All the formalities are in the book, all the preparation has been done and now it is all systems go for the first round of The Masters, one of the great days of the sporting year let alone the golfing one.
One of the beauties of betting on the majors is that the first round leader is a competitive betting heat and all of the groups get priced up where we can get stuck into some juicy prices to get the week off to a solid start. We’ll target both those opportunities now.
First round leader
With just an 89 runner field this year there are only 30 groups going onto the golf course so you wouldn’t think the draw would have much of an impact but the forecast is for wind and rain early on in the day with it clearing up the later things go along so maybe this year is an exception where there is actually an advantage being drawn late.
Given that knowledge I’m going to trust the forecast and plump for a couple of players who are late out on Thursday who are both capable of putting low starts together and get amongst it at decent prices.
Ryan Moore has been starting tournaments well this season having broken 70 in four of his eight strokeplay events so far in this campaign and he doesn’t go too badly on Thursday at Augusta either. Moore has broken par in three of his seven opening rounds here with another exactly level par.
That might not sound fantastic but if the early weather is that treacherous we might only be looking for someone to break 70. Moore’s long game might not be the longest but he’s one of the straightest and when he’s on the greens he’s pretty effective as he showed at the Matchplay a couple of weeks ago. He’s worth a dabble at the price.
Ian Poulter had to scrape his way into the field this week but unless there is an upturn in his career he could be playing this tournament for the final time so I’m sure he will want to enjoy it and make a big impression.
He comes to this event off the back of a good run in Puerto Rico which should hopefully have restored some confidence, especially in his short game, and if it has he tees off late enough to take advantage of the potentially high scoring. Poulter has got on well with this course in the past.
He opened with a 68 here in 2010 and a repeat of that would be very competitive here. He finished last year with back to back 67s so he can tame this course and if he gets the better of the conditions he could land a punt at a hefty price.
First round 3-balls
All 30 groups have been priced up for the opening round and I’m going into battle straight away it has to be said. Most of the groups on Thursday are three balls but because of the odd number the first round is a two ball between Jim Herman and Steven Bowditch.
I can’t be having Herman at odds on here even allowing for the fact that he won in Houston last week. To be honest Bowditch has been putting up some ridiculously bad numbers in recent times but at least he has major experience and is well suited to this level and he has played Augusta before. I’m going to chance that those factors will count for something against a potentially very nervous Herman.
One of the best things about this tournament is the old players getting invited back to play and often they go out with the modern brigade and that can turn three balls into effective two balls and there are a couple of those type of groups on Thursday.
The first one comes with Vijay Singh involved. He goes out with Hideki Matsuyama and Chris Kirk and I happen to like the American there. I’ve nothing against the Japanese player but for me Kirk is a really solid player who has a really good short game so Matsuyama at 10/11 and Kirk 9/4 seems a bit too much of a gap.
I accept Matsuyama went well here last year and has already won on tour but Kirk is a drawer of the ball with a solid short game and an excellent putter and those credentials could just pip Matsuyama over the opening 18 holes.
Another of those groups comes in the 4.27pm tee off UK time where Ian Woosnam is surely making up the numbers. He is out with Byeong Hun-An and Troy Merritt and I can’t see him keeping up with them so I have this as a match with the other two.
Usually I’d be all over An. I’m a big fan of his and am always happy to back him at the right opportunities but this isn’t one of them. Helpfully he posted on Twitter earlier in the week warning all fantasy gamers who were thinking of picking him not to bother because he hadn’t hit a shot for a week due to the neck problem which saw him drop out of the Matchplay last month.
If An is injured and Woosnam is making up the numbers that leaves the Quicken Loans National winner Troy Merritt to come through. Merritt has already pinged the lids a few times in 2016 and a solid round here should be enough to see off an unfit An and a Woosnam who will find it tough at this level.
Finally I’m going to go against the grain and side with the par 3 contest champion Jimmy Walker. They say winning that is a curse but four of the last six winners of that competition have shot par or better the following day and at least we know Walker’s irons are dialled in.
Walker is out against Anirban Lahiri, another player of whom I’m a massive fan of, and Soren Kjeldsen. If we take Kjeldsen first he simply isn’t long enough for this course and he doesn’t hole enough putts. Lahiri has a great short game and in time I can see him contending around here but I think it is a year too soon for him.
Walker looked very assured and confident on Wednesday and he opened with 70 here two years ago. A repeat of that should be way too much for his playing partners here.
Tips
Back R.Moore First Round Leader (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 101.00 with Boylesports (1/4 1-5)
Back him here:
PLACED – Back I.Poulter First Round Leader (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 101.00 with Paddy Power (1/5 1-7)
Back him here:
Back S.Bowditch to beat J.Herman for a 3/10 stake at 3.25 with Bet365
Back him here:
Back C.Kirk to beat H.Matsuyama & V.Singh for a 3/10 stake at 3.25 with Unibet
Back him here:
WON – Back T.Merritt to beat B Hun-An & I.Woosnam for a 3/10 stake at 2.45 with Coral
Back him here:
Back J.Walker to beat A.Lahiri & S.Kjeldsen for a 3/10 stake at 2.20 with Betfred
Back him here:
