Our golf tips for the first major of the season include each-way bets on a former champion and an improving European.
The 89th edition of the Masters takes place at Augusta National this week with a star-studded 95-player field ready to go all out to win the coveted Green Jacket.
With blooming Azaleas, towering pines and flowering Dogwoods on full show in Georgia, it promises to be another enthralling opening Major of the season.
Rory McIlroy is hoping it’s 11th time lucky in his bid to complete the Grand Slam and he has already won twice on the PGA Tour this season, while defending champion Scottie Scheffler is bidding to become just the second player to win three Masters in a four-year span.
Here are our three golf betting selections for the first major of the year.
Masters tips
Sergio Garcia each-way @ 66/1
Sepp Straka each-way 50/1
Nick Taylor to be top Canadian 3000/1000
Garcia set for more Augusta glory
Sergio Garcia’s game has gone up a gear over the past year and the 2017 Masters champion looks capable of becoming the third Spanish player to win this tournament multiple times.
The 45-year-old won his second LIV title last month in Hong Kong and he warmed up for this Augusta test with a third-placed effort in Miami on Sunday, finishing two shots behind winner Marc Leishman.
Garcia is demonstrating the type of form that helped him win the Green Jacket eight years ago and perhaps his desire to represent Europe again in September’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black is spurring him on.
The Spaniard has already revealed he has spoken to captain Luke Donald about competing and a victory in the opening Major would be hard for the skipper to ignore.
Straka can land maiden Major
One player looking to break his Major duck this week is Sepp Straka, who recorded his best Masters finish last year when taking a share of 16th position.
The Austrian, aiming to become the first player from his country to win a Major, won the American Express in January and his form has been consistent since with one top five, one top 10 and three top-15 finishes from seven starts.
Straka is second in greens in regulation on the PGA Tour and ranks in the top 10 for strokes gained tee-to-green, approach and total, evidence of how well he has been striking the ball.
Taylor to fend off compatriots
With just four Canadian players competing at the Masters, this looks like a good opportunity for Nick Taylor to finish higher up the leaderboard than his three compatriots.
Mike Weir can instantly be dismissed, the 2003 winner is 54 years old and has missed the cut in 12 of his last 14 starts in Georgia, so that leaves Corey Conners, Taylor Pendrith and Taylor.
Conners has been playing well in the build-up, but his last two Masters trips have produced a missed cut and a tied-38th finish, while Pendrith is easily swerved on his Augusta debut.
Therefore, Taylor, who clinched his fifth PGA Tour title at the Sony Open in January, is backed to get the better of his fellow countrymen.
The 36-year-old’s game is in good order and he offers value in the top Canadian market.
