Ricky Dimon
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Well, Thursday sure was fun. Not only was it Day 1 of the Masters but it was also Opening Day in Major League Baseball. Obviously we are only discussing the golf in this particular piece, and there is more than enough to talk about following a Thursday that most definitely did not disappoint. There were some low rounds, plenty of big numbers, the leaderboard is bunched up and Tiger Woods is in contention. Yes, Tiger Woods is in contention. It’s already shaping up to be a fun weekend in Augusta, but before that we have to get through Friday.
With that, it’s time to dive into some of the best 3-ball bets for round 2 of the year’s first major.
Tiger Woods (+250) over Louis Oosthuizen and Joaquin Niemann
+250? Seriously? Did the oddsmakers watch what happened in round 1? Tiger worked his way around the golf course like the 5-time champion that he is, carding a 1-under 71 by making some clutch par saves and making sure his misses were in the right spots. If not for a terrible bogey on the par-5 8th, he could have been at 2-under or 3-under. Meanwhile, Oosthuizen struggled to a 4-over 76 and appeared to be dealing with a back issue in the process. Nothing about that bodes well moving forward. Niemann may be tough to beat, but keep in mind that his 3-under 69 was aided by a hole-out for eagle on the par-4 9th. That’s a 2-shot swing right there. I have Niemann beating Oosthuizen as 1 of my best 2-ball bets of the day, but that pick doesn’t conflict with this one. I think Tiger can beat both of them. At this price, it’s a bet that should not be passed up.
Scottie Scheffler (+110) over Adam Scott and Tony Finau
I hammered Scheffler in this same matchup at the exact same price on Thursday. That could not have worked out better, as the new #1 player in the world fired a 3-under 69 compared to Scott’s 74 and Finau’s 71. I am going right back to the well on Friday, especially considering you can still get this at the same +110 number. The only advantage Scott and Finau have over Scheffler is experience around Augusta National, and it stands to reason that such an edge gets smaller with each passing round. Every 18-hole stretch should help Scheffler more than it does the 2 veterans. The red-hot American may play even better on Friday. Keep in mind that the conditions will be windier and more difficult, which generally caters to the very best players. Scheffler is among them; Scott and Finau most definitely aren’t these days.
Erik Van Rooyen (+150) over Cameron Champ and Lucas Glover
This pick may not be as exciting as the others, but I like it a lot. Van Rooyen has made the cut in 9 of his last 10 events and I expect him to make it 10 of 11 as he currently sits T31 at 1-over. That isn’t spectacular, but it’s solid. Champ’s even-par 72 is a good score, but he won’t be happy with it after being 2-under through 14. Although Glover also finished at even, I’m not too worried about him. In 8 previous Masters appearances, the 2009 U.S. Open winner has never placed better than T20. Since 2007 he has never been better than T36.
Head over to our Masters 2022 hub for everything you need to know about the big major!
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