It’s the most important week of the year in golf. The Masters Tournament has become even bigger with the growth of LIV Golf. It's the first time in the year that some of the best LIV Golf players compete alongside the PGA Tour's finest. Our preview of Augusta National will assist our projection model in identifying the best bets for the 2024 Masters Tournament.
Due to the small number of competitive LIV golfers participating and Scottie Scheffler's dominance as World No. 1, the odds for many players are improving compared to earlier in the year. We will highlight the necessary qualities for success at Augusta and the best bets to place for the 2024 Masters.
An Overview of the Augusta National Course
GettyAt Augusta National, examining Rory McIlroy's performance.
Augusta National is the most renowned golf course globally and hosts the Masters Tournament every April, marking the beginning of the golf season's major championships. Constructed by Alister MacKenzie and Bobby Jones in 1932, it has been the venue for the Masters since 1934.
The course presently plays as a Par 72 at a length of 7,500 yards, making it one of the lengthier golf courses. Augusta has undergone significant changes to remain competitive and provide a genuine challenge to the world's top players. Despite the increase in length, the green complexes have largely remained unchanged and continue to present the greatest challenge.
The importance of driving distance is often underestimated at Augusta. Since 2010, seven winners were among the top six in distance for the week. The other seven finished the week 3rd, 7th, 1st, 6th, 2nd, 1st, and 19th in greens in regulations. To win, you must either achieve considerable distance with your tee shots or demonstrate precision in finding greens.
Approach play is crucial on these undulating fairways leading to challenging green complexes. However, unlike most weeks where Strokes Gained: Approach or Opportunities Gained are the most important metrics, the key at Augusta is finding greens in regulation. Missing a green here from just 15 feet away on the short side can lead to disaster. It is incredibly important to locate the green in the right position.
When players inevitably miss greens, they always require strong scrambling skills at Augusta. The tightly mowed grass surrounding the greens with massive slopes creates very distinct scrambling opportunities. Among the last 14 winners, 11 of them finished in the top 10 in scrambling for the week. The other three ranked 12th, 15th, and 16th for the week.
Top Outright Bets for the 2024 Masters
GettyJordan Spieth taking a tee shot at the Valero Texas Open.
Here are the best outright bets for the 2024 Masters.
With Scottie Scheffler's odds at +450, it's not really worth betting on him this week due to the presence of numerous strong players in the field and lingering doubts about his putting. Instead of considering Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, or Brooks Koepka as potential winners, the +2500 odds for Jordan Spieth are much more intriguing.+2500)
The 2015 Masters champion, like many top players, hasn’t had a great year. However, he secured a 10th place finish at the Valero last week and finally displayed the standard ball striking expected from him. Spieth has always been a streaky player, and the positive momentum from the Valero could easily carry over to Augusta.
Spieth's putter has frequently been the problem in recent years as he emerged as one of the top iron players in golf when playing well. However, the flat stick has been exceptional this year. Considering his incredible track record at the course, Spieth is a logical choice this week. He has placed in the top 5 in six out of his 10 attempts at Augusta.
Matt Fitzpatrick to win (
Fitzpatrick's increased distance and skill on and around the greens make him well-suited for Augusta National. The 2022 U.S. Open champion struggled in 2023, but he resolved a weight issue in his clubs a few weeks ago. Since then, he finished 5th at the PLAYERS and 10th at the Valero. The iron play appeared strong again, and the putter performed at its usual elite level. He is a player who could genuinely win this tournament with favorable odds.+4000)
Dustin Johnson to win (
The 2020 Masters champion has not had a great year on LIV, but he did secure a victory in Las Vegas back in February. It seems that DJ prepares his game for the major championships at this stage in his career. Johnson has been competitive in a couple of majors since joining LIV, and he finished 12th at Augusta in 2022 when not in top form. The odds are too high for someone who is still a contender at any major.+4000)
Shane Lowry to win (
One could argue that Lowry has been one of the best iron players in the world over the past month. He has gained 16.2 strokes on approach in his last three starts, resulting in finishes of 4th, 3rd, and 19th. Although Lowry lacks the preferred distance at Augusta, his precise short game can compensate for it. He finished 3rd here in 2022 and is likely to appreciate the firm conditions anticipated this week. The crucial factor will be the putter.+6000)
With all of the top golfers in the world finally competing in the same field, we pinpoint the top betting options for the 2024 Masters Tournament.
