The Masters 2015: Top Odds, Predictions and Storylines for Saturday's Action
Jordan Spieth's 2015 Masters takeover has left two options for those looking to hedge late bets on the winner. And the one that doesn't involve him is quite the gamble.
While the 21-year-old may have been on the second tier of favorites behind Rory McIlroy entering play, he's alone at the top entering Saturday—just as he is on the leaderboard. With a five-stroke lead over Charley Hoffman and two more strokes over the rest, he's sitting pretty for what would be his first major championship.
But shooting a record-breaking 130 through 36 holes doesn't win you a green jacket, and Spieth now has to back it up with 36 more knowing that a hungry crop of contenders lurk not too far back.
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Here are odds to win according to Odds Checker before Saturday's third round, as well as a closer look into the big storylines for Day 3.
| Jordan Spieth | 1-2 |
| Dustin Johnson | 9-1 |
| Charley Hoffman | 14-1 |
| Justin Rose | 16-1 |
| Paul Casey | 18-1 |
| Phil Mickelson | 18-1 |
| Rory McIlroy | 40-1 |
| Jason Day | 50-1 |
| Bubba Watson | 60-1 |
| Adam Scott | 66-1 |
| Tiger Woods | 80-1 |
| Ernie Els | 80-1 |
| Ryan Moore | 80-1 |
2015 Masters Leaderboard
Storylines and Predictions
Jordan-esque
The way Jordan Spieth is dominating the field in his second Masters has never been seen before. Not just from a 21-year-old but from anyone.
Spieth had never shot below a 70 entering this year at Augusta, despite finishing in second last year, so he remedied that with a cool 64 Thursday. Then he followed that up with a mistake-free round of 66 to mark the lowest two-round score that the Masters has ever witnessed.
What Spieth is doing through two rounds is even putting Tiger Woods' incredible 1997 win in the shade, as Bleacher Report showed:
Spieth may be breaking all of the 36-hole records, but he's expecting a change entering moving day, as PGA Tour's Mike McAllister reported:
Now the burning question at the Masters—and the multi-million dollar question—is how Spieth will handle being on top for these final 36 holes. Pressure has never gotten to the cool-headed kid before, but he's never played two rounds as big as these next ones will be.
Whether it's a shake-up in the course or simply a changed game plan to avoid big mistakes, it's not realistic to book Spieth for another mid-60s round.
But unless he just loses it entirely, it's also hard to envision him bogeying more than a couple of holes throughout 18. He'll continue to attack tee boxes the same way and put himself in favorable approach positions, and it's hard to see him shooting below a par if that continues.
Prediction: Spieth shoots 71 Saturday, remains leader at -15
Tiger Woods' Comeback Party
It's not often that Tiger Woods is the secondary story at a major, much less at the Masters coming off a two-month absence and playing remarkable golf.
Woods' revitalized short game saved him from disaster in a rusty opening round, but he got closer to vintage form Friday with a round of 69. He made major improvements on the fairways and continued to drain putts he wasn't making a few months ago.
His strong second round got him to two strokes under par for the tournament, but that's still 12 back of Spieth's lead. However, he's not short on confidence, per PGA Tour:
Woods may not be able to get back into contention for what would be a fifth green jacket, but frankly, he doesn't need to. He's already proven many critics wrong by simply making the cut, but his peaking level of play suggests he could be getting closer to being—dare I say it—back.
He's already passed the early tests Augusta has thrown his way, but now he enters a moving day near the front of the pack. Which way will he move?
If he can surface an early birdie and continue his success at Amen Corner—where Friday he pulled off a birdie at No. 11, which nobody birdies—Woods has the chance to keep moving up. He only bogeyed once for his second round and finished below 70 despite only one birdie on the four par fives.
Now that he's in his groove at a course he knows quite well, Woods is more likely to shoot something around there than the 73 he put up in Round 1.
Prediction: Woods shoots 69 Saturday, moves to -6
The Battle for 2nd
Spieth's dominance is really turning the most dramatic race at the Masters into the battle for second place—or first in the non-Spieth division, if you will.
And the scores that the contenders are putting up are worthy of their own major. Charley Hoffman nearly snuck out of Friday with his second straight 67 but settled for a bogey on No. 18 to put him at nine under through 36 holes.
For reference, Bubba Watson won last year's tournament comfortably at eight under. After four rounds.
It's a three-way tie right behind Hoffman for the vaunted No. 2 crown, with Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose and Paul Casey all at seven under. Johnson impressed the most on Day 2 with a 67, but his record-breaking three eagles stole the show, as per the Masters:
Of course, let's not overplay this—Spieth is just five strokes up. And we're pretty sure he's human, so a green jacket could effectively open up for one of the many players within striking distance of second place if the chips fall into place.
With that said, it's safest to bank on those who aren't strangers to moving day at Augusta. One would be Phil Mickelson, who is just three shots back of Hoffman at six under. He carded a 66 on Saturday back in 2012 in a similar situation, which vaulted him to the final pairing.
Rose and Johnson's peaking games and big-stage poise should produce under-par days to remain in the hunt, but don't expect a third straight magnificent round from Hoffman, who will fall off the pace. That will leave three established stars fighting for second and living on a prayer entering Sunday's final round.
Prediction: Mickelson shoots 68, Rose and Johnson shoot 69, Hoffman shoots 73. Three-way tie for second between Mickelson, Rose and Johnson at -10.
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