Masters Field 2019: Best Odds, Picks for Augusta Sleepers and Favorites
Most of the conversations in the buildup to the Masters will focus on the top players in golf.
A handful of superstars, including Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson, are in impressive form heading into the first major on the golf calendar.
While the favorites are rightfully dominating the talk of potential winners at Augusta National Golf Club, there are a few other players who are on our radar in a different capacity.
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Some of the top sleepers might not be household names right now, but if they match their form from the 2018-19 PGA Tour season, we could see some surprising names on the first page of the leaderboard come Sunday.
Sleepers
Lucas Bjerregaard (+17000; Bet $100 to win $17,000)
Lucas Bjerregaard gained the spotlight in the golfing world after beating Tiger Woods at the World Golf Championships Match Play event on March 30.
However, the buzz drifted away from the Dane after he missed the cut at the Valero Texas Open.
Even though he enters Augusta off a rough weekend, Bjerregaard has done well for himself over the last month, which means he should be playing with some confidence.
At the Honda Classic and the Players Championship, the 27-year-old had a steady hand with all of his rounds landing between 68 and 72.
While Bjerregaard's recent form is promising, we're not sure how he'll play this week since it will be his first appearance at the Masters.
If he puts the Texas Open performance behind him and adjusts to Augusta based off what he learns in the practice rounds, Bjerregaard will be an intriguing name to watch all weekend.
Ian Poulter (+12000)
Ian Poulter hasn't finished in the top 10 of a major since the Masters in 2015, but he should still be looked at as a potential sleeper.
When he is playing his best, the Englishman is capable of contending at any major, and we've witnessed that in the past.
Poulter will be counted out in some Masters predictions because he tied for 23rd and for 56th in his last two tournaments.
If you look at his season as a whole, though, there are some promising results that could persuade you to drop some money on him at long odds.
Poulter's best finish of the season came at the World Golf Championships event in Mexico in February, where he landed in a tie for third place.
The 43-year-old, who is still in search of his first major title, has four other top-20 finishes to his name, and he recorded eight straight rounds in the 60s at one point.
Poulter has experienced mixed results in majors throughout his career, but it is worth noting he finished inside the top 25 at the Open and PGA Championships in 2018.
Favorites
Rory McIlroy (+700)
Since the start of 2019, Rory McIlroy has finished in the top six of every stroke-play tournament he's competed in.
Those results alone would make up the minds of some bettors since he's the top in-form golfer in the world.
In addition to his recent form, the 29-year-old has achieved plenty of success at the Masters in recent years.
McIlroy comes into the tournament with five consecutive top-10 finishes at Augusta, though only two of those have been inside the top five.
Although he's been consistent at the Masters, McIlroy hasn't been able to surge up the leaderboard into first place during the last five years.
A year ago, the Northern Irishman brought himself into contention with a third-round 65, but he fell off the pace by shooting 74 on the Sunday.
In 2016 and 2017, McIlroy put together four consistent rounds, but he only cracked the 60s in one round to keep him away from first place.
Even though he hasn't won at Augusta, his overall consistency at the course—and in recent months—will attract bettors before play begins Thursday.
Dustin Johnson (+1100)
Dustin Johnson is another Masters favorite with an impressive recent track record at Augusta and solid form entering the tournament.
Although he hasn't been as prolific as McIlroy this season, the South Carolina native landed in the top 10 in each of his last four tournaments.
The 2016 U.S. Open champion also enters Augusta with three consecutive top-10 Masters finishes, with his most recent result being a tie for 10th in 2018.
But just like McIlroy, Johnson hasn't been able to hit back-to-back rounds in the 60s to complete a surge up the leaderboard.
In 2018, he shot 71 and 69 in his final two rounds to land nine shots back of Patrick Reed, who carded a score in the 60s in the first three rounds.
The good news for Johnson is he has consistently shot in the 60s of late, as all but two of his rounds in the last four stroke-play tournaments have been in the 60s.
Since he's playing so well at the moment, and the odds attached to the 34-year-old are favorable, he's worth a wager at +1100.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from PGATour.com.
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