The first major of the 2021 golfing calendar is just a matter of days away and there’s no doubt that punters will be desperately scouring the Masters odds in hope of picking the winner before the four-day tournament tees off at Augusta National in Georgia on April 8th.
Of course, form and momentum are two key things to considering when making your selection(s). However, the challenges posed by the historic Augusta are like no other course in the United States and there’s no doubt it will be a completely different tournament to the rescheduled Masters won by Dustin Johnson in November.
Whilst many punters make their selections based on their favourite golfer, the player’s form or their world ranking, there is much more you should consider when you’re scanning the betting market. Along with every major tournament comes trends and the Masters is no different. So, to help you make the right selections this time around, we’ve put together a list of what to keep an eye out for. Read on to find out more!
Age
When it comes to any sport, it’s a well-known fact that age is not just a number. As players get older, their bodies aren’t able to do the things they used to. Take Lee Westwood for example. He had a purple patch last month, finishing second in the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship. However, he admitted that his age took its toll on his body and that’s why the 47-year-old couldn’t get over the line in either. So, it’s no surprise really that nine of the last 10 Masters winners have been under the age of 40. Tiger Woods is the only man to defy that trend when he took the field by surprise in 2019. Of those other nine winners under 40, four have been under 30.
World ranking
We’ve already mentioned that world rankings are something most punters consider when making their selections. However, the chances are that they aren’t looking out for the right trends. In the last 10 years, the only World No.1 to win the tournament was Johnson in November. Given his form of late, you might want to sway clear of the American, but that is something we will get to later. Eight of the last 10 winners have, however, been in the top 20 and all 10 have featured in the world’s top 30. Therefore, it’s not worth going beyond that benchmark in the world rankings.
Previous outings at Augusta
Of course, how the players have performed at Augusta at past tournaments is a great indication on how they will fare. Seven of the last 10 winners had played in the Masters at least three times and none of the last 10 champions were making their debut in the same year they won. Only one professional had previously won the tournament in the past (Woods). So again, it doesn’t look for Johnson. Six of the last 10 had carded a top 10 finish, eight had finished in the top 25 and all 10 had posted a top 40 finish. More importantly, nine of the last 10 winners made the cut the tournament before and all 10 were not the defending champion.
Form
Form is crucial. Six of the last 10 winners had won prior to the Masters, while nine of the last 10 had finished in the top five earlier in the season.
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Given all these stats, Justin Thomas may be the man to keep an eye out for. The 27-year-old, who is ranked second in the world and recently won The Players, was fourth in the tournament back in November. So, he certainly fits the bill!