Masters Field 2015: Best Odds, Picks for Augusta Sleepers and Favorites
When it comes to picking a winner, golf's majors are as hard as they come, and the 2015 Masters is no exception.
In the early 2000s, Tiger Woods was as close as you could come to a sure thing, but in recent times, things have changed.
Rory McIlroy is attempting to dominate his sport as Tiger did in his pomp, and his two major victories in 2014 were very impressive.
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Victory at Augusta this week would see the Northern Irishman complete a career Grand Slam, but such is the strength of the field, it remains incredibly tricky to pick a winner.
Here are the odds for the 2015 Masters, with McIlroy the man to beat as far as the bookies are concerned:
| Rory McIlroy | 6-1 |
| Jordan Spieth | 8-1 |
| Bubba Watson | 11-1 |
| Jason Day | 14-1 |
| Dustin Johnson | 14-1 |
| Henrik Stenson | 20-1 |
| Adam Scott | 22-1 |
| Phil Mickelson | 22-1 |
| Jimmy Walker | 22-1 |
| Patrick Reed | 28-1 |
| Rickie Fowler | 28-1 |
| Tiger Woods | 28-1 |
| J B Holmes | 33-1 |
| Justin Rose | 33-1 |
| Matt Kuchar | 33-1 |
| Brandt Snedeker | 40-1 |
| Sergio Garcia | 40-1 |
| Louis Oosthuizen | 40-1 |
| Lee Westwood | 50-1 |
| Billy Horschel | 50-1 |
| Jim Furyk | 60-1 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | 66-1 |
| Paul Casey | 66-1 |
| Keegan Bradley | 66-1 |
| Ryan Palmer | 75-1 |
| Brooks Koepka | 80-1 |
| Angel Cabrera | 80-1 |
| Martin Kaymer | 80-1 |
| Charl Schwartzel | 80-1 |
| Ian Poulter | 80-1 |
| Victor Dubuisson | 80-1 |
| Ryan Moore | 80-1 |
| Zach Johnson | 80-1 |
| Gary Woodland | 100-1 |
| Bill Haas | 100-1 |
| Hunter Mahan | 100-1 |
| Jason Dufner | 100-1 |
| Russell Henley | 125-1 |
| Webb Simpson | 125-1 |
| Shane Lowry | 125-1 |
| Padraig Harrington | 125-1 |
| Branden Grace | 150-1 |
| Chris Kirk | 150-1 |
| Kevin Na | 150-1 |
| Marc Leishman | 150-1 |
| Jonas Blixt | 150-1 |
| Graeme McDowell | 150-1 |
| Luke Donald | 150-1 |
| Steve Stricker | 150-1 |
| Jamie Donaldson | 150-1 |
Johnson Can Emerge from Leading Pack
While McIlroy sits at world No. 1 and is the favourite at 6-1 for the green jacket, his history at the Masters—including his 2011 final-round meltdown from the lead—counts against him.
Similarly, his recent form is not as he would wish—he has no top-five finishes yet this year on the PGA Tour—but after winning the final two majors of last season, a third in a row could well be on.
However, the chasing favourites have some serious pedigree, Bubba Watson and Adam Scott having collectively claimed the last three wins at Augusta.
Equally, Jordan Spieth is in immense form, per the Golf Channel, and tied for second last year at Augusta:
Jason Day has finished in the top three twice in the last four Masters, but it is Dustin Johnson who could be the man to emerge as the main contender to McIlroy.
At 14-1 he is well priced, and he has returned after a self-imposed six-month absence in flying form, picking up four top-10 finishes in six events in 2015, including victory at the WGC-Cadillac Championship in Florida last month.
His length off the tee is phenomenal, per golf writer Pete Pappas, and will give him an edge at Augusta, though the greens are where the green jacket will be won:
Johnson has always looked like a major winner, but his undeniable talent has so far only returned top-five finishes away from Augusta, with his Masters best a tied-13th in 2013.
However, he has never had a better chance to win the Masters than 2015, and he could well be the man to emerge triumphant from the pre-tournament favourites.
Rose, Kaymer in with a Chance
With somewhat longer odds, Justin Rose and Martin Kaymer could both trouble the top of the leaderboard at this year's Masters.
Rose has a terrific record at Augusta, per the European Tour, and he proved with his 2013 U.S. Open victory that he has the chops to win major championships:
Recent form counts against the Englishman—he has missed three cuts in his last five events—but a decent result at last week's Houston Open hinted at gradual improvement.
If he is well placed come the weekend, Rose has the game to see out a victory and claim his first green jacket.
Another European major winner, Kaymer is looking to add to his U.S. Open and PGA Championship victories in Georgia this week, but at 80-1, the bookies are not giving him much of a chance.
His record at Augusta is poor—last year's tied-31st finish his best ever—but clearly he knows what he needs to do in order to improve that return this week, per the Golf Channel's Jay Coffin:
"I wasn’t really able to play the golf course the way it was supposed to be played. Then I adjusted a few things, and then the last two years. I was playing it really well, but I struggled a little on the greens. If I can put those things together – the putting from the first three or four years and the playing from the last couple years, I’ll be OK.
"
Kaymer has, in the past, been a master around the greens, and if he can show such form again this week, he will be in contention at Augusta.
Not since Jose Maria Olazabal's win in 1999 has a European been presented with the green jacket, but Kaymer and Rose could buck that trend this week.
While McIlroy is the favourite, such is the quality in the field that the Northern Irishman is guaranteed nothing, least of all a first green jacket.
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