Tiger Seeks Fifth US Masters Tournament Title
Tiger Woods has every reason to be smiling. Not only did he recently snatch the world number one spot away from Rory McIlroy, but tomorrow (Thursday, April 10) he'll get the chance to compete for his fifth US Masters Tournament title, the first of this year's four golfing majors.
If he wins the four-day stroke play event at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, he'll be just two shy of beating Jack Nicklaus' long-standing US Masters record of seven. However, such is the nature of the sport of golf that anything can happen, and regardless of world ranking or betting favorite status, the best players on the day are the ones that prove triumphant.
That said, rarely has their been a professional golfer whose game seems to get better the more they win than Tiger Woods, which is why he'll attract plenty of betting action over the next few days. Of course, Tiger will still undoubtedly have his work cut our for him considering how strong the rest of the field is.
Masters Tournament Most Prestigious Major
As an invitation only event, many would argue that the Masters Tournament is the most prestigious of the majors, but that depends on who you talk to. What is undeniable though is that the plush green and finely manicured Augusta course is one of the most picturesque and loved in professional golfing circles.
And with a slew of players from all over the world preparing to tee off tomorrow, golfing fans will tune in from all over the globe to watch the action live. In terms of players from Canada, the sole Canadian entrant is Mike Weir, who is no stranger to this auspicious tournament having won it way back in 2003.
As a previous US Masters winner, Weir will have received an automatic invitation to the event. However, he is not expected to be a threat to any of the betting favorites, considering that he has been plagued by injuries over the last few years and only started making a serious comeback in 2012, with mixed results.
McIlroy Knocked Off Top Spot by Woods
Although he was knocked off the top spot in the rankings, the naturally gifted Rory McIlroy is more than capable of winning this tournament, provided he brings along his A-game and maintains his concentration and focus throughout. It is no secret that he can be very inconsistent from tournament to tournament.
But one player that is pretty consistent is Phil Mickelson, who will start as the third favorite behind McIlroy and the world number one in the 2013 US Masters. Then comes the likes of Justin Rose, Dustin Johnson, Charl Schwartzel and the rest of the field - every one dreaming of donning the coveted Green Jacket.
For my Masters Tournament betting buck, though, I believe South African Schwartzel will be the player to beat, so watch this space. Here are the top 20 Masters Tournament betting favorites as posted by leading Canadian sportsbook, Bodog.
US Masters 2013 Winner Odds
Tiger Woods - 3/1
Rory McIlroy - 8/1
Phil Mickelson - 10/1
Justin Rose - 20/1
Dustin Johnson - 22/1
Charl Schwartzel - 25/1
Keegan Bradley - 25/1
Lee Westwood - 25/1
Louis Oosthuizen - 25/1
Adam Scott - 28/1
Brandt Snedeker - 28/1
Bubba Watson - 33/1
Luke Donald - 33/1
Matt Kuchar - 33/1
Hunter Mahan - 40/1
Ian Poulter - 40/1
Sergio Garcia - 40/1
Rickie Fowler - 45/1
Graeme McDowell - 50/1
Jason Day - 50/1
