The Masters 2024 – Preview & Betting Tips

The Masters 2024 – Event Overview

Dates: Apr 11–14, 2024, Augusta National Golf Course, Augusta USA

The Masters is one of the world’s four major golf events. It is the first major event of the year, as well as the only one on the circuit hosted at the same location each year: Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.

The course is the most picturesque and well-maintained piece of golfing land in the world, yet Alister Mackenzie’s design presents a highly specialised challenge that pushes players to their limits.

Augusta National, playing to a par 72 and spanning 7,535 yards, feels even longer due to a number of uphill holes and the grain of the fairways pointing back towards the tee boxes, meaning length is a significant advantage. The course remains largely forested, with each hole named after a flower, plant, or tree. Over the next seven days, I’m sure we’ll hear plenty about this.

Researching course history, current form, and key statistics is crucial for any golf event, but it’s especially vital for the Masters. This course is one of the most predictable year after year. Course history is more important than anywhere else since it is the only major played at the same venue each year and against a similar strength of field. The same statistical areas are important each year, and we cover that in our skill sets required section.

Understanding the course, knowing how to play the holes, and where to position shots are critical for success at Augusta. Familiarity with the greens is also vital, which is why players with less experience on the course typically do not perform as well. How will some of today’s rising stars like Ludvig Åberg, Wyndham Clark, and Jake Knapp fare under the serenity of Augusta National? While longer hitters have an advantage, it’s not all about distance here in Georgia. Precise ball striking, quality iron play in general—with particular attention to long iron approaches—and putting are the keys to winning. The bentgrass greens are lightning-fast, with run-off areas and slopes, placing a real premium on short-game skills. Players like Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed, and Spieth all have excellent short games.

This is the ultimate test of ball striking, ensuring that approaches land on the correct tier and provide more opportunities for birdies—the ultimate second-shot golf course.

The first major of the year is upon us in a matter of days. There’s so much to cover, but in short, we’re looking for a player who is an elite-level ball striker who can control their ball flight and shot shape, with a great short game, and who brings their flat stick to the table. Let’s dive into the stats and trends as we try to unveil the first Major champion of 2024.

Event & Course Details

Course & Tournament Information

• Course: Augusta National Golf Club
• Date: April 11 – April 14, 2023
• Par: 72 / Yardage 7,535
• Fairways/Rough: Ryegrass
• Greens: Bentgrass
• Defending champ: Jon Rahm

Key Skill Sets Required

1. Mental Discipline – Yes, ball striking is of paramount importance here at Augusta National, but the skill with club in hand is only part of the battle that faces the players at The Masters. This test requires patience and precision. The fact that players regularly shoot 73 and then 65 on the same golf course demonstrates the risk and reward nature of this track. Making the right choice is as important as sinking the right putts. This course can lure you into being more aggressive and taking on what appear to be easy pin placements, only to find players recording bogeys or worse on the scorecard. Players who have donned the Green Jacket in recent years have a tremendous golf IQ, think Woods, Spieth, Rahm, DJ, and Hideki.

2. SG T2G – Without a doubt, T2G (Tee to Green) performance is the most critical factor this week for all the players. The relentless nature of Augusta National puts pressure on almost every shot, from the tee to the final putt. When building your portfolio, pay attention to players who have been dominating from tee to green over the past few months and arrive in good form. This is not the place to suddenly find your game.

3. SG Approach Play – 150 – 200 yards – Augusta National is known for being a second-shot golf course. The greatest Iron player of all time, Tiger Woods, with 5 victories here, demonstrates that fact. Iron play from 150 yards out or further is of key importance here at The Masters, with the majority of shots coming from this range, whether that be attacking the long par 4s or par 5s. Around 40% of all shots will come from this key range. The successful player come Sunday evening will have dominated with long irons in hand.

4. SG Around The Green/Scrambling – Small, undulating greens which are super-fast mean that the ball will be repelled from all these pin positions constantly throughout the week. This in turn will mean lots of shots in and around the green complexes. Getting up and down for par and protecting the scorecard is of key importance. The player who is comfortable around the green can be more aggressive when the opportunity presents itself, knowing they are confident in their short game if their execution is off slightly. 10 of the last 13 winners ranked in the top 10 for scrambling on the week, and each of the last 3, with the course getting longer and longer, scrambling becomes ever more important.

5. Par 4 Scoring 450 + – A lot of talk about dominating the par fives this week which, of course, is important; however, it’s the par 4 scoring that will separate the players from the field this week. The second hardest course all year for Par 4 scoring, let’s have a look at why. 9 of the 10 par 4s register at over 440 yards on the scorecard, so I want to pay particular attention to players who thrive on demanding tracks with long pars 4s. Look for players who have been excelling with their par 4 scoring averages coming into the event over the past few months. This has often been a key indicator of success here at Augusta National.

