Expect the big names to cruise into The Masters weekend

Sky Sports Golf/Main Event, 7pm Thursday
Tournament starts at 1.30pm

Making the cut in the Masters is an absolute doddle for an elite player in any sort of form, and punters studying the huge raft of Augusta specials should concentrate on siding with world-class talent to be around for the weekend.

The top 50 plus ties will progress to the third round, as well as anyone within ten shots of the lead. There are only 87 players in the field and if nobody shoots clear at the top of the leaderboard through 36 holes, only a small percentage of the runners will miss the cut.

With ten decrepit former champions in attendance, along with 16 debutants, a decent player has to perform appallingly to end up without weekend employment.

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Jeremy Chapman's verdict

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Top Amateur & Debutant

Of course, it does happen, and nothing can be taken for granted in the grand old game of golf, but three wagers appeal on quality operators making smooth passage to Saturday.

Charl Schwartzel, Masters champion in 2011 and third last year, should be much shorter than 1-2 to make the cut.

The South African has one of the finest swings in golf and rarely misses cuts as a result. He linked up with a fantastic caddie in Ricci Roberts at the start of the year and it would be a shock should the pair not find a way of progressing through two rounds.

The modern punter has ways of requesting prices through Twitter – most bookmakers list 'your-odds' options for big events these days – and some members of the betting community have wisely focused on cut-making.

Coral and Ladbrokes – in the #Yourcall section for Coral and in the #GetAPrice section for Ladbrokes – offer 10-11 about Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Jon Rahm all making the cut. That is a more than fair offer about four of the biggest names in the sport safely negotiating the halfway axe.

Course guide

Player guide part one

Player guide part two

The Masters quiz

Slightly less appealing at the same price, but still worthwhile, is Johnson, McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia to all make the cut. That offer is with Betway in their #betyourway section.

The layers are obviously hoping for one or two of the stars to flop, but it is much more likely that they all tee up on Saturday.

Recommendations
C Schwartzel to make the cut
4pts 1-2 bet365
D Johnson, R McIlroy, J Thomas & J Rahm to make the cut
3pts 10-11 Coral, Ladbrokes
D Johnson, R McIlroy, P Mickelson, T Woods & S Garcia to make the cut
2pts 10-11 Betway

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