Masters 2015: Notable Odds and Early Predictions for Augusta National
The PGA Tour's first major tournament of the year is also one of its most prestigious, as the best golfers from around the world set foot onto the storied Augusta National Golf Club in an effort to earn the coveted green jacket.
Although, winning that sought-after prize isn't easy. Augusta National features more than 7,400 yards of thick rough, tree-lined fairways and other notorious hazards such as Rae's Creek, which flows along the dangerous trio of holes known as Amen Corner. This course will test the nerves of the most skilled and seasoned players.
Speaking of seasoned veterans, all eyes are on Tiger Woods, as the former world No. 1 has accepted his invitation to the Masters but has not officially declared he will participate. Kyle Porter of CBSSports.com recently broke down the various reports regarding Woods' status.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
So, regardless of Woods' ultimate decision, we have one burning question to answer: Which players in this year's field are favored to win it all? Well, as we anxiously await the tournament to commence, let's take a look at some notable Vegas odds and highlight some early predictions.
Notable Masters Odds
| Rory McIlroy | 11-2 |
| Jordan Spieth | 10-1 |
| Bubba Watson | 11-1 |
| Jason Day | 12-1 |
| Dustin Johnson | 14-1 |
| Henrik Stenson | 14-1 |
| Adam Scott | 20-1 |
| Patrick Reed | 25-1 |
| Phil Mickelson | 25-1 |
| Rickie Fowler | 25-1 |
| Justin Rose | 28-1 |
| Matt Kuchar | 28-1 |
| Sergio Garcia | 40-1 |
| Tiger Woods | 40-1 |
| Lee Westwood | 50-1 |
| Jim Furyk | 66-1 |
All odds courtesy of Odds Shark.
Early Predictions
Rory McIlroy
The world No. 1 needs a win at Augusta to complete golf's Grand Slam. Rory McIlroy has victories in the U.S. Open, Open Championship and PGA Championship; however, a tie for eighth in 2014 was the best he's been able to muster at the Masters.
McIlroy finished the 2014 season on an absolute tear, earning eight top-10 finishes, including three wins, in his final 10 tournaments. He's continued his hot streak in 2015, notching a win in the Dubai Desert Classic and a runner-up finish in Abu Dhabi. However, he hasn't been quite as hot on American soil, earning one top-10 finish and missing one cut in three starts.
With final rounds of 72 and 70—in decent scoring conditions—in his last two tournaments, respectively, McIlroy currently lacks the closing edge necessary to be crowned Masters champion. Expect him to remain in the mix and finish in the top five.
Prediction: T5
Bubba Watson
Bubba Watson enters the Masters looking for his second consecutive victory and third in four years. The lefty has been magnificent at Augusta, as the course appears to suit his game nicely. Watson won by a comfortable three strokes in 2014, and he'll be aiming for a repeat.
So far in 2015, Watson's been playing well, earning three top-10 finishes, including a tie for second in the Phoenix Open, in four starts. He's coming off a solid third-place showing in the WGC-Cadillac Championship, but while Watson's playing well, he hasn't won a tournament on American soil since last year's Masters. That makes him a likely candidate to finish strong, but it won't be a win.
Prediction: T8
Dustin Johnson
Since his return to the PGA Tour, Dustin Johnson has been on fire. In six starts this year, he earned four top-10 finishes, including a win in the WGC-Cadillac Championship. Johnson has never won a major, and his best finish at Augusta is a tie for 13th; however, it can be argued he's currently playing the best golf of his career.
An extremely long hitter, Johnson is leading the PGA Tour in driving distance, averaging 318.8 yards off the tee. While he struggles with approach shots at times, a strong game around the green has led to a 69.596 scoring average, good enough for fourth on tour. If he can put it all together at Augusta, he'll be the next player to don the green jacket.
Prediction: Winner
Phil Mickelson is a three-time Masters champion, his last win coming in 2010. Unfortunately, Lefty's game has severely declined since then, as a rash of injuries led to swing issues and his drop to No. 21 in the world—his lowest ranking since 1995.
Through six tournaments in 2015, Mickelson hasn't managed to fare any better than his tie for 17th in the Honda Classic. His lackluster early season includes missed cuts in the Phoenix Open and Farmers Insurance Open. Due to his familiarity with Augusta, Lefty should be able to survive the cut if he's healthy; however, don't expect much more.
Prediction: 36th
Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods hasn't been the same since briefly returning to world No. 1 in 2013. Issues in his personal life, with injuries and in his swing have caused him to plummet down the world golf rankings to rest at No. 104—the first time he's fallen out of the top 100 since 1995.
Woods' health and swing have been a mess of late, as he's either withdrawn or missed the cut in six of his last nine tournaments, finishing no better than tied for 17th in the Hero World Challenge during that span. His game isn't fit for most PGA Tour events, and he may do more damage than good if he decides to participate in this year's Masters.
Prediction: Misses cut
All players statistics courtesy of PGATour.com.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
