Masters 2023: Latest Expert Predictions for Tiger Woods, Top Stars

With the 87th Masters Tournament fast approaching, the top golf experts have begun making their predictions for potential winners.

The top-two-ranked golfers on the PGA Tour are Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. Scheffler is the defending champion and is aiming to become just the fourth golfer in the history of the tournament to go back-to-back (Tiger Woods 2001-02, Nick Faldo 1989-90 and Jack Nicklaus 1965-66).

But for Brendan Quinn of The Athletic, that is not a deterrent for his chances to win.

"We haven't had a repeat champion since Tiger Woods in 2001 and 2002. But I can't pick against Scottie Scheffler right now," Quinn wrote. "He's operating on another level."

His colleague, Dennis Esser, agreed with that prediction, citing that the golfer has been extremely hot since his victory at the Phoenix Open.

Brody Miller of The Athletic believes that the No. 2-ranked McIlroy is the favorite.

"It looked early in the year like he was struggling to find form with all of the obligations put on him," Miller wrote. "But after a T2 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and now a final-four finish in the match play event, I say Rory finally gets his green jacket."

Josh Kendall of The Athletic threw Cameron Smith into the ring as a potential candidate to win, noting the added wrinkle of his status as an LIV golfer.

"Aside from all of the legal and political issues surrounding the PGA/LIV split, there's the on-course question of whether the golfers who went to LIV can stay at their peak playing less competitive golf," Kendall wrote. "The Masters will be the first test of that. Cam Smith has played in three tournaments since the end of October, but if anyone can win in spite of that, it's the 29-year-old Aussie."

Alex Myers of Golf Digest also picked Scheffler to defend his green jacket but has Max Homa as a dark-horse candidate.

"As arguably the third-best golfer in the world right now and one of the best closers in the game, 25-to-1 odds seem pretty generous," Myers wrote.

Tiger Woods, who arrived at Augusta on Sunday, is listed as having +6500 odds (bet $100 to win $6,500), according to DraftKings Sportsbook. He finished in 47th at the 2022 Masters and has only played in one tournament in 2023, the Genesis Invitational in January.

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