Masters Odds 2018: Latest Predictions for PGA's Top-Ranked Players

Golfing legends Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player will tee off at 8:15 a.m. ET Thursday morning, and that will get the 2018 Masters off and running.

The Augusta, Georgia tournament is always one of the highlights of the sporting year, and this year's event is the most anticipated in years.

Tiger Woods is back in action for the first time since the 2015 season, and his presence will likely mean huge ratings for ESPN on Thursday and Friday and CBS on Saturday and Sunday. Of course, Woods will have to play well for interest to be maximized, and based on the way he is playing, Tiger has a chance to make a legitimate run at contending.

Tiger has finished 12th, tied for second and tied for fifth in his last three tournaments. He has shown great touch around the greens, and he has made several sharp birdie putts. He is getting great distance on his drives, but accuracy off the tee is still the big issue for the four-time Masters winner.

If he can keep his drives from leaking into the rough or flying out of bounds, Tiger has a chance to be a major factor over the weekend.

Woods is plus-1400 to win the Masters, according to OddsShark. That leaves him tied with Justin Rose as the fifth betting choice to win the tournament.

Jordan Spieth is the favorite at plus-900, Rory McIlroy is the second choice at plus-1000, while Justin Thomas and Dustin Johnson are both plus-1100.

Here's a look at the odds of the top-20 betting choices, according to OddsShark:

Jordan Spieth +900
Rory McIlroy +1000
Justin Thomas +1100
Dustin Johnson +1100
Tiger Woods +1400
Justin Rose +1400
Bubba Watson +1600
Jason Day +1800
Phil Mickelson +1800
Rickie Fowler +2200
Jon Rahm +2200
Paul Casey +2200
Sergio Garcia +2800
Hideki Matsuyama +3300
Henrik Stenson +3300
Alex Noren +4500
Tommy Fleetwood +4500
Matt Kuchar +5000
Patrick Reed +5000
Adam Scott +6000

The strength of this field is quite remarkable, and it may be hard for anyone outside of this list to have a legitimate chance to break through and contend for the title. While outsiders are likely to make their presence felt on the leaderboard Thursday or Friday, the best players should dominate in the final two rounds.

Spieth has not had his best season, but he is still the fourth-ranked golfer in the world, and he is coming off a third-place finish in last week's Houston Open. Spieth was particularly effective in the final round when he shot a 66, and if he can carry that momentum with him to the Masters, Spieth will have a legitimate shot at winning his second green jacket. He picked up his first in 2015.

Spieth's accuracy is often his best asset, and his ability to come through with brilliant shots at the most crucial points in a tournament makes him a formidable contender.

McIlroy combines shot-making and impressive power off the tee as well as nearly any golfer in the field. A huge burden was lifted when he won the Arnold Palmer Invitational last month.

McIlroy had been in an 18-month winless drought prior to that victory and had not shown any signs of coming out of it prior to his win. He had finished 59th and failed to make the cut in his previous two tournaments, but he played well for three rounds before firing a closing 64 to take the Palmer tournament.

McIlroy packs incredible power on his 5'10", 160-pound frame. He is driving the ball an average of 314.1 yards, and that ranks fifth on the tour. He also has a fine 69.944 scoring average, ranking 16th on the tour.

Thomas commands respect in every tournament that he plays. He had a brilliant 2017 season in which he won five tournaments, including the PGA Championship, which is the first major victory of his career.

Thomas ranks first in FedEx Cup points this year and is the No. 2 golfer in the world rankings. Thomas already has two victories in the 2017-18 season as well as a second-place finish, and he has finished in the top 10 in five events.

Thomas ranks third with a scoring average of 69.054 per round, and he is sixth with an average of 4.56 birdies per round. Thomas is playing sensational golf and appears to be at the peak of his powers. It would not be a surprise if he earns his first green jacket.

Johnson was the favorite to win the Masters a year ago, but a back injury and a shocking withdrawal the day before the start of the tournament kept Johnson from competing and making a run at his first green jacket.

He has a chance for redemption this year, and there's no reason to sell the No. 1 player in the world short. Johnson may be the game's premier hitter, and while his distance and swing velocity are impressive, he will also demonstrate an excellent touch around the greens when he is on his game.

If Johnson can get the lead early in the tournament, it may be hard for anyone to catch him. However, he has to show he can putt consistently if he is going to win this year.

Rose should not be overlooked in this tournament because of his consistency and his ability to play well under pressure. He has finished second in two of the past three Masters Tournaments, and he clearly has unfinished business.

Rose has four top-10 finishes this season and has won nearly $2.8 million to this point in the season. He ranks seventh with an average of 4.54 birdies per round and finds the greens in regulation 68.75 percent of the time.

Predictions

Rose is a formidable player who is not going to be intimidated by the toughness of the course or the competition. He should be expected to start the tournament in impressive fashion and contend for all four rounds.

Spieth's ability to come through with his best shot when he needs it most may allow him to contend once again. Woods and McIlroy have plenty of game, but it may be too much to expect either one to play consistently for 72 holes.

Johnson is the most talented player in the world, and we expect him to show off that talent in impressive fashion. Johnson will make his way to Butler Cabin at the conclusion of Sunday's action and get to put on the green jacket for the first time in his career.

Order of finish

1. Johnson
2. Rose
3. Spieth
4. Thomas
5. McIlroy