Ricky Dimon
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Get ready for another long day at The Masters. Following Thursday morning’s deluge, things inched closer and closer toward getting back on schedule throughout what was a pleasant Friday. However, more than a few pairings were unable to complete the second round because of darkness. That means the guys will be back out there early Saturday, with some having as many as 10 holes remaining before they can tee it up again for round three.
As for those who are already in the clubhouse and assured of making the cut, who is looking good to continue the charge into Saturday? Let’s take a look some of the pairings and best head-to-head matchup bets for moving day at Augusta National.
Rickie Fowler (-137) over Danny Willett
Fowler cannot be trusted on Sundays. Willett cannot be trusted period. Advantage: Fowler. The American’s downfall over the years has been folding under pressure coming down the stretch, both in majors and other tournaments alike. But Saturday is the current order of business and that means Fowler should be in for at least one more solid round in August. He went 70-70 on the first two days, leaving him within relative striking distance at 4-under. Willett went low on Friday, following up a 1-under 71 with a 6-under 66. Let’s be honest, though: the 71 is lot more like the real Willett than the 66. The Englishman has pretty much disappeared since winning the Masters in 2016, and his form has been especially poor of late. He did not make it to Sunday in seven out of his previous 11 appearances since golf returned from the coronavirus pandemic (six missed cuts, one withdrawal).
Abraham Ancer (+120) over Cameron Smith
There are currently four players atop the leaderboard at 9-under. Two are expected: Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas. Two are unexpected: Ancer and Smith. That’s not to say their success has come from out of nowhere, but they were not among the pre-tournament favorites to don the green jacket like Johnson and Thomas. Ancer has now made seven consecutive cuts and he was T4 at last month’s Shriners Hospital for Children Open. The Masters rookie is handling this course incredibly well and he should only improve with 36 holes now under his belt. Smith has not finished better than T20 in any of his last nine major appearances.
Patrick Cantlay (-125) over Sungjae Im
Last spring, Cantlay was briefly the solo leader on the back 9 on Sunday before Tiger Woods took over and won The Masters for the fifth time in his illustrious career. Clearly Cantlay’s T9 performance was no fluke, as he is in line to do even better this year. The 10th-ranked American is one shot off the pace thanks to round of 70 and 66. You could have seen this coming, too, because Cantlay just triumphed at the Zozo Championship last week. Im won’t be easy to beat, but the South Korean’s form was not as good as Cantlay’s coming in and he went 66-70 as opposed to 70-66 so he does not have quite as much momentum.
Dustin Johnson vs. Justin Thomas: Tie (+800)
Saturday is moving day at Augusta National and we will try to make a move, ourselves, with a longshot play here. But just because it is a longshot doesn’t mean it is beyond the realm of possibility. They have been neck and neck the whole way en route to their current T1 positions. Johnson fired a first-round 65 to Thomas’ 66, while Thomas carded a 69 on Friday to best Johnson’s 70. Not too surprisingly, two of the top three golfers in the world (Johnson is No. 1; Thomas is third) are doing similar damage to a soft, vulnerable course.
Want more picks and predictions for the 2020 Masters? Check out all our expert previews below:
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- The top 10 players to focus on at the 2020 Masters
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- All the best betting offers to help you win on The Masters
Pickswise is the home of free expert Golf Picks and Predictions. Our outright PGA expert picks go live every Tuesday, so check out our latest golf picks, best bets, and analysis for this week’s PGA tournament now. We will also have our 2020 Masters 3-ball picks and our best golf prop bets for each round of the 2020 Masters.
