Who should you place your bet on from the top three golf players and which player is the favorite contender for the outside bet at the Augusta this week?
The US Master’s event gets this Thursday with the defending champion underway, with Spieth looking forward to defending his 2015 title at the event.
The 22-year old American unveiled himself to the golfing world with a surprise performance in last year's event, completing the tournament on 18-under to equal the record that Tiger Wood held of winning the tournament by four strokes only.
His sudden rise, together with the rise of Jason Day, the Australian International, means that we have a new pack of “big three” golfers with McIlroy looking forward to restarting himself to the top after having a quiet 2015.
US Master’s Tips
Between these three players, there have been five major tournaments shared – but the Augusta will have 89 other golfers at the course trying to win the title.
So, who are our favorite picks? Below are some US Master’s tips that we’ve analyzed and thought you’d have a look at them.
Jordan Spieth – @10/1 to win the tournament
One of the hot contenders for the title, Spieth has the finest value to win the title, and there has been no reason why the title holder can’t successfully defend the title and add another green jacket to his collection.
It is no doubt that Jason day is the current in-form player, but his odds of winning the tournament are too short @7/1 at Paddy Power, and his track record at the course has been nothing but poor.
What’s more, it has been said that he has been struggling with his bad back from the Match Play Championship and it's also understood that he has suffered from flu-like symptoms which have resulted in him losing some considerable amount of weight.
McIlroy, on the other hand, hasn’t had the form that will help him put up a challenge at the Augusta, therefore leaving Spieth as the #1 favorite. Moreover, the odds on Spieth make placing an each-way bet a more lucrative option.
Rickie Fowler - @16/1 to win the competition and 3/1 to feature in the top five
Each and every year, there is usually a new champion at some of the top events – we witnessed 2015 bring two major players – and Rickie is by far the highest placed golf player to prove us right in what we’ve all believed that he’s capable of doing.
From my statistics, he has the gameplay that is needed at the Augusta competition. In my opinion, picking a guaranteed winner at this tournament is a tricky task but based on the statistics on how players have been performing at the tournament, Rickie Fowler is one of the best choices to pick.
It’s the time that he sheds off the “best golfer who never won a major” by winning this competition.
Justine Rose - @25/1 to win the title and 5/1 to feature in the top five
Our third player in US Master’s tips is Justine Rose. He is the another player who’s been in magnificent form and has caught the eye of the pundits and fans alike is Briton’s Justin Rose.
In 2015, he finished in the second spot after Spieth, and he has already won a major to his name. Justine is an all-around player, and this can be supported with statistics from the number of times that he has featured in the top six over the past four years – 3 out of 4.
In other words, whenever Justine tees up at the Master’s, he unvaryingly produces something that is close to his best. He also has the experience plus his length of tee makes him a suitable match for the Augusta competition.
In fact, he is one of the few players that are so good at the tee to green that he will only need a week to challenge for the green jacket this weekend.
Louis Oosthuizen - @35/1 to win the tournament and 8/1 to feature in the top five
Not so many South Africans, leave alone Africans, who have the opportunity to participate in the Augusta competition.
However, Louis arrives from the African country in a fine form and with the good track that he’s had in the past tournaments, he looks like a potential title contender.
In 2015, Louis finished 19-2-2-30 in four major tournaments, and he was unlucky not to have won any of them.
Having lost in a playoff match in the 2012 Master’s, I strongly believe that he will go ahead and perform well.
Given his current form – coming second to Day in Match Play – and his good record at the Augusta, he has an appealing price.
According to one of the punters, much of Louis performance depends greatly on his health. Louis is as fragile as a wet bag full of groceries but when he’s fit, and on form, he makes golf look laughably easy.
Zach Johnson - @66/1 to win the tournament and 12/1 to feature in the top five
The punters are split on whether Zach has a shot at the winning the tournament, but the most people including me believes that the 2007 winner and Open Champion will be flying under the radar this week.
Zach has switched manufacturers and faced some criticism this year, but he’s still gone ahead and had three top tens this season, and he’s coming to the Augusta in top form.
According to one of our punters, the odds given to him exemplify a huge overlay for Zach in the Augusta. He’s form also makes the punter that the odds placed on him are worth a shot.
Brooks Koepka - @80/1 to win the tournament and 16/1 to feature in the top five
Do you remember from the start of this article when we said that we also had an outsider? Well, Brooks Koepka comes in as our last choice in the US Master’s tips, and we’d highly recommend that you back him with a cheeky €5.
According to Matt Williams, an ESPN journalist, most people believe that Jimmy Walker will be the surprise winner, but he strongly believes that Koepka will win it come Sunday.
Brooks Koepka is a young player and has the experience of playing at the Masters. This coupled with his form and the number of times he’s featured in the top 30 makes him a long shot bet. Matt isn’t the only one who believes that Brooks Koepka will make a surprise win at the event.
Chamblee notes the remarkable improvement that Brooks has made over the past few years and his ability to hit the ball longer than any other player at the tournament. However, he says he’d go for Hideki Matsuyama, the top Asian golfer at the event.
