Masters 2022: 10 Bets I’ve Made

The Masters is finally here, and what a week it will be for golf betting. 

Tiger Woods, who seems very likely to tee it up in an official PGA Tour tournament for the first time since his accident, is the talk of the week not only in the golf world but the sports world in general. 

The 46-year-old has pre-tournament Masters odds of +5000 and has plenty of Masters prop bets specific to him. 

In addition to prop bets, there are plenty of other ways to bet on the tournament.

Prior to Thursday’s first round, odds to win the Masters are worth looking at, as well as tournament matchups between players. Then once the tournament gets going, taking a peek at live Masters odds is always fun. 

Here are 10 bets I have made before Thursday.

Tiger Woods to Make Cut: +115

While many are betting Woods to win the tournament outright – he’s the biggest liability at the BetMGM online sportsbook with 12.4% of the tickets and 14.8% of the handle as of Wednesday – I am taking a different route. 

Betting on Woods to win the tournament, or even finish in the top 10 or 20, means he needs to put together four solid days and make it through 72 holes. In order to make the cut, it’s just two decent days and ultimately being better than 40 players in the field. 

Right off the bat, Woods will likely be better than the six amateurs and many of the returning champions. So, can Woods be better than roughly two dozen players over two days? I like my chances.

Not to mention he’s never missed a cut at Augusta National as a professional in 21 appearances.

Tiger Woods believes he can win a sixth Green Jacket this week. #themasters pic.twitter.com/WHjD4BcOcx

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 5, 2022

Will Zalatoris to Win: +3300

Some regard the 25-year-old as the best player on the PGA Tour who has yet to win. And what better place to get that first win than at the Masters.

Zalatoris had a terrific debut at the event last year, finishing runner-up to Hideki Matsuyama. I am looking at him to follow in Jordan Spieth’s footsteps. Spieth was the runner-up in his Masters debut (2014), and then he won the following year.

Zalatoris’ weakness has always been his putting, but he made a tweak in this area recently and putted much better at the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play a few weeks ago. 

Jordan Spieth to Finish Top 5: +400

It’s tough to go against Spieth at Augusta National.

The 28-year-old has played in the event eight times and has finished top 5 in five of them, including winning in 2015 and a T-3 a year ago. Not many players know the course as well as Spieth does, and that is always a key to playing well.

In terms of recent form, Spieth is coming off a T-35 at the Valero Texas Open, but in his final-round 67, he gained 6.31 strokes ball-striking – his personal best for his entire career in that category.

Cameron Smith to Finish Top 10: +140

Not many players in the field have a better course history than the Australian. 

Smith has made the cut in all five of his tries and has three top-10s, including a T-2 in 2020. His wedge game is among the best on the PGA Tour, and that is a very handy tool at Augusta National.

The 28-year-old is coming off a win at the Players Championship in his last start, so instead of betting on him to win back-to-back events, I’ll play it a little safe and settle for a top-10 finish.

Collin Morikawa to Finish Top 10: +190

Morikawa, who has two major championship wins at the age of 25, is severely undervalued this week with golf odds of +2200.

But, instead of picking him to win, I’ll go with him to finish in the top 10 at +190.

He doesn’t have the greatest track record at Augusta – his best finish being a T-18 in two chances – but this being his third Masters appearance, he’s much more familiar with the course. 

Morikawa is too good of an all-around player not to have success here. He also has six top-10 finishes in his last eight starts overall.

Justin Rose to Finish Top 20: +200

The 41-year-old loves Augusta National.

Rose has six top-10 finishes in 16 appearances, and he’s finished inside the top 20 in six of the last eight years. 

While he has two missed cuts in his last three events overall, +200 is great value for a player who has enjoyed the success that he has at this event.

He might also be a nice play to be the first-round leader. Last year he opened with a 65 to hold or share the overnight first-round lead for a fourth time, tying Jack Nicklaus for the Masters record.

Bryson DeChambeau to Miss Cut: +130

DeChambeau probably shouldn’t be playing in the tournament because of hand and hip injuries. 

After not playing for two months, he returned to golf action the last two weeks but was one of the worst finishers at the WGC Dell Technologies World Match Play and then missed the cut at the Valero Texas Open last week (73-76).

He also doesn’t have a great track record at Augusta. Although he’s made the cut in all five of his appearances, his best finish was a T-21 all the way back in 2016. At plus-money, it feels like a good play to fade DeChambeau.

Bryson DeChambeau is focused on battling back ahead of his sixth Masters start. #themasters pic.twitter.com/xJsGc5S4Ip

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 5, 2022

Patrick Reed Over Tommy Fleetwood: +115

The 2018 Masters champion doesn’t come into the event in the best of forms – no top 25s in seven tournaments overall – but his record at Augusta National is hard to ignore. 

Reed has two straight top-10 finishes and has made the cut in six of his last seven Masters.

Meanwhile, Fleetwood doesn’t have a great history at Augusta. 

While he’s made the cut in four of five tries, his best finish is a T-17 in 2018. His recent form is OK, but not great – no top-15 finishes this calendar year on the PGA Tour.

Justin Rose Over Gary Woodland: -125

I already noted Rose’s terrific history at Augusta National, and that is the opposite of Woodland.

In 10 starts, Woodland’s best finish was a T-24 back in 2011. That also includes missed cuts in four of his last six appearances. 

Woodland does have back-to-back top-25 finishes on the PGA Tour entering the week, but it’s clear Augusta does not fit his eye.

Cameron Smith Over Scottie Scheffler: -110

These are the two hottest players on the PGA Tour coming into the week, but there may be better value in backing Smith because of his course history over Scheffler. 

And that’s not to say Scheffler has been bad at Augusta – a T-18 and a T-19 in two tries – it’s just hard to match Smith’s three top-10 in five appearances.

This is also Scheffler’s first tournament as the world’s No. 1 ranked player, which may come with some added pressure.