The highly anticipated Masters Week is finally here! This week, we shift our sights onto Augusta National -- in my opinion, the crown jewel of them all -- for the 2021 Masters.
The course has bentgrass greens and measures at about 7,475 yards for a par 72. There are a ton of iconic holes, but nothing tops the Amen Corner stretch of holes 11,12, and 13. Dustin Johnson, the defending champion, comes in as the favorite at +950. Understandably so, as he set a tournament record in 2019.
The field features 88 golfers playing for the iconic green jacket. When it comes to the weather, it’s supposed to be perfect conditions and rain-free, fingers crossed. The track itself is projected to play fast and firm. This year’s event will be a little different than last year, as fans will be allowed back at a limited capacity.
Per Rick Gehman, the two most correlated stats that lead to success at this event are Driving Distance and Strokes Gained: Total. With SG:
When it comes to my betting picks, nothing groundbreaking here, but aside from digging into the data (RickRunGood.com database), I try to look for guys that have had past success at the particular course, value, and players that are trending in the right direction coming into the event.
2021 Masters
Dates: April 8-11
Course: Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia
Watch: ESPN/ CBS
Favorite Prop Bets
Props are a ton of fun to bet on and give us some side action other than just betting outrights to win it all. This event is a spectacle and there are a ton of prop bets available. I’ve gone through them all for you, and present you with my favorite ones.
Will There Be A Hole In One In The Final Round (Yes +125, BetMGM)
Here’s a fun bet to root for. I know this sounds crazy, but a hole in one has happened many times at the Masters, especially on Hole 16. In 2019, both Justin Thomas and Bryson DeChambeau holed aces on the par-3, 16th hole. The pin placement will be nice come Sunday, so I like the + money wager here.
Best Head-to-Head Matchup Play
John Rahm -129 vs. Rory McIlroy Round 1 (Tie no bet)
Rahm is going to be there come Sunday, whereas I’m off of Rory this weekend. With McIlroy being one of my favorite fades for this event, I like Rahm in this spot. Willing to pay a little juice here to get the tie no bet, in case it happens.
Jordan Spieth Top-10 +125
Not a juicy number here, but this seems like a "safe" bet to me. There is no one more in the zone coming into this tournament. He’s on fire when it comes to the key metrics and has had plenty of success at Augusta in the past. He will be in contention come Sunday, but it’s just hard to win tournaments in consecutive weeks. At + money, I like the value here.
Leader after Round 1: Jordan Spieth +1800 & Patrick Reed +3300
For the same reasons mentioned above, I love Spieth in this spot here to lead afte Round 1. I also think 33-1 odds on a former champ in Reed is worth a sprinkle.
Top English Player: Matthew Fitzpatrick +400
I think Fitzpatrick has a real chance to win it all this weekend, so I love the price. He is playing great golf and his Strokes Gained: Total numbers are terrific. He should be able to take down the rest of his fellow Englishmen this week.
There you have it, folks. Good luck this weekend!
* All odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook unless mentioned otherwise.