Masters Odds 2017: Tips for Golf-Betting Novices and Best Picks in the Field
With the Masters taking place this week at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, it's time to review the field and the odds, seeking a smart pick to put your faith behind this weekend.
Below is a list of all the golfers participating in the tournament, as well as their odds to claim victory:
| Dustin Johnson | 11-2 |
| Rory McIlroy | 7-1 |
| Jordan Spieth | 8-1 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | 18-1 |
| Rickie Fowler | 18-1 |
| Jason Day | 18-1 |
| Jon Rahm | 25-1 |
| Justin Rose | 25-1 |
| Phil Mickelson | 28-1 |
| Henrik Stenson | 30-1 |
| Justin Thomas | 35-1 |
| Adam Scott | 35-1 |
| Paul Casey | 40-1 |
| Sergio Garcia | 40-1 |
| Bubba Watson | 45-1 |
| Brandt Snedeker | 50-1 |
| Louis Oosthuizen | 50-1 |
| Marc Leishman | 50-1 |
| Tyrrell Hatton | 60-1 |
| Brooks Koepka | 66-1 |
| Russell Henley | 66-1 |
| Daniel Berger | 75-1 |
| Matthew Fitzpatrick | 80-1 |
| Thomas Pieters | 80-1 |
| Charl Schwartzel | 80-1 |
| Patrick Reed | 80-1 |
| Adam Hadwin | 80-1 |
| Lee Westwood | 80-1 |
| Matt Kuchar | 80-1 |
| Tommy Fleetwood | 80-1 |
| Alexander Noren | 80-1 |
| Branden Grace | 100-1 |
| J.B. Holmes | 100-1 |
| Bill Haas | 100-1 |
| Jimmy Walker | 100-1 |
| Danny Willett | 125-1 |
| Gary Woodland | 125-1 |
| Kevin Kisner | 125-1 |
| Zach Johnson | 125-1 |
| Charley Hoffman | 125-1 |
| Emiliano Grillo | 125-1 |
| Martin Kaymer | 150-1 |
| Rafa Cabrera-Bello | 150-1 |
| Ross Fisher | 150-1 |
| Shane Lowry | 150-1 |
| Bernd Wiesberger | 150-1 |
| Jason Dufner | 150-1 |
| Ryan Moore | 150-1 |
| Soren Kjeldsen | 150-1 |
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From a pure risk-reward standpoint, going with the favorites generally doesn't offer the best return on investment. And given how unpredictable golf generally is at the Majors, that's all the more true.
So don't be afraid to place your backing with a player down the list. Bubba Watson, for instance, immediately caught my eye.
At 45-1, you'll be getting amazing bang for your buck if he wins. And he has in the past, winning the 2012 and 2014 Masters.
But the downside of putting your trust in Watson is that he's been on a pretty long dry spell, as Steve DiMeglio of USA Today noted:
"After winning the Northern Trust Open in February of 2016 and finishing second in the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship two weeks later, Watson was the favorite heading into last year’s Masters. But he shot 75-75-76-71 and tied for 37th, which began a downward spiral. Starting at the Masters, Watson, the winner of nine PGA Tour titles, has but five top-10s in 23 starts, with three missed cuts and one withdrawal.
After reaching a career-high No. 4 in the official world golf rankings last March, he hasn’t been in contention late on a Sunday since and has fallen to No. 18. And talk about favorites this week for the 81st edition of the Masters does not include Watson, the two-time winner of the green jacket.
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It's odd to consider a two-time Masters champion as an underdog. But that's exactly where Watson finds himself this week.
If you want players a bit more in form at the time, Hideki Matsuyama, Rickie Fowler and Jason Day are all interesting options at 18-1.
Jason Sobel of ESPN, for instance, is putting his faith in Fowler this weekend:
"More than any other professional golfer, Fowler gets ripped for what he hasn't accomplished rather than celebrated for what he has. But he now owns four career PGA Tour wins, two more on the European Tour, a consistent spot inside the world's top 10 and top-five finishes at each of the major championships, a feat he pulled off in a single calendar year back in 2015.
The main takeaway here? He's not a kid anymore. He's 28, and a victory this week would be a culmination of Fowler's maturation.
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Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth are the safest picks, of course. Johnson took three straight wins into the Shell Houston Open before withdrawing due to fatigue, likely a move to ensure he is physically and mentally prepared for the Masters. Nobody's hotter in golf at the moment.
And Spieth probably has the most pure talent on the PGA Tour. He also won the 2015 Masters, so he's conquered Augusta National before.
Finally there's McIlroy, who is only missing a Masters win to secure the career Grand Slam, a feat only accomplished by five other golfers in history: Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
McIlroy's pursuit of history will once again be one of the major storylines of the Masters.
Other players to consider: Three-time Masters winner Phil Mickelson, last year's champion Danny Willett (a 125-1 longshot to repeat) and Adam Scott, the 2013 winner who is capable of winning any tournament when he gets hot.
For more news, rumors and related stories about The Masters and Golf, we recommend checking out the Golf streams on Bleacher Report's app.
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