Masters Odds 2015: Breaking Down Best and Worst Selections in Augusta Field
The 2015 Masters should be one of the most interesting in years. Between the return of Tiger Woods, the recent major dominance of Rory McIlroy and the rise of Jordan Spieth, there are no shortage of storylines this week at Augusta National Golf Club.
Nothing in golf can match the atmosphere of the Masters Tournament. At a time when the pace of the world continues to pick up, it's like taking a step back to a simpler era. That's what makes the event, which takes place on a course that's stood the test of time, special every year.
Starting Thursday, Augusta hosts one of the most hyped golf tournaments in quite some time. So let's check out some of the best and worst value on the board heading into the season's first major. All odds are courtesy of Odds Shark.
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Top Selections
Rory McIlroy (6-1)
Yes, McIlroy is the favorite. The good news in golf, however, is that you're still able to get good value on the top choice. Getting those odds on the top player in the world and the winner of the last two major championships is a steal.
Although the Northern Irishman has never won the Masters, he did finish a career-best eighth in the event last year. He went on to win the Open Championship and PGA Championship. He explained his motivation to Brian Wacker of the PGA Tour's official site.
"I never wanted to try to break records or looked at someone and said I wanted to do that," McIlroy said. "I just wanted to win the biggest golf tournaments in the world and be the best player in the world. Now it's more I want to be the best player I can be because I know if I can do that hopefully it's going to be better than anyone else. Now it's all self-motivation."
When Woods was at this best, the fact was nobody could beat him when he was in top form over four rounds. The same now holds true for McIlroy. Aside from a missed cut at the Honda Classic, he hasn't finished outside the top 11 this year. It would be a surprise if he wasn't in the mix on Sunday.
Adam Scott (22-1)
Better than 20-1 on the 2013 Masters champion and a player who hasn't finished outside the top 20 since 2009? That almost seems too good to be true. Scott has been one of the most consistent players on tour over the past couple of years. It's not like he's suffered a huge drop-off since that Augusta triumph.
He hasn't been playing his best, missing the cut in the Valspar Championship and finishing 35th in the Arnold Palmer Invitational. But he's had a couple of weeks to work out the kinks. He also joked about having a good friend back this week, as noted by Augusta.com:
Scott has a track record of success on this course, understands the pressure it takes to win on Sunday and has finished outside the top 15 in a major just a single time over the past three years. When you add it all up, the value is impossible to ignore.
Not Enough Value
Tiger Woods (28-1)
If Woods can stay healthy, there's a very strong chance to win another major. His competitive fire—which is legendary—is seemingly still there, and he's just two years removed from winning five tournaments. He just can't afford injury setbacks that take away his practice time.
That said, it's hard to imagine a scenario where he wins this week. He's coming off an extended absence, and it's tough to predict what type of progress he's made with a struggling short game. His remarks about putting in the necessary work are worth passing along, though, per Tiger Tracker:
The Masters will be a success for Woods if he makes the cut, plays four rounds without any sign of the yips and his back doesn't flare up. That would set him on track to get back to a normal schedule and perhaps be a threat for the rest of the season's majors.
Sergio Garcia (40-1)
Garcia currently finds himself on the "best players to never win a major" list. At 35, he's starting to run out of chances to win on one of golf's biggest stages too. After starting the season in good form, he's finished outside the top 30 in his last three starts, decreasing expectations for this week.
His recent results at Augusta aren't encouraging. Over the past 10 years, he's finished in the top 10 just once and has an average finish barely inside 40th. There will also be a lot of pressure, something he hasn't always handled well, on his shoulders given the late groups highlighted by Alex Mikos of WTGR:
It's going to take a perfect storm of circumstances for Garcia to win a major at this point. Given the way things set up, it doesn't feel like one is brewing this week. With the middling odds, there just isn't enough value to back him.
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