. Bookmakers have installed him as the outright favorite at 6/1 with Sky Bet (5/1 at several others, 11/2 at William Hill and SpreadEx). Phillips argued that Scheffler’s ability to repeatedly find fairways and hit crisp approaches matches exactly what Portrush demanded in 2019, when similar skill sets propelled Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood, and Brooks Koepka up the board. If the Texan avoids the penal rough and cavernous bunkers, Phillips believes Scheffler is the most likely player to lift his first Claret Jug and complete three legs of the career Grand Slam.