Masters Odds 2015: Round-by-Round Predictions for Augusta
The 2015 Masters tees off Thursday at Augusta National Golf Club, and with plenty of worldwide golf action to assess, the odds-on favorites are locked into place.
World No. 1 Rory McIlroy headlines the field with the best odds to slip on the green jacket at 6-1. There's tremendous pressure on McIlroy, though, as he commences his bid to complete the career Grand Slam.
McIlroy has proven capable of handling huge expectations in the past. He hasn't quite clicked on all cylinders yet this season, so perhaps he's due for a big week and what would be a fifth major before his 26th birthday.
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But golf's fields are as deep as they've ever been. Even beyond the marquee household names in McIlroy, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, there are a number of contenders to keep an eye on.
Check out Odds Shark for the individual player odds to win, numerous prop bets and other interesting 2015 wagers to consider ahead of what should be a fantastic Masters.
| Rory McIlroy | 6-1 |
| Jordan Spieth | 8-1 |
| Bubba Watson | 11-1 |
| Dustin Johnson | 14-1 |
| Jason Day | 14-1 |
| Henrik Stenson | 20-1 |
| Adam Scott | 22-1 |
| Jimmy Walker | 22-1 |
| Phil Mickelson | 22-1 |
| Tiger Woods | 28-1 |
| Rickie Fowler | 28-1 |
| Patrick Reed | 28-1 |
Round 1 Leader: Ryan Palmer
He is not going to win a popularity contest in terms of name recognition, but Palmer is a solid player in his prime, capable of adapting his game and contending in any tournament.
Palmer finished tied for fifth in the PGA Championship last year—his best career result in a major. He is one of the most under the radar, rising players in that he hasn't won since 2010.
In eight official starts this season, the 38-year-old veteran has missed just one cut and hasn't finished outside the top 25 when he's made the weekend. Palmer is trending the right way too, firing a final-round 68 at the Valero Texas Open to finish in a tie for sixth.
The past three tournaments have presented extremely tough challenges for Palmer, but he's been up to the task each time. Ranked first on tour in total putting, 20th in scrambling and sixth in driving distance, Palmer has the makings of a Masters dark horse.
Based on his failure to seal the deal over the past half-decade, it wouldn't be wise to wager on Palmer as the outright winner. If a prop bet presents itself for the 18-hole leader, though, Palmer isn't a bad play at 80-1.
Round 2 Leader: Henrik Stenson
Over a period of four rounds, those with sparkling short games tend to rise to the top at Augusta, so that's why Stenson projects nicely as the 36-hole leader.
Stenson smashes the ball and hits his irons so far that he can lay back with a fairway metal and still not strain himself to pull shorter clubs for approach shots.
One big difference in the early going of the 2014-15 season is that Stenson not only ranks second in strokes gained tee to green, but is also No. 2 in strokes gained putting. No one has played better golf on tour this season without a victory to his name.
But putting has often prevented Stenson from major glory. Steve Elling hints at this underlying problem in his analysis:
Under the pressure that comes with a late-career quest to snap a major spell, Stenson is a bit too volatile in his temperament to be trusted as a surefire Masters champion.
One glaring stat: Stenson is 190th on tour in third-round scoring average this season. He's tended to move the wrong way on moving day.
The strapping Swede made three starts in March and finished in the top four on all occasions in spite of the trend. If he gets hot with the putter, Stenson might be in line for his maiden major title. That's a big "if" based on his history, though.
Round 3 Leader: Jimmy Walker
Proving that his breakout 2013-14 campaign was no fluke, Walker has won twice already this calendar year, including in his last start at the Valero Texas Open.
The late bloomer made a wise move to back out of last week's Shell Houston Open to prepare for the Masters. In his maiden trip to Augusta National in 2014, the major stage didn't get the best of Walker, as he tied for eighth.
European Tour social media manager Jamie Kennedy believes in Walker to take the top prize come Sunday:
Top-10 finishes in the three stateside majors last year fortified Walker as a legitimate star. With that invaluable experience under his belt, it stands to reason that Walker can take another step forward this time around.
If playing alongside Woods has Walker at all bothered, he isn't showing it, via Golf Digest's Alex Myers:
As impressive as Walker has been, it would be hard to count on him to hang on down the stretch on Masters Sunday, having not been in such a position before. He held off a hard-charging Jordan Spieth in his latest victory, but the major stage is different.
It's one thing to finish inside the top 10—a remarkable achievement in and of itself in one's Masters debut. To be in the thick of the hunt on the final nine holes is quite different.
Should Walker lead entering the final round or be near it, he'll likely be beaten out, but the atmosphere will only help him down the road. Walker has the game to win a major someday, just not this soon.
Masters Champion: Jordan Spieth
Speaking of Spieth and the concept of "soon," the 21-year-old played in the final pairing with eventual two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson in last year's event.
Spieth was on the precipice of moving to second in the world rankings behind only McIlroy before he bowed out in a playoff at the Shell Houston Open. The American prodigy finished second to Walker in his prior start, and won the Valspar Championship before that.
Despite the heartbreak of losing in his home state on two close calls, Spieth was all business in looking forward to his drive up Magnolia Lane:
No one has been steadier than Spieth, who held a two-stroke lead on Watson through seven holes during 2014's final round before settling for an even-par 72 and a tie for second.
Players at Spieth's age aren't supposed to do what he's done in terms of being on the leaderboard with such regularity. The big key for Spieth will be par-five scoring, where he ranks 137th on tour in birdie or better scores on such holes.
Augusta's par fives aren't terribly long, which suits Spieth well. When he has mishit shots of late, he tends to flare them out to the right. That won't hurt him if such sprays continue, because most of Augusta's layout is made up of dogleg left holes.
Spieth is first in putting average and approach putt performance, meaning he doesn't leave himself stressful testers when he does miss.
Considering how great he's been in terms of pace, canning long putts and managing the spotlight, there's no reason Spieth can't become the first player his age since Woods to win this tournament.
Rickie Fowler finished in the top five of every 2014 major but has stumbled out of the gates this year. Woods and Mickelson seem to be approaching the end of their best playing days. The USA could use a bright young star in Spieth to step up and win a major. It may just happen this week.
Note: Stats courtesy of PGATour.com.
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