Golf betting tips: Expert Picks for the Masters at Augusta National
Sporting Life's team of experts and some special guests provide their insight and best bets from the Masters side-markets.
Will Zalatoris for a top-10 finish
Matt Cooper is a golf journalist and long-time Sporting Life contributor who previews the women's majors for the website and provides tips for multiple tours for and others.
After finishing second at Riviera and fourth at Bay Hill the beanpole American was asked why he is such a fine fit for major championships. “They’re just hard and I love hard golf courses,” he said. “I embrace them. You can’t fake it. My ball striking... playing on really tough greens, it only favours me.”
The numbers back him up, especially in America. Since turning pro, he’s recorded six top-10s in seven starts and at Augusta National itself he was second as a rookie in 2021 then tied sixth in 2022, before injury kept him out of last year's tournament.
There’s a concern that he missed the cut at Sawgrass and was only T74 in Houston, but without those blips we wouldn’t have 7/2 on offer. I also like the potential for a good story. On April 8, 2023 he was under the surgeon’s knife and a year later, to the day, he was back at Augusta playing nine holes with Tiger Woods, discussing rehab and recovery.
Thorbjorn Olesen for a top-20 finish
Tom Jacobs is the host of the and also provides tips and previews for Oddschecker.
Thorbjorn Olesen finished sixth here at Augusta on debut, despite opening with a 78 on Thursday. He climbed from 82nd right into the frame by finishing with rounds of 70-68-68, and I could see a similar result upon his return, with perhaps less volatility this time around.
It’s hard to ignore that it’s been a while since his 21st place finish here in 2019, but I think the Dane is ready to enjoy Augusta again having reestablished himself as one of the best players in Europe over the past couple of seasons.
A perfect 3/3 for made cuts, even when he was a lowly 44th he was inside the top 30 going into the weekend, so he’s had a shot at a top-20 finish on all three Masters starts.
One short last time, Olesen can build on his 14th place finish last week in decent company, where he again bounced backed from a slow start to sit in and around the top 10 for the rest of the week, showing good signs with his irons and his short-game
A winner in each of the past two seasons, Olesen can once again mix it on the biggest stage at a course he really enjoys.
Conners to beat Lee and Scott to beat Fowler
David Bieleski is a golf analyst for who provides weekly betting previews and selections.
Corey Conners compiled a run of 10-8-6 at the Masters from the November 2020 event and it is easy to see why the course fits. The perennially classy ball-striker is one of the best in the game with his irons and enters the event as the third best for strokes-gained approach over the past six months.
He is particularly strong on approach from 150-200 yards, a range that sees a disproportionate number of approach shots played at Augusta National. In contrast, Min Woo Lee can struggle with that facet of his game and ranks just 67th over the same timeframe in this field of 89.
He has lost on approach in both his Masters starts, finishing 14th on debut largely thanks to sitting third in the field for putting that week. Conners also holds the best recent form with four top-25s whereas Min Woo has gone off the boil since contending for the Cognizant Classic.
The Adam Scott over Rickie Fowler portion is as much about what the latter hasn’t done as it is anything else.
Unfortunately, Fowler looks like he is firmly back in the doldrums. Since the start of the year, he has played nine times, missed three cuts, and finished no better than 35th. He has not played in the Masters since the November 2020 event and may well struggle on his return.
Masters champion in 2013, Scott is also a two-time winner at the heavily correlated Riviera Country Club where he finished 19th earlier this year. He finished seventh at the Dubai Desert Classic, a tournament that both Danny Willett and Sergio Garcia won the same year they slipped on the Green Jacket.
Although Scott’s form has cooled somewhat from the superb run he was on either side of the New Year, he should have the measure of Fowler here.
If you don’t have access to these particular match-ups via bet365, I do like the look of Scott for top Australian and Conners for top Canadian. The double is 9/1 with Sky Bet.
Patrick Reed for a top-10 finish
Former Sky Sports Golf editor Dave Tindall is a regular contributor to and various other publications.
While larking about in LIV Golf events was never going to get the best out of a player who thrives on serious competition and confrontation, it's interesting to see that Reed's performances have picked up (fourth and ninth on his last two LIV starts) ahead of his annual trip to Augusta.
It's probably no coincidence given that the same thing happened last year.
Reed's brilliant Masters win in 2018 is one of four top-10s there in the last six years, including a tied fourth 12 months ago, so 6/1 for another looks tremendous value.
Phil Mickelson to be the top senior
Martin Mathews is a golf tipster who provides weekly betting previews for the PGA Tour via his own , and major previews for Paddy Power.
Putting up an odds-on shot as the ‘best bet’ may seem a bit of a cop out, however at 4/5 Mickelson in the top senior market really does look as good a sure thing as you are likely to come across this week and the odds look more than generous, with some 8/11 and 4/6 around, too.
In the absence of the evergreen Bernhard Langer, three of Lefty’s four opponents in this market, Vijay Singh, Mike Weir and Jose-Maria Olazabal, have managed three cuts between them in their last 21 combined Masters starts, while none have made the cut in the last two years.
That leaves us with Fred Couples, who did make the weekend last year before finishing 50th but had failed to do so in his previous four visits, and always comes with a health warning given his persistent physical issues.
Compare those records to Lefty and we are only 12 months removed from a memorable Sunday charge which saw him finish second, while he has made the weekend on his last six visits.
Granted, time waits for no man and Mickelson is of course nowhere near the player he once was, however nothing gets his juices flowing like a trip down Magnolia Lane and a sixth place finish three starts ago on the LIV Golf tour shows us there is still some decent golf in there.
Win a £500 golf voucher in our Masters giveaway
Throughout the week of the Masters, we're giving you the chance to win ‘The Golf Gift Card’ worth £500.
One lucky winner will be able to treat themselves to the latest golf gear, play at hundreds of great courses across the UK, and even book lessons with their local PGA professional.
To enter, simply login and answer the question below before the closing date of 10am on Monday April 15 and one person will be drawn at random from all correct answers.
The competition is for Sporting Life members only, so if you do not have an account you can join for FREE by clicking the button above.
Masters competition: Key terms and conditions
- 18+
- Sporting Life account required
- One entry per person
- Eligibility restrictions apply
- Further T&Cs apply
Christo Lamprecht to be the top amateur
Ben Coley is Sporting Life's golf columnist and tipster.
CHRISTO LAMPRECHT can justify favouritism and lead the way among the amateurs.
The giant South African captured the Georgia Cup at the weekend, beating recent PGA Tour winner Nick Dunlap in a rare battle of amateur and professional for what is a prestigious title.
That ought to be a huge confidence boost to Lamprecht, whose experience near the top of the Open leaderboard last July will also stand him in good stead. So will his power, the practise he's had with veteran Stewart Cink, and what looks like a sharp short-game, too.
But the key might just be that while the market gives loads of respect to experienced mid-am, Stewart Hagestad, presumably because he's played in the Masters twice before, Augusta will not be new to Lamprecht. He goes to college at Georgia Tech and has played a handful of rounds here as one of the associated perks.
That handy course knowledge and raw power, combined with the fact he is simply the best amateur golfer in the tournament, make him look a rock-solid bet at around the 2/1 mark.
The Masters: More Sporting Life content
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at and .
MOST READ
Next Off
Fixtures & Results
