There is always a lengthy build up to the first major on the golfing calendar, but the Masters is finally here. It’s been nine months since Jimmy Walker won the final major of the 2016 season but it is finally time for 2017 to get going with a bang at Augusta. Rest assured, it will be worth the wait.
Held every year at the absolutely stunning Augusta National, the Masters is one of the most highly anticipated events in all of sport. It’s a tournament dripping in history, prestige and tradition but, most importantly, it serves up unmissable drama every year as the world’s best golfers do battle for the famous green jacket.
Who Will Win The Masters?
One of the old truisms of the Masters is that ‘it all happens on the back nine at Augusta.’ That certainly proved to be the case last year as Jordan Spieth lost his nerve and Danny Willett took full advantage by keeping his. There’s no doubt that a steely determination is required to win the Masters but there are also key technical stats to bear in mind.
The first thing to note about Augusta National is that the fairways are very wide and the rough all but non-existent. Driving distance, then, considerably trumps driving accuracy in importance. Augusta now measures 7,435 yards so power is not only important off the tee, but can be vital when going for par five greens in two and allows players to hit shorter irons into the highly challenging putting surfaces.
Much has been written about the importance of hitting the ball from right to left at Augusta. It’s true that shape does fit the eye for right-handed drawers of the ball but iron play is nothing like as important as what happens on and around the greens. Scrambling well is vital given the punishing run off areas included throughout the course and you just cannot contend at the Masters without a very good week of putting.
With three wins in three starts, there’s little doubt that Dustin Johnson will be tough to stop this year. However, Jordan Spieth remains the man to back at Augusta. The 23-year-old’s course form is terrifying for this competition as he could, and perhaps should, have won in each of the last three renewals. He’s a mentally strong competitor and has apparently birdied the 12th hole in practice numerous times after finding the water on it twice last year. A phenomenal putter, Spieth looks good value at 8/1 with Bet365.
Betting Tip – Jordan Spieth at 8/1 with Bet365
Dark Horses, Each Way Tips and Other Bets
Despite never being one of the best putters in the game, Justin Rose has an impressive record at Augusta. The 2015 runner up has been working very hard to improve his putting and the results have been impressive this season. Rose has three top five finishes after recovering from a back injury at the end of last year and must represent each way value at 28/1 with Betfred.
Another of the 11 Englishmen in the field with a chance this year is Matt Fitzpatrick. Still only 22, Fitzpatrick has picked up some big wins on the European Tour and he finished tied for seventh in last year’s Masters. BetVictor’s odds of 70/1 are too big about a potential consecutive win for Sheffield born golfers.