All the eye main into the Masters at Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership revolved across the return of Tiger Woods. However there’s a lot extra occurring within the 12 months’s first main.
So we gathered our specialists to select the winner of this 12 months’s inexperienced jacket, establish betting worth and props that stand out.
Matt Barrie, ESPN
Winner: Scottie Scheffler
Why he’ll win: There may be such a factor as momentum in golf. And nobody has greater than world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. In January, Scheffler might need been a Masters sleeper at greatest. Now, he needs to be the favourite. A winner on the WM Phoenix Open, Bay Invitational and WGC-Dell Applied sciences Match Play, he has the arrogance wanted going to Augusta Nationwide. Golf proper now belongs to Scottie Scheffler.
Elizabeth Baugh, ESPN.com
Winner: Cameron Smith
Why he’ll win: Smith is coming off a win on the Gamers and has contended in three out of the previous 4 Masters, together with a runner-up end in 2020. He mentioned it himself in his information convention: He is assured and his sport is prepared. His benefits? Inventive play on a hilly Augusta course and a locked-in brief sport. He’ll chip and putt his strategy to a inexperienced jacket on Sunday.
Michael Collins, ESPN.com
Winner: Brooks Koepka
Why he’ll win: Who’s a extremely ranked participant nobody is speaking about with main championship expertise and titles? Who additionally has performed in atrocious climate and been profitable, with a decent file at Augusta already? Who might need a chip on his shoulder since his former bestie and now rival, Dustin Johnson, has a inexperienced jacket that this participant does not have? Yeah, Brooks Koepka checks all of the packing containers.
Michael Eaves, ESPN
Winner: Jon Rahm
Why he’ll win: I might throw round a bunch of stats from 2022 (first in photographs gained off the tee, fourth in photographs gained tee to inexperienced) or previous performances in majors (5 straight T-8 or higher finishes) or at Augusta particularly (4 straight T-9 or higher finishes). However the true purpose Rahm will get fitted for his first inexperienced jacket is that he cannot consider he does not have one already. And with Scottie Scheffler taking away his world No. 1 rating, Rahm could not come to Augusta with any extra motivation than he’ll convey with him this 12 months.
Charlotte Gibson, ESPN.com
Winner: Viktor Hovland
Why he’ll win: Am I selecting the 24-year-old Norwegian to win once more? Completely. Chipping apart (critically, let’s not discuss concerning the terribly dangerous chipping), Hovland stays the most effective drivers and iron gamers on tour. This season, he has discovered himself within the prime 10 for almost each event. And prior to now, he has had sturdy finishes at Augusta with a T-32 as an beginner and T-21 final 12 months. However the true purpose he’ll get his first inexperienced jacket? The easy undeniable fact that Hovland at all times has a smile on his face and exhibits us time and time once more that he is simply blissful to be there and doing what he loves. Combine all of it collectively and you have got your self a inexperienced jacket winner.
Andy North, ESPN
Winner: Justin Thomas
Why he’ll win: He is rounding into main type. He has found out how you can play Augusta Nationwide. He is prepared for that second main.
Nick Pietruszkiewicz, ESPN.com
Winner: Tony Finau
Why he’ll win: No, he hasn’t performed nice in 2022 – three missed cuts and no prime 20s in six occasions. However he is aware of how you can get round this place – three prime 10s in 4 appearances. He was within the ultimate group with Tiger Woods on Sunday in 2019, when Woods surprised the world by successful his fifth inexperienced jacket. Finau performed respectably that day, taking pictures even-par 72 and completed fifth. He dealt with that second. He will not be intimidated by something this 12 months’s Masters throws at him.
Mark Schlabach, ESPN.com
Winner: Collin Morikawa
Why he’ll win: My coronary heart says Tiger; my head says Morikawa, who gained the PGA Championship and The Open in his first begins in these occasions. He is the most effective iron gamers on the earth, and ballstriking is likely to be a very powerful talent within the Masters. He improved from a tie for forty fourth in 2020 to a tie for 18th at Augusta Nationwide final 12 months. A inexperienced jacket would give Morikawa three-fourths of the profession grand slam, and he would be part of Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth as the one golfers to win three majors at age 25 since World Battle II.
Marty Smith, ESPN
Winner: Jon Rahm
Why he’ll win: He is the one participant to publish top-10 finishes in every of the previous 4 Masters. Plus, he hasn’t posted a single spherical over par for 15 consecutive rounds, one shy of Tiger’s file 16 straight rounds of par or higher. That consistency will earn Rahm the inexperienced jacket Sunday.
Curtis Strange, ESPN
Winner: Scottie Scheffler
Why he’ll win: All the time choose the general expertise and who has the new hand. Scheffler checks each packing containers. He is victorious in three of his previous 5 tour occasions and he is extremely gifted.
Wright Thompson, ESPN.com
Winner: Tiger Woods
Why he’ll win: GOAT.
Tom VanHaaren, ESPN.com
Winner: Jon Rahm
Why he’ll win: I have been predicting Rahm to win a couple of tournaments in a row, so why cease now? Once I heard his quote saying he will not cease enjoying golf till he has extra majors than Tiger, it felt like there was an actual fireplace there for him. It may not be doable to cross Tiger, however I feel it takes that mentality to win on the highest degree and it seems like he will break by quickly.
Scott Van Pelt, ESPN
Winner: Cameron Smith
Why he’ll win: He has three top-10s at Augusta. He putts it in addition to anybody, as evidenced in that final-round present on the Gamers, and might get on the kind of birdie run that may win you this event if it comes on the proper time.