The Masters 2024 – Best Outsiders to consider

1. Sahith Theegala 75/1 Matchbook – 45/1 high street

• 9^th here on debut last year shows he can cope with the big occasion, not many finish in the top 10 on debut.
• He arrives here with 3 top 10s in his last 5 starts, all without having his A game.
• A superb shot shaper who can vary his ball flight and trajectory with ease.
• Ranks in the top 20 SG off the tee.
• Ranks in the top 20 for birdies made over the past 36 rounds on tour.
• Ranks in the top 20 for Par 4 scoring on long par 4s over 440 yards in length of which there are 9 each day this week.
• His price is too big considering his pedigree at the track and he comes here in nice form.

2. Cam Young 75/1 Matchbook 50/1 high street

• A player without a PGA Tour win to his name, so call me insane for thinking he can win the Masters.
• 4 top-10 finishes in his last 7 major championships, show he has the mentality and skill set for the big occasions.
• 7^th here last year on only his second attempt.
• 3 top 10 finishes in his last 6 starts worldwide.
• Gained strokes with his approach play in each of the last 6 events showing his long iron game is firing.
• 2^nd in SG approach play over the past 24 rounds on tour.
• Top 5 player on long and demanding par 4 of over 450 yards of which there are 9 each day this week.
• A natural drawer of the ball from the tee should open up some scoring opportunities, combined with his consistent iron plat and the mentality he has shown in majors so far in his career mean odds of 45/1 8 places and 75/1 win only are too big to overlook.

The Masters 2024 – Best Outright Picks

1. Hideki Matsuyama 24/1 Matchbook – 18/1 high street

• Hideki arrives in superb form with consistent doubt about his fitness but looking at he game if he is carrying any injury, he hiding it well right now, maybe that’s an omen, Scottie recently got the job done with an injured neck and only last week Bhatia dislocated his shoulder on the 72nd hole before claiming victory on the 1^ST playoff whole.
• He has a green jacket to his name already something that is sure to free him up if in contention come Sunday.
• 4 top 20 finishes in his last 4 Masters appearances, 8 top 20s in his career here show his undoubted liking for the course in fact no course on tour will set up as well for Hideki.
• A winner 3 starts back at the Genesis and a top 10 last week in Houston shows the game is trending right now.
• 5^th in Par 4 scoring over the last 36 rounds on tour.
• 5^th SG approach play the last 36 rounds on tour.
• 4^th SG around the green the last 36 rounds on tour.
• An elite-level short game and scrambling skills ranking combined with a deadly long iron game, make him a must-bet at the top of the market for me this week.

2. Xander Schauffele 20/1 Matchbook – 18/1 high street

• Best-placed 2^nd here in 2019 followed by a 3^RD place in 2021 shows his liking for the track.
• He has a proven track record of improving his play at major championships, he gained half a stroke round more per round than at standard PGA tour events.
• Xander loves the big stage 8 TOP 20 finishes in a row in Major Competitions.
• 6 top-10 finishes in his last 8 events tell you where his game is right now and coming into Augusta in form is a must.
• Gained strokes with approach play in 24 of his last 25 events.
• Gained strokes around the green vs field in each of his last 12 events.
• Top 10 player in the world on long and demanding Par 4s.

3. Shane Lowry 60/1 Matchbook – 40/1 high street

• Best placed 3^RD here in 2022.
• Arrives here in good form with a recent 3^RD at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
• A player who has proven he can do it under the most intense circumstances when winning a Major in his own country of Ireland.
• An underrated ball-striker whose stats are better than what meets the eye, his long iron game has improved significantly since he won his last major.
• Ranked 4^th SG approach play over the last 50 rounds on tour to demonstrate his iron prowess.
• Ranked 11^th SG Total over the last 50 rounds.
• Ranked in the top 10 for Par 4 scoring and again in the top 10 for long par 4’s 450 -500 yards.
• He has the all-round game to contend at Augusta National, a proven winner who can do it under pressure arriving with the game in good order his chances are better than the market suggests.

4. Big Tony 60/1 Matchbook 40/1 high street

• A player who arrives with 4 wins to his name over the past 20 months.
• 3 top 10 finishes at this event in the past. Best placed 5^th 2019
• A game that sets up well for the test, super long off the tee and deadly with his irons right now.
• Gained strokes on approach play in each of his 12 of his last 13 events.
• The flat stick is warmer than many think, gaining strokes in 3 of his last 4 events.
• He arrives here with a game in good shape, mentally he has to be in a good place after the last 2 years. Proven at the venue and with many of the players at the top of world golf struggling with their game this could be TONY TIME.

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