There are many who believe the most magical weekend of the sporting weekend is coming up. But, who'll be shooting the breeze with Jim Nantz and Billy Payne in the log cabin come Sunday night?
Well, once the Par-3 tournament is out of the way, we'll know who to rule out definitively for the main event. It has become an article of faith among the superstitious Republican-voting golfers that the winner of the Par-3 event never wins the big one the following Sunday. Unfortunately for Irish fans, Padraig Harrington is well out ahead as the favourite for this one. While the rest of the golfers are letting their kids take putts, the unsuperstitious, grinding Harrington treats it like every other tournament.
Harrington is at 20/1 for the Par-3 (compared to the glut of second favourites all priced at 33/1 following him) while he is at 80/1 for the main event.
For the big one, we must start, like everyone else, in Hollywood, Co. Down. Rory McIlroy, naturally, is favourite everywhere. However, the uniformity that existed among PGA Tour.ie's experts panel that he would win the PGA Championship in August does not exist for the Masters.
Of the ten experts, only DJ Piehowski and Amanda Balionis have plumped for Rory. Piehowski's reasoning is solid
There is no course that fits McIlroy better. With so many stars in good form, picking a winner is harder than ever. The smart play is the best player in the world.
However, Rory is priced at 11/2 and there could be more interesting contenders that offer more value. Jimmy Walker is currently at 22/1. After a fabulous 2014, which saw him gain 3 top 10 finishes in the Majors, including at the Masters, he has made an excellent start to 2015, winning both the Sony Open in Hawaii and the Valero Texan Open. With his long game off the tee and strong putting, Augusta suits his game perfectly.
Other highly fancied names are Jordan Spieth (10/1) and Jason Day (12/1). The latter has routinely challenged at the Majors without getting the job done. He finished tied for 2nd in 2011, the year when South African Charl Schwartzel roared past everyone on the last bend, and 3rd on his own in 2013, two shots behind Scott and Cabrera. Spieth, who was, rather dismayingly, born in 1993, became the youngest player to win multiple times on the PGA tour and finished 2nd to Bubba Watson last year, though no one was having any heart attacks during last year's climax.
The most unpopular player on the tour (voted for by his fellow players and including, curiously, himself) is at 10/1 to defend his title. The fact that no one has successfully the title here since Woods slightly puts us off Bubba.
Another man who will feel completely at home this week is Phil Mickelson, who is priced at an even more generous 25/1. His long-ish odds relative to previous seasons is attributed to his ropey form in the opening months of 2015, but his habit of pulling it out of the fire at the Masters regardless of form means he has to be worth a shout.
Perennial outsider bet and the man whose fire made last year's Ryder Cup that bit more exciting, Patrick Reed has already won twice this season, pipping both Jimmy Walker and Jordan Spieth to the Hyundai Tournament of Champions and the Valspar Championship respectively. However, he failed to make the cut at last year's Masters, indicating that there are more prudent shouts elsewhere.
At a whopping 200/1, there is a glorious shout for an each way bet in the shape of a man who seems to have around at Augusta since year dot. I swear for about the first 15 years, I watched the Masters, Freddie Couples either led or tied for the lead on the Thursday or the Friday. The 1992 champ is well into his fifties at this stage but Augusta has always been a place where old guys with a feel for the course have prospered (remember Nicklaus in 1998?).
Freddie is begging to be backed at that price.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye4UDVlzb4g
A more conservative each way bet emerges in the shape of the remarkably consistent Matt Kuchar, who has finished third, eighth and fifth in the past three years here. At 33/1, he could be a decent bet for the tournament outright, but he's a serious shout for an each way bet.
Lastly, there is a left-field candidate for an each-way bet at 125/1. Chris Kirk played the par-5's in -12 in 2014. He ended up finishing tied for 20th in his first appearance at Augusta. Since then, he has won the Deutsche Bank Championship and improved his world rankings. Playing the longer holes well is a key indicator of success at Augusta (Tiger Woods lived off the par-5's here for many years) so at 125/1, Kirk is a brilliant shout at 125/1.
Another potential each-way bet at 175/1 is Charley Hoffman, he off the absurdly long blond hair. Hoffman has only played at Augusta once, in 2011 when he finished tied for 27th. At the end of last year, he won his third PGA tour event, the OHL Classic at Mayakoba.
Best bets
Rory McIlroy 11/2
Jimmy Walker 22/1
Phil Mickelson 25/1
Best each way bets (top six finish)
Matt Kuchar 33/1
Chris Kirk 125/1
Fred Couples 200/1
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