Masters Odds 2015: Breakdown and Analysis of Top Favorites' Chances
Dust off the green jacket, take in the azaleas and get ready for some Sunday roars from the galleries because the most prestigious golf tournament on the PGA schedule is here, and it promises to be a thrilling four days.
The 2015 Masters has the redemption story of Tiger Woods, the game’s top player in Rory McIlroy going for the career Grand Slam and a large group of young challengers who have their eyes on the most famous prize in golf.
Here is a look at some of the top odds for the marquee names at this year’s event. Odds are courtesy of Odds Shark, as of Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.
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| 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 |
| 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 |
| Louis Oosthuizen | 40-1 |
| Sergio Garcia | 40-1 |
| Billy Horschel | 50-1 |
| Lee Westwood | 50-1 |
Rory McIlroy, 6-1
The mission is clear for McIlroy at the 2015 Masters—win a first green jacket and complete the career Grand Slam.
It may seem strange that McIlroy doesn’t have a Masters victory since he was four shots ahead heading into the final round in 2011, but it is the one real hole in his otherwise illustrious resume.
McIlroy discussed the upcoming tournament, per Neil McLeman of The Mirror:
"Golf is a very fickle game. You don’t take anything for granted. My mind wanders to winning this tournament and thinking what it would be like and what it would mean.
It hasn’t really wandered beyond that. It is very important to stay in the moment and stay in the present, and you can’t get too far ahead of yourself.
We’ve seen in the past what this game can do to people, and you see guys that look to be at the top of their game one minute and the next minute they struggle.
"
It would make sense if the spotlight and pressure were squarely on him as he goes for that first career green jacket, but the return of Tiger Woods from two months off will lessen the attention on McIlroy. In fact, McIlroy could very well fly somewhat under the radar in the first two rounds of the tournament, which will help him settle into the course and perhaps garner some confidence moving into the weekend.
McIlroy played in three events thus far in the 2015 calendar and finished ninth at the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship and 11th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Of course, he is also fresh off an incredible run in 2014 when he won The Open Championship, the PGA Championship and the Bridgestone Invitational, among other impressive finishes.
McIlroy is the most proven golfer on the Tour in the last couple of years, is motivated to complete a historically excellent achievement and is rounding into form with two top-11 finishes in his last two tournaments. He is the favorite for a reason.
Jordan Spieth, 8-1
Jordan Spieth has the best odds ton win the Masters outside of McIlroy, which is really no surprise considering he is the hottest player on Tour with two second-place finishes, a fourth-place finish and a victory in his last five starts. The win came at the Valspar Championship.
Per his PGATour.com profile, Spieth is third on the Tour in scoring average at 69.509 during the 2015 season and will need to turn in a few impressive sub-70 rounds if he hopes to win the green jacket.
Most importantly, he is first in putts per round at 27.53 and first in putting average at 1.684.
The Masters, as with any major championship, often comes down to who can make the clutch putts during Sunday’s final round, and nobody has putted better than Spieth in 2015. If he continues to sink putts at that impressive of a rate, he will be right in contention Sunday and could challenge McIlroy and the rest of the field.
There is also a level of comfort with the course as well for Spieth after he finished tied for second at the Masters a year ago. He may only be 21 years old, but he understands what it takes to compete in Augusta.
Tiger Woods, 28-1
There is a lot at play here for the 111th-ranked player to be among the most favorable odds entering the Masters.
For one, Woods is the game’s most recognizable name and will draw bets from casual fans who may not care that he hasn’t looked like his normal self in years. Woods creates interest, interest creates bets and bets change the odds.
Still, it has been quite some time since Woods was arguably the most dominant force in the history of golf. SportsCenter put some of the numbers in context:
This isn’t just a normal golfer who has been away from the game, though. Woods has 14 major titles, including four Masters championships, and nearly won the 2010 edition of the tournament after a longer break before ultimately finishing in fourth place. As ESPN Stats & Info noted, it’s not just the wins at Augusta that make Woods such a threat:
Woods’ history at the course has inspired some to believe he could make a run this year, including ESPN’s Mike Greenberg:
If we are going on just the golf alone, it is unrealistic for Woods to have such favorable odds. However, it is never only about the recent golf with a career like Woods', and he has dazzled fans before.
Would it be that much of a surprise if he did it again?
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