The Masters

No catch title or clever photo selection this week, we start with parliamentary procedure, as we head to Augusta and The Masters.

The first major of the season, the best major of the season and a fine dining experience, as golf porn has us glued to the TV for 4 straight days, it's just sublime.

We do have an average record in this event, but I do think there are some very strong contenders this week, and we are going for a win, as well as just nicking place money,

Augusta National, Georgia is the most well known golf course on the planet, but recent changes have also made it a huge challenge for the players, and at 7555 Yards, this Par 72 is no longer a course for the accurate, it demands length. Putting is treacherous but strangely, poor putters do fare well here. Charl Schwartzel, Danny Willett, Adam Scott, Angel Cabrera, Matsuyama, all had their issues and Tom Watson, Bubba Watson and Langer all won here twice. You can't be a short hitter, but amongst all else, you have to be able to hit greens. SG Greens in reg, is an obvious stat for any course, but even though players like Patrick Reed managed to chip his way to victory, it isn't the short game that saves you, it's the fact you don't need to go to the well to use it that counts.

We've had rain and lots of it on Monday, but the sub air system at Augusta will suck as much of that out of the greens as they want, so expect some hold Thursday, but moving into the weekend it will fire up, as it will be warm, some light breeze and sun baking it out. They will try and keep these golfing gods to 10 under or worse if they can so expect eagles, birdies, pars, bogeys, doubles and a host of "others" on the cards.

We are doing something different this week, so choose your staking plan wisely, but this will be 50points, as I'm putting up 5 players outright, 1 player first round leader and 1 player for top 20 and 1 player 3rd round leader to give us some variety. Many tipsters will be betting in play, but please give this a wide berth, as only Tiger ever comes back from outside the top 10 on day 1, so value is all but gone after Thursday if the last 25 years are anything to go by. Our picks need a fast start, and we are going with tee to green specialists, and players who are bang in form.

It's a short and obvious start here, but the best player in the world Tee to Green loves it here and COLLIN MORIKAWA has that fade working superbly. His record here is 3rd, 10th, 5th and he has never missed a cut in 5 goes. He has won 2 majors, but he hasn't won since 2023, but given some idiot tried to convince him to hit a draw, the previous 18 months prior to January were a total write off. Many good players do not come back from the changes he tried, but the mental capacity he has shown to get his game back to where it was in 2022, tells me he is ready. He is short, and at 14/1 top 8 with Bet365 he is a live one and we are 9pts e/w.

An interlude from the picks, many of the story lines are focusing just on Scheffler and Rory. Scottie is just exceptional and could win at a canter, but as always his price is a joke. Rory did something at the players he has never done before, and that is play average and win, he looks like the Favourite if it wasn't Augusta, but I do think the ghost of Augusta looms over him, and I worry that the pressure of history is just fated against him, like the US Open was for Phil Mickelson. At 4 and 6/1 respectively I'll leave them well alone, but with a hope Rory can do it, whilst also realising I'll have to watch it on mute if he does.

For some time now, I have been asked the question, who are you picking for the Masters, and every time I have only one answer, as nobody else was on my mind but this guy. ROBERT MCINTYRE may have a game forged from the cold winds of Oban on the West Coast of Scotland, but what has developed are two things which scream Masters winner. His iron play from 150-220 yards is amongst the best in the world, and there will be a litany of shots from that range, so if he can keep his driver on property he will be a live chance. The main reason for his selection, and the main reason for his pending selection for a host of majors, is the Americans are now calling him big shot Bob. Nothing more sums up Bob than that, he does great things at important times, the way he finished at the Renaissance last year, the way he won in Canada, he just does special things when it most matters....on a Sunday. I expect him to be a little off the pace Thursday, but if he can be within 4 or 5 come Saturday then he has a good chance. He's a delicious price with Bet365 and at 45/1 we go 5pts e/w.

Back to Greens in regulation, long iron play and form, we have SEPP STRAKA. Stay tuned for a 2nd market elsewhere, later on, but the big American Austrian has never missed a cut here and although he hasn't contended, he has never been this consistent. His form this season is stellar, with 1 win, 3 top 10s and just 1 missed cut in 10 events. He has no major flaws in his game, he thrived in the Ryder cup 2 years ago and expect a big first 2 days at the very least. At a huge 55/1 with Bet365 I expect a charge, and we go 4pts e/w.

Ten years ago (pre course changes) our next pick would have the game to be perfect for Augusta National, and given that MICHAEL KIM and his hard draw, have had a stellar season, he is worth trying to steal some e/w funds. He has 1 visit here in 2019 which did not go well, but form tells me that 175/1 with Bet365 and that famed right to left shape he is worth 2pts e/w.

Last up it's an insane one, and we are giving up a huge slice of his price for this, but DAVIS RILEY showed form in Houston after a top 10 at the Valspar, enough to make a top 12 finish feasible at the 1st major of the year. This lad had the world at his feet 3 years ago, and despite 2 wins on tour, his game has fallen to pieces. He finished 38th in the players however, and the last 6 weeks have just shown flickers. He was a regular on the blog 3 years ago until I gave up on him, but he's back to somewhere near good, and you can get 275/1 with Bet365 12 places and we throw 1pt e/w on him.

So using different markets I do want to put up Sepp Straka again for 1st round leader. He is a fast starter and has 5 scores of 5 under or better in his 1st rounds in 2025. At 55/1 with Betfred and others he is worth 1pt outright.

A small investment for a top 20 finish next and at 7/1 there is return available for previous winner Danny Willett. Despite back injuries and terrible form, he does come alive in the Georgia sunshine so there is value in 4pts in that market available with most major bookmakers.

Last up for Bet365 they are offering odds on 3rd Round leader. He almost made the play in the outright, but Patrick Cantlay is a sleeper for me, he is crawling closely to form. I don't fancy him to win but I do expect him to contend. His outright odds are poor, but with 4 places, I do like the 30/1 on offer 3rd round leader and 2pts e/w on that, just for some added interest.

Obviously only bet what you can afford to lose, if 50 quid lay out is too big, maybe split the staking plan in half, so half a point where I have put 1 (i.e 50p = 1 pt). This is a week to relish, to enjoy, don't let the punting spoil the experience.