The best golfers in the world will make their way back to Augusta, Georgia and the Augusta National Golf Club for the 2017 Masters tournament this week. Of note, Tiger Woods will not be participating in this event, although his career has gone off a cliff the last couple of years.
The first major tournament of the year is primed to be a spectacle once again with an absolutely loaded field. All of the big names are in the field this week. Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day are the top three golfers according to the World Golf Rankings and each are among the favorites this weekend.
Event Details
Event: 2017 Masters
Category: PGA
Date: April 6-9
Location: Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia
It will be very interesting to see whether one of the top ranked players in the world will deliver at Augusta this week. A year ago, it was Danny Willett that shocked the world and won the Masters. However, Willett’s final score was the worst for a Masters winner since 2007. Considering Willett is listed at +12500 to repeat, it’s likely a new winner will be crowned at Augusta this weekend.
Past Five Winners
2016: Danny Willett (-5)
2015: Jordan Spieth (-18)
2014: Bubba Watson (-8)
2013: Adam Scott (-9)
2012: Bubba Watson (-10)
What To Know About The Course
The weather at Augusta this week is expected to be fairly decent, so the same keys to success should apply. Length off the tee is important, but Greens In Regulation might be the more relevant statistic this week. The winner will definitely take advantage of the four par-five holes. Putting numbers will be important as always. The more three putts a golfer finishes with, the less likely they are to win. There is an old saying that the “Masters doesn’t start until the back nine on Sunday.” While the eventual winner needs to be in contention come Sunday in the first place, it’s definitely true that there is a ton of pressure on these golfers and the eventual winner must be able to overcome it.
The Field
The field for this event is absolutely loaded. Dustin Johnson will headline the field as the sports betting favorite to win outright at +650 odds. Some sits still have him as high as +700 so you want to shop around if you are going to bet him to win. Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy is right behind D.J. at +750 odds, followed by the 2015 winner Jordan Spieth at +800. Hideki Matsuyama is available at +1800, followed by Rickie Fowler at +2200 and Jon Rahm at +2500. Two-time Masters winner Bubba Watson is listed at +5000 odds to win for a third time this year. Phil Mickelson is available at +3000 odds to win outright.
A Good Matchup To Bet: Justin Rose over Rickie Fowler
Fowler is coming off a third place finish at the Shell Houston Open. He hasn’t finished lower than 16th at any event this season. However, Fowler missed the cut at the 2016 Masters and he has only finished in the top-10 at this tournament once in six starts. That could be a problem at an event where course form is important. Meanwhile, Justin Rose has finished in the top-25 here in nine of his 11 starts. Even more importantly, he has finished in the top-10 in three of his last five Masters tournaments. Rose is more than capable of delivering another strong performance this week. He should be a strong bet opposite Fowler in the head-to-head sports betting matchup.
Top-Five Pick: Jordan Spieth
After battling with inconsistency since he won this tournament in 2015, Spieth might be primed for a strong performance this week. He currently ranks seventh in FedEx Cup points and his average score this season is 69.301 per round. After falling to No. 6 in the world, Spieth has shown flashes of his elite potential and he has proven he can win here before. Spieth’s precision with his irons and his putter are the two aspects of his game that set him apart. The fact that he understands how to succeed at Augusta solidifies his position as the best bet on the board to finish in the top-five at the Masters this week.
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