Steve Palmer: Tiger Woods's Masters odds plus best bets to make the cut

Steve Palmer's best cut and forecast bets & Tiger Woods analysis for The Masters, which starts on Thursday at Augusta National Golf Club.

When to watch

Sky Sports Main Event and Golf, 2pm Thursday

Best bets

Padraig Harrington to make the cut
3pts 6-5 BoyleSports, Coral, Ladbrokes

Dustin Johnson-Scottie Scheffler dual forecast
1pt 170-1 bet365

Preview

Tiger Woods is a best-price 6-5 to make the cut if he returns to action at Augusta this week - a quote which seems sure to entice his army of fans.

Woods provided an upbeat health bulletin on Tuesday afternoon and said: "As of right now, I'm going to play. I'm going to play nine holes tomorrow. My recovery has been good. I've been very excited about how I've recovered each and every day."

Woods will decide for certain whether to tee up in the Masters on Thursday - giving his body one last fitness test before potentially embarking on his quest for a 16th Major title - and many punters have been unable to resist the lure of the juicy odds against his name for outright glory.

The heaviest liability in bet365's Masters outright book "by miles" is Woods, reported the firm's spokesman Steve Freeth, and those in the betting community who believe Tiger can win another Green Jacket will be bowled over by odds-against offers about him merely qualifying for the weekend.

"We have one monster liability in our Masters book and that is Tiger Woods," said Freeth. "It would certainly be our biggest ever golf payout should he get the job done."

The 6-5 Woods makes the cut is tempting, but not quite generous enough. He is either going to face a cold morning on Friday or a breezy afternoon. After 17 months without competition, round two could be the moment his Masters campaign unravels. His course knowledge, nous and battling qualities might be enough to sneak him through to the weekend, but it is probably not worth the risk at the odds.

Preference at the same price is for Padraig Harrington, who has been rededicating to his game in the wake of Ryder Cup captaincy. He has missed only one of his last seven cuts - by a shot in the Honda Classic - and finished 42nd in a high-class Arnold Palmer Invitational last time out.

The Dustin Johnson-Scottie Scheffler outright dual forecast is worth a small tickle at 170-1.

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