The Masters: Augusta National Golf Odds, Betting Predictions

Dustin Johnson rolls into Augusta as the 2017 Masters favourite as he looks for his second career major. 

Last week, we previewed the PGA Tour’s Houston Open, a tune-up event for the Masters that awards a spot in the first major of the year to the winner if he hadn’t already qualified. Our recommendation to win was American Russell Henley and he did, paying off at an opening Sports Interaction golf price +1900. Henley thus has a previously unscheduled trip to Augusta National in Georgia this week for the Masters, which is essentially the Super Bowl of golf in terms of prop options available.

2017 Masters odds

It will be a bit of a somber start to the Masters because the late Arnold Palmer, who is one of the biggest reasons this tournament has become the most prestigious in the world, won’t be there to take part in the ceremonial opening tee shot for the first time in years. The tournament is also missing four-time champion Tiger Woods as he’s still not fully healthy. It’s the third time Tiger has missed his favourite tournament in the past four years. Golf changed forever 20 years ago when Woods, just 21, lapped the field by 12 shots for his first of 14 Grand Slam wins.

Weather is always something to keep an eye on for this tournament. It looks as if the conditions will be good on the weekend, but wind will be a factor on Thursday and Friday.

The Masters odds have American Dustin Johnson as the +446 favourite. He’s trying to become the first golfer since 1953 other than Tiger to win four straight tournaments on the PGA Tour. Johnson won his first major last year at the U.S. Open. He was a career-best fourth at the 2016 Masters and sixth the year before. His length can overpower this course.

American Jordan Spieth and Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy are each +800. Spieth had been the favourite much of 2017 until Johnson went on his crazy hot streak. Spieth was second in his first Masters in 2014 and won in 2015, tying Tiger’s record score of 18 under and going wire-to-wire. Spieth looked like he was going to repeat in 2016 with a five-stroke lead entering the back-nine, but he imploded. Spieth hit back-to-back shots into Rae’s Creek on No. 12. It was truly painful to watch. McIlroy had his own back-nine implosion on Sunday in 2011 when he was in control of the tournament and instead didn’t even finish in the Top 10. He has finished Top 10 each of the past three years and tries to complete the career Grand Slam.

England’s Danny Willett was the beneficiary of last year’s Spieth meltdown, winning by three shots at 5-under 283. It was the worst score for a Masters winner since 2007 – weather was a factor last year. Willett is a +6600 long shot to go back-to-back.

Could Phil Mickelson win a fourth green jacket to join Woods, Palmer and Jack Nicklaus as the only golfers with that many? Lefty, who has missed the cut two of the past three years, is +2800 to win.

Best Canadian Masters bets

It’s the first time since 1968 that three Canadians will play the Masters. Adam Hadwin earned his first-ever invite with his victory at the Valspar Championship in early March in the Tampa Bay area. He followed that the next week with a sixth-place finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando. Hadwin hasn’t played since because he got married. He postponed his honeymoon to play at Augusta. Hadwin is +4000 to win, +700 to be the top debutante, -303 to be top Canadian, -227 to make the cut and +157 to miss. He’s a +100 underdog head-to-head against Aussie Marc Leishman, who won the Arnold Palmer Invitational to get into the field.

Mackenzie Hughes also makes his Masters debut, earning a spot with a victory at the RSM Classic in November. He played last week and was T23. Hughes is +25000 to win, +250 for top Canadian and +4000 as top debutante.

Then of course there is lefty Mike Weir, the only Canadian to win the Masters – doing so in 2003 when Tiger Woods was going for a third straight green jacket. Weir beat Len Mattiace in probably the most unlikely Masters playoff ever. He was the first Canadian to win a major, and also the first left-handed player to win the Masters. Weir has missed the cut at Augusta in five of the past six years. The 46-year-old has played just one PGA Tour event this year, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, where he missed the cut. Weir is +100000 to win and +1600 as top Canadian.

Masters picks and predictions

With all due respect to Hadwin and Hughes, they are likely just happy to be in the tournament. It’s always tough to make the cut in your first trip to Augusta because it’s so unique and difficult. Take Hadwin as top Canadian but all three Canadians miss the cut. Leishman will beat Hadwin head-to-head.

For a Top-10 finish, I recommend Johnson, Spieth and England’s Justin Rose. Lean Spieth (+350) as top American and Spain’s Jon Rahm (+225) as top debutante. My winner is Rose at +2700. He has never missed the cut in 11 trips to Augusta and has four Top 10s, including co-second in 2015.