Masters 2022: Latest Expectations for Golf's Top Favorites and Sleepers
Jon Rahm comes into the Masters as the betting favorite.
The Spaniard is not the hottest golfer in the world at Augusta National Golf Club.
That title belongs to Scottie Scheffler, who has three victories in his last five events.
Scheffler is the second favorite on the betting lines at DraftKings Sportsbook to don the green jacket Sunday night.
Both players are expected to contend for the first major title of 2022 based on their respective track records at golf's biggest events.
Rahm and Scheffler are just two of the golfers you should pay attention to during the four-day tournament.
A handful of potential sleeper champions are lurking further down the odds board with hopes of replicating Hideki Matsuyama's win at 45-1 betting odds in 2021.
Favorite: Jon Rahm
1 of 4
Jon Rahm set an incredibly high bar for himself at Augusta over the last four years.
The Spanish golfer finished inside the top 10 in each of his last four trips to Georgia.
Rahm's highest Augusta finish was a fourth-place mark in 2018. He landed in a tie for fifth at last year's event.
Rahm has been one of the most consistent big-tournament golfers in recent seasons. He finished inside the top 10 at each of last season's four majors.
The former No. 1 golfer in the world has seven top-10 major finishes dating back to the start of the 2019 PGA Tour season.
The expectation for Rahm is that he will feature on the first page of the Masters leaderboard by the time Sunday afternoon rolls around.
Favorite: Scottie Scheffler
2 of 4
Scottie Scheffler has the lowest odds to win the Masters in his career.
Scheffler recently became the No. 1 player in the Official World Golf Ranking.
The 25-year-old American won three tournaments since the start of February. He won at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, Arnold Palmer Invitational and World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play.
Scheffler enters Augusta in the best form of any golfer, but that does not mean he is a lock to take home the green jacket.
Scheffler has not finished above 18th in his career at Augusta National in his two Masters appearances.
The current top golfer in the world does have four top-10 major finishes on his resume, including three from last season.
Those finishes, combined with his current form, suggest Scheffler is ready to take the next step and contend at Augusta.
Expectations are through the roof for Scheffler, and anything outside of contending for the win seems like it will be a disappointment for him.
Sleeper: Will Zalatoris
3 of 4
Will Zalatoris' second-place finish at Augusta can't be forgotten.
Zalatoris surged onto the scene in his first trip around the golf course, and he could be poised for another strong week.
Zalatoris reached the quarterfinals of the WGC Match Play to gain some confidence after three straight stroke-play finishes outside the top 25.
The 25-year-old shot four rounds under 70 in his last three stroke-play tournaments. Those numbers cooled off any buzz surrounding him going into Augusta.
Zalatoris may not be a popular play entering the tournament, but it would not be a surprise if he were in contention Sunday because of his performance last April.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Sleeper: Louis Oosthuizen
4 of 4
Louis Oosthuizen always seems to put himself in the mix at major tournaments.
The South African finished in the top three at each of the season's last three majors in 2021.
Oosthuizen does not get talked about much at the Masters because he has not recorded a top-10 finish since his second-place mark in 2012.
Oosthuizen has not finished inside the top 10 lately at Augusta, but he also has not played terrible golf at the Masters during that stretch.
He finished inside the top 30 in each of his last four trips to Augusta, and he has not missed the cut at the season's first major since 2013.
At minimum, Oosthuizen should be considered for daily fantasy lineups and for a top-20 bet because of his consistency.
Oosthuizen has proved on countless occasions that he can contend for a major, and he could put himself back in the conversation to win this weekend.
Gambling problem? Call (877-8-HOPENY) or text HOPENY (467369).
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visiting ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), visiting OPGR.org (OR), or calling/texting TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) or 1-888-532-3500 (VA).
Odds and lines subject to change. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
