The Masters three-balls: Friday round two preview and best golf bets

Golf betting tips: The Masters round two

2pt double Hodges and Hadwin to win their three-balls at 19/5 (Coral, Ladbrokes, bet365)

2pt double Cantlay and Rahm to win their three-balls at 16/5 (William Hill)

1pt four-fold Hodges, Hadwin, Cantlay and Rahm at 19/1 (Coral, Ladbrokes, bet365)

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Scottie Scheffler has hardened to 6/4 from 5/1 to win the Masters after an ominous, bogey-free 66 that saw him close the gap on leader Bryson DeChambeau to just one shot come the end of the first day, which is not yet the end of the first round.

The world number one rode his luck briefly around Amen Corner, but for the most part it was a perfect demonstration of Scheffler Golf, hitting to the correct side of flags, generally pin-high, and offering very little hope to those hoping to beat him this week.

I certainly can't recall a 6/4 favourite after the first round but it's hard to argue with Scheffler's price. Many in fact will feel that if the question right now is Scheffler versus the field, they'd rather be taking Scheffler. For now, the field remains slightly odds on, every single one of them combined.

DeChambeau was no less impressive and I really liked what I saw. The question DeChambeau still has to answer is whether he can do it for four days around here and the answer may depend on whether the course firms up. With no further rain and plenty of wind on Friday, that's what most of us will hope for, but there's no doubt a continuation of Thursday's softer conditions would help the leader.

My selections didn't go particularly well. Joaquin Niemann and Tony Finau were statistically the two best ball-strikers in the field but, unfortunately, both were hopeless on and around the greens. In Finau's case we can't really complain, for it was part of the bargain at 40/1. In Niemann's, it was one of a few frustrations, including the way Jon Rahm went to pieces having been two-under through eight.

There is a long way to go and if Shane Lowry can nurse it to the clubhouse in level, he'll join Finau and Niemann as part of a large group of players who may yet work their way into this tournament – if Scheffler allows it. He tees off late on Friday night, the spectacle of Masters weekend well under his control, along with just about everything else.

Hodges to beat Meronk and Murray (1300 BST)

We'll kick off the three-ball selections with LEE HODGES, who won this group in round one and can do so again.

Hodges hit the ball brilliantly on his Masters debut, ranking seventh in strokes-gained ball-striking. That he shot a two-over 74 can be put solely down to his short-game, which is usually pretty reliable.

Adrian Meronk was very poor just as he had been a year ago. For now, the Pole clearly has some Augusta lessons to learn and given that softer conditions ought to have favoured him and Grayson Murray over Hodges, the latter's advantage looks significant already.

Throw in the potential for a better scoring day on his part, and Hodges ought to be favourite to double up.

Hadwin to beat Hagestad and Couples (1348 BST)

Stewart Hagestad won this three-ball on Thursday but that helps us squeeze a bit of value out of ADAM HADWIN, who had a rare off-day with the putter and lost by one.

Hadwin is typically among the most assured putters on the PGA Tour so we can expect that to change, whereas Hagestad will do well to lean so heavily on his short-game again, and does not set the bar high. Nor does Fred Couples, who shot 80, putting better than Hadwin.

This is surely a match, between a PGA Tour professional and an amateur, and Hadwin looks a big price at just a hair shorter than evens with several firms. Note that bet365, Coral, Ladbrokes William Hill and Paddy Power are currently offering prices; some choose not to.

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Cantlay to beat Fowler and Lee (1812 BST)

The best bet in the evening has to be PATRICK CANTLAY to again take care of Rickie Fowler and Min Woo Lee.

Prior to round one I'd have been worried by Cantlay's long-game numbers for the season so far, but he went on to lead the field in strokes-gained approach and put such concerns to bed.

Cantlay was on track to rank inside the top five or six before holing out on 17 so this wasn't one freak, holed wedge shot, more consistently excellent approach work in a one-under 71.

Rickie Fowler's ball-striking was worse than everyone bar Couples and amateur Jasper Stubbs. And this was not unexpected: Fowler's long-game has returned to the depths it hit during his sharp fall down the rankings a couple of years ago.

Min Woo Lee, meanwhile, is playing with a broken finger and the flu. He still managed to drive the ball well and we saw Tom Kim defy a bad injury at the Open, but Min Woo's approach play is a worry anyway. Cantlay at odds against rates a fantastic bet.

Rahm to beat Fitzpatrick and Dunlap (1836 BST)

There's an easy case to make against JON RAHM, given that he produced some uncharacteristic mistakes and looked generally disgruntled for much of Thursday's back-nine, but I suspect we'll see a reminder of his class this evening.

Rahm is a proper competitor who will be furious that he ended bogey-bogey to probably shoot himself out of the tournament, especially having been cruising at two-under early on. Sometimes you have to trust instinct over numbers and mine is that he'll restore pride this evening.

I don't mind opposing Matt Fitzpatrick around here, despite a solid record, and Nick Dunlap struggled badly on his debut at Augusta. This should concern the defending champion and Fitzpatrick and the former therefore looks good value at just a shade of odds-on.

Others of note

Given the way Niemann and Finau hit it, some will be tempted to back them to win their respective three-balls, which tee off just before Cantlay's. Niemann at odds-against was strongly considered, but Russell Henley is a very solid benchmark and just not the type I look to oppose.

Ryan Fox edged out Sergio Garcia and comfortably accounted for Chris Kirk, adding a round of 69 to a good Augusta debut last year. Fox is the outsider of three and could make odds of 2/1 appear generous, but while Garcia did lean on his putter, he's an in-form past champion. Kirk meanwhile is a Georgia boy who will be doing everything he can to make the cut.

Posted at 0730 BST on 12/04/24

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