2019 Masters Golf Odds with Expert Betting Predictions
I don't know who the most unlikely last-minute entrant into the Masters has been in history, but there's no question that Canadian Corey Conners is on the short list for how he punched the 87th and final ticket to August National on Sunday.
The 27-year-old Conners was winless in his PGA Tour career and had made just five cuts in 12 events this season. He had to Monday qualify to get the last spot in the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio last week. Conners drained a 30-foot birdie putt on his final hole in the qualifying to join five other guys in a playoff. Then Conners won that. Naturally, he then also won the tournament, becoming the first Monday qualifier to win a Tour event since 2010 and get that first trip as a professional to The Masters - not to mention his Tour card through the 2020-21 season. No more Monday qualifying for him. Conners, the 2014 U.S. Amateur runner-up, played in the 2015 Masters as an amateur.
Needless to say, I didn't address Conners at all last week, so we'll just move on. Can't say I expect him to join Mike Weir (2003) as the only Canadian winners of the Masters. With all due respect to the U.S. Open, British Open or Ryder Cup, the best week in golf is on tap with the Masters.
All of the Doc's-affiliated sportsbooks treat this tournament like the Super Bowl of golf. The Masters field is always the smallest of the four majors because it's an invitational. Of course, it's also the only major played annually at the same course. I say this every year, but if you are a golf fan and have any way to get to Augusta National to watch a round of the Masters, do it. While it's the arguably the most exclusive golf club in the USA, it's quite reasonable price-wise to attend the tournament. Nothing quite like it, and it's hillier than you think or how it looks on television.
To win this tournament, players must be long off the tee but also accurate. And, of course, putt well on greens that are absurdly tough. A total of 17 players are set for their pro debut this week. There are 20 former champions. The Top 11 players in the world rankings are all in the field, yet none of them have won a green jacket. The field of 87 ties last year for the smallest since 1997 when Tiger Woods burst onto the world stage with his record-setting victory as a 21-year-old.
Augusta National plays around 7,475 yards and is a par 72, with the most famous stretch being Amen Corner, holes 11-13. The course is tweaked a bit every year, and one reported change for 2019 is the par-4 fifth being made 40 yards longer. If there is a playoff, it's sudden death starting on the 18th hole. There have been three playoffs this decade, last in 2017.
The defending champion is American Patrick Reed. He finished at 15-under last year, one stroke better than Rickie Fowler. It was Reed's first victory in a major event, and it happened not far from where he led Augusta State to back-to-back NCAA Division I titles. In four previous Masters starts, Reed had missed the cut twice and never broke 70, so I won't be recommending him here. Only three players have repeated and none since Tiger in 2002.
Golf Odds: The Masters Favorites
Rory McIlroy is the +700 Bovada favorite to win his first green jacket and complete the career Grand Slam. He was in the final pairing with Reed last year on Sunday, but McIlroy played the front nine in one over on his way to a 74 and a tie for fifth. He was the only player in the Top 16 who did not break par. It was his fifth straight Top 10 at the Masters. Remember, he was also dominating in 2011 before choking on the back-nine Sunday.
Dustin Johnson, who slipped from No. 1 to No. 2 in the rankings on Monday, is +1400. He has finished Top 10 the past three years at the Masters and has two wins this year - although still just the one major under his belt. Back at No. 1, Justin Rose is +1400. He lost to Sergio Garcia in the 2017 playoff and was runner-up in 2015 as well.
Tiger is +1400 to win a fifth green jacket and first since 2005. For the first time, Tiger and Phil Mickelson (+4000) will play the Masters with a combined age of 90.
What to do with Jordan Spieth (+1800)? Major horse for the course with a WORST finish of 11th at the Masters, including a win four years ago. But, man, he's in a major funk right now.
Golf Odds: The Masters Picks
For a Top 10, like McIlroy (-150), Rose (+120) and Fowler (+150). Rose has seven Top 15s in his last eight appearances at Augusta and has never missed a cut there. Fowler remains the best player to never win a major but had the runner-up last year.
We'll take a shot on Spieth as the top American at +900 simply because he's so good here and maybe that's what will shake him from his slump. You can also get him at +300 as top former winner, and we like that as well.
Head-to-head, go McIlroy (-130) over Johnson (even), Adam Scott (-115) over Louis Oosthuizen (-115), Bubba Watson (-125) over Tony Finau (-105), and Mickelson (+160) over Tiger (-210).
Have to go chalk here with McIlroy as he hasn't finished outside the Top 6 in a stroke-play event yet in 2019 with that win at the Players Championship. He is available at +375 with Spieth and Mickelson vs. the field - don't really like Lefty to win but having McIlroy and Spieth isn't a bad wager.
Two of our top experts both Indian Cowboy and Raphael Esparza offer their expert golf picks every week of the season. Doc's Sports is offering $60 worth of member's picks absolutely free - no obligation, no sales people - you don't even have to enter credit card information. You can use this $60 credit any way you please for any handicapper and any sport on Doc's Sports list of expert sports handicappers. Get $60 worth of premium members' picks free .
Read more articles by Alan Matthews