The Masters: Steve Palmer's second-round tips, best odds and leaderboard

Sky Sports Golf Red Button, 4.30pm Friday

Story so far

American powerhouses are dominating the Masters leaderboard after round one at Augusta, with Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka taking command of proceedings.

The Ryder Cup duo, 33-1 and 25-1 respectively in the pre-tournament betting, are tied at six under par after carding afternoon rounds of 66.

DeChambeau (3.42pm UK and Ireland time) and Koepka (4.04pm) will both tee off early in round two expecting to forge clear in front. DeChambeau has shortened to 7-1, while Koepka, winner of three of the last six Majors he has entered, has become 9-2 favourite.

Dustin Johnson, who was second in the betting at 12-1, has been cut to 13-2 after a 68 left the world number two in a tie for fourth place. Three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson is one shot better off, alone in third spot.

Justin Harding, Adam Scott and Jon Rahm set the early clubhouse lead at three under, before being swamped by high-class late starters. DeChambeau, putting predominantly with the flagstick in this season, birdied six of his final seven holes, while Koepka carded a bogey-free five-under-par back-nine.

With proven champions in pole position, anyone off to a slow start has a mountain to climb, and several big names require serious fireworks to haul themselves back into the picture.

The well-fancied Paul Casey is surely doomed after opening with an 81, while Jordan Spieth and Justin Rose have severely dented their title hopes after 75s. That duo can take inspiration from Rahm, who contended last year despite a Thursday 75, but Spieth is 200-1 from 25-1 and Rose is 125-1 from 14-1.

Hideki Matsuyama also opened with a 75 to leave his hopes of becoming Japan's first Major champion hanging by a thread, while Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas were disappointed with their 73s. Pre-tournament 8-1 favourite McIlroy is 22-1 to recover from his poor start and finally claim a Green Jacket.

The Masters first-round leaderboard

-6 Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka
-5 Phil Mickelson
-4 Ian Poulter, Dustin Johnson
-3 Justin Harding, Adam Scott, Jon Rahm, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Kevin Kisner

Selected others
-2 Tiger Woods, Rickie Fowler, Francesco Molinari, Jason Day
Par Bubba Watson
+1 Sergio Garcia, Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas
+3 Hideki Matsuyama, Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth
+9 Paul Casey

Best odds

9-2 B Koepka, 13-2 D Johnson, 7 B DeChambeau, 12 J Rahm, 14 P Mickelson, T Woods, 16 R Fowler, 22 R McIlroy, F Molinari, 25 I Poulter, A Scott, 33 T Fleetwood, 40 K Kisner, 45 J Day, 66 bar.

• Steve Palmer's A-Z guide to the field

Second-round tips

No player since 2005 has won the Masters after finishing the first round outside of the top ten, so in-running punters who like trends and statistics will already have narrowed their list of potential champions down to ten names.

The chances of that stat being bolstered are particularly strong this time, given the quality on the leaderboard. Bryson DeChambeau has become a prolific US Tour champion, Brooks Koepka always seems to find his A-game in time for Majors, while Dustin Johnson has finished in the top ten in his last three Masters starts and may finally be ready to make a serious tilt for the Green Jacket.

Phil Mickelson, for all his Augusta knowledge and success, may struggle to live with the three young bombers around him on the board over the next three days. The 48-year-old, along with Ian Poulter, Justin Harding, Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Kevin Kisner are the easiest to overlook when it comes to assessing the best bet of the current top ten.

• Hole-by-hole course guide to Augusta National Golf Club

Jon Rahm and Adam Scott are still well in the hunt, but DeChambeau, Koepka and Johnson seem likely to be immense hurdles to leap.

One name for in-running punters to consider who is outside of the top ten is the last man to have overcome the handicap of a slow start at Augusta. The three times that Woods has opened with a 70 at Augusta, he has won the title, including his last Masters triumph 14 years ago.He is traditionally slow from the blocks in this Major.

Woods, who oozed control from tee to green in round one and would have been right in the thick of things with a warmer putter, is four shots behind and a 14-1 chance.

Second-round threeball punters should attempt to get a winner on the board early with Patton Kizzire in the opening match (1.30pm). The Georgia-based Kizzire crushed his playing partners by three shots (Sandy Lyle) and six (Michael Kim) in round one, and a repeat success seems highly likely. Lyle is past it and Kim has been in woeful form.

With Jason Day carrying a back injury, DeChambeau and Johnson appear extremely likely to boss the 3.42pm threeball again. DeChambeau is taking advantage of the fact he has been putting with the flagstick in all season – a more significant edge at Augusta than anywhere else – and his comfort on the greens means he can outscore Johnson for the second day running.

Si-Woo Kim, like Day, is playing through an injury, and the Korean can be opposed in the 5.10pm threeball. Veteran Fred Couples may find reverse gear on day two, so trust JB Holmes to take charge of the group.

And punters looking for a value outsider are pointed towards Viktor Hovland (6.16pm), the amateur sensation who opened with a hugely respectable 72.

That was enough to tie with Webb Simpson in his threeball and beat Patrick Reed by a shot. Both Americans look easily beatable and the Norwegian youngster should be more comfortable with a round under his belt.

There is a storm threat for the start and finish of the day, with cloudy, warm conditions in between and light to moderate breezes.

Threeball recommendations
P Kizzire
3pts 8-11 general
B DeChambeau
2pts 9-4 Coral, Ladbrokes
JB Holmes
2pts 6-4 Coral, Ladbrokes
V Hovland
1pt 7-2 Coral, Ladbrokes

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