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A return to normalcy, March Madness ends, and The Masters begins. Hello friends. You know the drill. Wake up, watch golf, repeat. It's the tradition like no other, and we are so excited for it's return. This year feels like an odd one, as we just had the Masters in November, and this will be a tournament without Tiger Woods.
If you need some pre-requisite betting info, take a look at my blog from last years tournament. If not, let's get right into it.
Best Bets and Odds
The Favorites
Jordan Spieth (+600)
The sport of golf is so much better when Jordan Spieth is at the top, and by the looks of it, Spieth is so back. Back in February, the odds for Spieth to win the Masters were 60-1. After seven tournaments over the past two months, he is now one of the favorites. How and why? How about five top-ten finishes and a win at the Valero Texas Open this past week. Prior to that, he had not had a win since his 2017 victory at The Open, his third major title and his 11th PGA Tour victory. It's been a tough past couple years for Spieth. According to ESPN, after missing the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open, he dropped to 92nd in the world. He was still ranked as high as No. 2 in the world after the 2018 Open, where he was the 54-hole co-leader before fading to a tie for ninth. He hasn't faired well in his last two outings at Augusta, but his recent return to form can sure guarantee him at the top of the table.
Dustin Johnson (+800)
All the buzz has been on Spieth, which is fine and fair, but have we forgotten the defending Masters champion and current No. 1 ranked player in the world? If there is anyone who has "figured out" this course, it's Dustin Johnson. Since 2015, DJ has finished within the top 10 of every Masters start, including the win in 2020, a tie for 2nd in 2019, and tied-for-fourth in 2016.
Justin Thomas (+800)
There is no denying that JT is one of the best tee-to-green golfers out there. His past few months have faired him well, and he's eying the green jacket come Sunday. He finished fourth at the Masters in November and managed a top-10 U.S. Open finish in September despite some poor rounds of play. He has improved year over year at Augusta, and 2021 might be his time to shine.
Other top-tier bets
- John Rahm (+900)
- Rory McIlroy (+1200)
- Patrick Reed (+2000)
Golfers I Would Avoid
Bryson DeChambeau (+750)
The defending U.S. Open Champion struggled immensely last year when he was coming in as the favorite. Now, the CBS Sports Model has DeChambeau barely cracking the top 10, and he's one of the heavy favorites? He is one of the best players on tour right now, finishing on top of the leaderboard at the U.S. Open and Arnold Palmer Invitational, but will the Masters be to much for him to handle?
Brooks Keopka (+2500)
As a guy who has had three knee surgeries, I am impressed with how Brooks looks. However, Augusta is not the place to be after having knee surgery less than a month ago. I love confidence coming out of Keopka, but I can't see him fairing well.
The Dark Horses
Xander Schauffele +2200
Xander is coming off a hot stretch, including two top five finishes in his last five events. Schauffele has made the cut in each of his last three attempts, and could be brewing something up for this weekend.
Patrick Reed +3300
The 2018 Masters champion has been in great form so far this year. After finishing T-10 in the 2020 tournament, he has been quite consisted in his play. He won the Farmers Insurance Open this past January, and has the potential to claim his second green jacket on Sunday.
Sergio Garcia +5000
Over the last six times Garcia has played this tournament, he’s finished atop the leaderboard once and has an average finishing position of 17th, however he did win it in 2017. People are saying he looks decent, so why not throw him in as a sleeper?
Max Homa +9000
I don't know why, but I am so bullish on Max Homa. According to The Lines, over his last five tournaments, Homa has one win and three top-10 finishes. Also, over his last five events, Homa has finished within three shots of the leader once and five or fewer strokes back of the winner twice. He’s carded a score that’s better than average in four of those outings. He also won the Genesis back in February. Sounds promising to me.
The 85th Masters Tournament at Augusta officially starts today (4/8) and will play through April 11th. Good luck with your bets, and enjoy the "tradition unlike any other".