Kevin Van Valkenburg, ESPN.com
Winner: Brooks Koepka
Why he’ll win: Koepka in all probability ought to have gained the Masters in 2019 when Tiger pulled off one of many best heists in main historical past, and I feel that reminiscence will assist him this 12 months. He is again to his outdated self, getting in squabbles with followers, feeling ignored and slighted. That is his candy spot for main competition.
Josh Weinfuss, ESPN.com
Winner: Scottie Scheffler
Why he’ll win: Scheffler is on a heater and typically, like this one, you do not wager towards that. He has gained 3 times — the primary three of his profession — prior to now eight weeks. Momentum like that may’t be purchased, even on the Augusta Nationwide members-only professional store. Scheffler has every little thing it takes to win on the Masters this 12 months: The space off the tee, the contact on the greens and a seemingly unflappable demeanor that may get him by the ups and downs. He not often exhibits quite a lot of emotion, which might be vital when — not if — issues go awry.
Worth picks to win
Our betting specialists provide you with picks to win based mostly on worth. We have a look at the betting board and inform you who has the very best probability to money your ticket.
David Bearman, ESPN.com
Winner: Xander Schauffele (odds: 20-1)
Why he’ll win: The largest knock on Schauffele the previous few years has been “close but no cigar” with 9 top-10s in majors and a runner-up on the Gamers on his résumé. Since we final noticed Schauffele at a serious, he gained Olympic gold and helped Workforce USA to a Ryder Cup win, going 3-1. He has had a gradual begin to 2022 (one prime 10), however that leaves quite a lot of worth at 20-1 for a man with T-2, T-17 and T-3 outcomes right here prior to now three years. It is his flip this weekend.
Chris Fallica, ESPN
Winner: Patrick Cantlay (odds: 20-1)
Why he’ll win: Cantlay began the 12 months with 4 straight top-10 finishes and really simply might have had a number of wins in that stretch. He led the event with a couple of holes to play in 2019, then missed the reduce final 12 months when he was a classy decide earlier than an opening-round 79 did him in. Looks like he is coming in a bit beneath the radar given the eye Scottie Scheffler and others have gotten with their play. Cantlay’s putter and skill to make quite a lot of birdies give him an awesome probability this week.
Joe Fortenbaugh, ESPN
Winner: Brooks Koepka (odds: 20-1)
Why he’ll win: Koepka is wholesome and on a roll. Plus, he has performed effectively right here earlier than. You then notice that you simply’re getting him at 20-1 moderately than 14-1 or 16-1. Koepka’s previous two months have featured a T-3 on the WM Phoenix Open, T-16 on the Honda Basic, T-12 on the Valspar Championship and a quarterfinal end on the WGC-Match Play. He has additionally made the reduce in 5 of six profession begins at Augusta. Talking of these 5 cuts made at Augusta Nationwide, two had been top-10 finishes (T-7 in 2020; T-2 in 2019). You need to have a bit of Brooksie when the lights get vivid.
Anita Marks, ESPN
Winner: Cameron Smith (odds: 14-1)
Why he’ll win: Out of all of the favorites on the prime, Smith represents some worth along with his present type and two wins on the season. He has the expertise wanted to win at Augusta, having completed within the prime 10 his previous three begins. He skipped the WGC-Dell Applied sciences Match Play occasion to prepare for the Masters. Smith ranks prime seven within the three most vital metrics to win at Augusta — greens in regulation, par-5 efficiency and placing common.
Doug Kezirian, ESPN
Winner: Brooks Koepka (odds: 20-1)
Why he’ll win: It is well-documented that Koepka cares solely about majors, which in all probability explains how he already has gained 4 of them. The inexperienced jacket has eluded him thus far, however he has flirted with victories. He was the runner-up in 2019 and completed within the prime 10 in 2020. He additionally has positioned within the prime six in every of the previous three majors he has performed. Along with his prioritizing the majors, Koepka enters in actually good type. So 20-1 seems like worth.
Props and extra
Our betting specialists have extra than simply bets to win. Listed below are some props to focus on for the whole occasion, from prime 10’s to made cuts to event matchups.
Tiger Woods to make the reduce (+110)
Bearman: Woods introduced Tuesday that he’ll play. However are we anticipating him to win after not enjoying on tour in over a 12 months? No, however it might be a heck of a narrative. You do not have to wager on Woods to win to become profitable. Should you have a look at the prop market, Woods is -140 to overlook the reduce and +110 to make the reduce. These are odds you’ll by no means see for a man who has gained right here 5 occasions and has one other 9 top-10s at Augusta.
Jon Rahm top-10 end (+115); to make an Eagle
Fallica: Selecting Rahm to win at 8-1 is slightly too brief for my liking, however he has a T-5, T-7, T-9 and T-4 in 4 journeys right here, so a top-10 end at plus cash seems to be like a robust wager. He additionally has 16 tries on par 5s to make an eagle, so I like my probabilities there too.
Justin Thomas top-10 end (+150)
Marks: Thomas is enjoying higher at every event this season. The course might be damp from the rain earlier within the week, due to this fact driving distance and GIR from 175-200 yards out might be key. Thomas’ sport is constructed to win at Augusta. For him to complete within the prime 10 at plus cash is a stable wager.
Sam Burns top-10 end (+350)
Fortenbaugh: No Masters rookie has claimed the inexperienced jacket since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979, which is without doubt one of the main causes I am hesitant to again Burns to win this factor at 35-1. That being mentioned, I am blissful to leap on the top-10 practice given what I’ve seen from Burns of late. For the reason that begin of the season, he has notched seven top-10 finishes in 13 begins, highlighted by wins on the Valspar Championship two weeks in the past and Sanderson Farms Championship final October. If the 25-year-old will get by the opening spherical, I anticipate him to contend on Sunday.
