The Masters 2015: Top Odds, Predictions and Storylines for Friday's Action
A thrilling opening round at the 2015 Masters sets us up for what is certain to be a memorable weekend at Augusta.
Jordan Spieth took the early lead with an opening-round score of 64, which was one stroke off the course record. While he certainly has the ability to run away with a wire-to-wire win, there is still a long way to go before he puts on the green jacket.
Based on the latest odds, he is clearly the favorite going forward, but there is plenty to watch in the second round of the tournament.
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| Jordan Spieth | 2-1 |
| Jason Day | 5-1 |
| Rory McIlroy | 10-1 |
| Justin Rose | 12-1 |
| Dustin Johnson | 18-1 |
| Sergio Garcia | 18-1 |
| Bubba Watson | 20-1 |
| Phil Mickelson | 28-1 |
| Ryan Palmer | 40-1 |
| Patrick Reed | 40-1 |
Top Storylines
Jordan Spieth Time
Not only did Spieth get out to an early lead with his play Thursday, he dominated the course. After shooting two under through the first seven holes, he caught fire with six birdies in a stretch of seven holes.
The Cauldron provided a look at one of his best shots during the round:
Then again, Shane Bacon noted there were way more highlights to watch:
The 21-year-old golfer showed no fear from the moment, and he now is the overwhelming favorite going into the second round.
That said, there are plenty of other talented golfers not too far off the trail.
Justin Rose, Ernie Els and Jason Day are three strokes back, and all have plenty of experience contending at majors, while Charley Hoffman is also capable of making a run. If Spieth doesn't keep up his level of play, anything is possible in the coming days.
Former Winners Still in Contention
In a tournament that always takes place on the same course, it's always important to keep an eye on players who have had past success. This includes two-time champion Bubba Watson and three-time winner Phil Mickelson.
Watson was solid but unspectacular in his title defense, finishing the first round one stroke under par. While he had four birdies, he struggled to find consistency while staying significantly off the lead.
Interestingly, he is in a close battle for the best "Watson" in the field, as Tom Watson also posted a 71 in the opening round.
Meanwhile, Mickelson was also all over the place in the first round. Then again, Jason Sobel of ESPN explained why this shouldn't be unexpected:
He finished two strokes under par and is in good shape after missing the cut last season.
With the way these players can perform under pressure, either one can quickly climb the leaderboard and challenge for another title by Sunday.
Tiger Figuring It Out
There was a lot of uncertainty surrounding Tiger Woods' return to action this week after missing plenty of time with injury. Since the start of 2015, the superstar only entered two tournaments before the Masters, withdrawing from one and missing the cut in the other.
Despite this, there was a lot of optimism heading into Thursday, as noted by ESPN's Darren Rovell:
While the former No. 1 golfer in the world struggled at times, he still had a relatively solid day with an opening-round score of 73. Kelly Tilghman of Golf Channel noted Woods' positives:
Of course, his work off the tee needs a lot of improvement on Day 2 or else he will end up struggling to just make the cut.
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