The Masters Predictions & Tips

It is the biggest week of the golf calendar as the game’s elite assemble at Augusta National for the Masters and one question is on everyone’s lips - who can stop Scottie Scheffler from claiming a second Green Jacket?

It is two years since the Texan broke his Majors duck at the world-famous course and he has already tasted glory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Players Championship this season.

He is set to go off the shortest-priced Masters favourite for a decade, but others such as Rory McIlroy and defending champion Jon Rahm will also have their eye on the big prize.

It promises to be a cracking week of competition and here are the best bets you may want to think about having.

Tip 1 - Scottie Scheffler to win the Masters @ 4/1

Not since Tiger Woods’ heyday have we seen such a strong favourite to claim the Green Jacket, but it is hard to argue against world number one Scheffler, as he looks by far the most likely winner this week.

It used to be his putting that used to let the Texan down, but he has got his act together on the greens this year and that is bad news for the rest of the field, as the other key elements of the game are as good as anyone who has ever played.

The results have come too with those wins at Bay Hill and Sawgrass and he seems completely at home at Augusta, where he boasts form figures of 19-18-1-10.

Scheffler has posted top-ten finishes in nine of the last 13 Majors and there remain big question marks over his chief rivals.

Defending champion Jon Rahm faces a tough task to make a successful defence after jumping ship to the LIV Tour, while the start of the season has not gone brilliantly for Rory McIlroy, who is still looking to complete the career Grand Slam.

With the complete game and great form both in recent events and at the course, it is hard to go against the market leader.

Tip 2 - Hideki Matsuyama to be leader after round one (each-way) @ 25/1

Another former champion is capable of having a strong run at Augusta this year and Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama could be a good bet to fly out of the blocks and be at the top of the leaderboard after the first round.

The 2021 champion has finished in the top 20 in eight of his last nine visits to the scene of his greatest triumph and his recent form suggests he is at the top of his game.

Seventh spot at last week’s Valero Texas Open was an excellent warm-up for the year’s first Major and he has already snagged a 2024 trophy by winning the Genesis Invitational in February.

That was followed by 12th at the Arnold Palmer and sixth at the Players, so he has proved himself in the bigger tournaments that the PGA Tour has to offer.

He has enough experience at Augusta to navigate any potential pitfalls and has the accuracy and power to perform well, so he looks to have a good chance of making a fast start, and with seven places available in the each-way market, it looks sensible to take that approach.