Ricky Dimon
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What a day we have in the sports world on Thursday. Not only is it Opening Day in Major League Baseball, but it is also round one of the Masters. And to say it should be an exciting Masters would be a gross understatement. A whole host of top contenders are part of a deep and balanced field, and even Tiger Woods is ready to make his comeback and tee it up on the hallowed grounds of Augusta National.
With that, it’s time to dive into some of the best 3-ball bets for the first day of the season’s first major.
Jordan Spieth (+200) over Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland
I have both Spieth and Hovland winning majors in my four-leg mega parlay for all four of the 2022 golf majors – albeit not in Augusta. That duo, along with Schauffele, make up what is arguably the best group for the first 2 rounds of the Masters. When you can get Spieth as a considerable underdog at +200, it’s an opportunity you have to take. The 28-year-old American is a former champion (2015) and he would have donned the Green Jacket again in 2016 if not for a Sunday collapse on the par-3 12th. Three of Spieth’s opening-round scores at Augusta National are 64, 66 and 66. I’m worried about Hovland’s short game on this course and Schauffele’s form is solid but unspectacular. Spieth has a good chance.
Scottie Scheffler (+110) over Adam Scott and Tony Finau
Scheffler is the new No. 1 player in the world and the distinction is well-deserved. He is without question the best player on tour right now. The 25-year-old American has less Masters experience than Finau and obviously way less than Scott, but the early returns are encouraging. Scheffler has placed in the top 20 in each of his 2 previous appearances and those came when he was nowhere near the golfer he is now. Scott is in decent form, but 4 of his last 6 opening-round scores at the Masters have been 74 or worse. Finau has missed 3 of his last 5 cuts and has not finished in the top 28 of a tournament since the first week of January.
Be sure to check out our full Masters 2022 preview, including a +1400 best bet!
Cameron Young (+100) over Min Woo Lee and Hudson Swafford
Our new Pickswise golf analyst, Diane Knox Balas, is high on Young this week and why not? The 24-year-old American has surged into the top 50 of the world golf rankings thanks to a pair of runner-up finishes this season, including at Riviera. Distance is always key at Augusta National and Young is one of the biggest hitters in the game. Being a rookie at the Masters is never easy, but the Wake Forest product’s learning curve may not be steep. Lee has also never played in Augusta and Swafford has made just 2 Masters appearances. Neither Lee nor Swafford has ever made the cut at a major championship. This threesome sets up great for Young.
Head over to our Masters 2022 hub for everything you need to know about the big major!
Pickswise brings you the best free expert Masters Picks and Masters Predictions across all of the top golf betting markets. Be sure to check out our Masters Best Bets page for those 3-star plays.
