Steve Palmer's Masters final-round preview, best bets, free golf betting tips

Free golf tips, best bets and analysis for the final round of the Masters at Augusta National on Sunday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event and Golf, 7pm Sunday

Best bets

Scottie Scheffler-Cameron Smith forecast
3pts 4-5 BoyleSports

Viktor Hovland to win 6.10pm twoball
3pts 9-10 BoyleSports

Will Zalatoris to win 6.30pm twoball
3pts 5-6 Betfred

Jon Rahm to win 3.50pm twoball
3pts 8-15 bet365, Betfred, BoyleSports

Collin Morikawa under 71.5 final round
2pts 21-20 BoyleSports

Justin Thomas under 71.5 final round
2pts 9-10 BoyleSports

Cameron Smith under 72.5 final round
2pts 8-11 BoyleSports

Story so far

Scottie Scheffler's Masters lead was reduced from five shots to three in the third round at Augusta, but his odds were also cut as he got closer to the 72nd-hole finishing line - the world number one has been trimmed from evens to 1-2 after his Saturday 71.

In general, round three was a positive one for Scheffler - carding his third consecutive under-par round of the week was a great effort given the pressure, cool temperatures and troubling breeze - and the pacesetter avoided a potentially big number at the 18th hole to stay in control going into Sunday's finale.

Scheffler pulled his drive into serious strife at the final hole of round three and needed to take a drop, but a magnificent third shot got him back into decent position and a mere bogey went on the scorecard. The leader headed to the clubhouse a relieved man.

Cameron Smith is alone is second place - the Players Championship victor gaining three shots on Scheffler with a 68. Smith, who was the only player in the field to card in the 60s on Saturday, is a best-price 11-4 for the Green Jacket.

Sungjae Im, who tied with Smith for second place behind Dustin Johnson in the 2020 Masters, is alone in third spot. There is a two-shot gap between Im and those in fourth place, so the field has been strung out through 54 holes.

Scheffler and Smith tee off in the final twoball at 7.40pm UK and Ireland time. The weather is set to improve for the final round - and the more generous Sunday pin positions will be in play - so scoring should be better. Temperatures should reach 22C and hardly any breeze is forecast.

If a playoff is required, it will be sudden-death, starting at the 18th and moving to the tenth if necessary, repeating until a champion is identified.

Leaderboard
-9 Scottie Scheffler
-6 Cameron Smith
-4 Sungjae Im
-2 Shane Lowry, Charl Schwartzel
-1 Justin Thomas, Corey Conners

Best prices
1-2 S Scheffler, 11-4 C Smith, 16 S Im, 50 S Lowry, 66 J Thomas, 175 bar

Final-round preview

Scottie Scheffler, seeking to win his fourth title in six starts, appears to possess the strength of character to become a Major champion at Augusta and claim the coveted Green Jacket.

How the leader reacted amid the huge adversity of the 54th hole bode extremely well for his chances of Sunday success. Scheffler kept his cool remarkably well as he assessed the damage of his wild drive, then recovered with two magnificent shots - his third and fourth - before strutting to the clubhouse and delivering an interview full of composure and wisdom.

Scheffler behaves a lot older than a typical 25-year-old and he refused to let his Saturday interviewer draw him into the romance of the Jacket quest, simply explaining how he is trying to "execute golf shots". He has done a wonderful job of staying in the moment through three rounds - and that approach can form the basis of a glorious Sunday.

Scheffler struggled with his swing in round three - the first time this week he has shown some vulnerability - but his scrambling has been incredible. After a post-round range session on Saturday to rediscover his groove, the world number one can approach the denouement with confidence.

The better weather should result in several scores in the 60s, so there is potential for surges from deep on the board, but there are hardly any threats to Scheffler if he produces something close to his best. There appears every chance this could quickly turn into a duel between Scheffler and Cameron Smith.

Sungjae Im is arguably under more pressure than anyone. The South Korean knows that a Green Jacket could have deeper consequences for him. Im still has two years of mandatory military service for his country ahead of him. An Olympic medal is the only official way of avoiding this, but the South Korean government has the power to grant special exemptions for outstanding achievements. Im must have a suspicion that if he becomes the first Korean to win the Masters, his country's government may allow him to avoid military service.

From five shots behind Scheffler, Im has a mountain to climb regardless of whether he can get his head around the enormity of the carrot. BoyleSports are offering a price-boost 4-5 about the Scheffler and Smith straight forecast - and that seems a bargain. It appears by far the most likely result.

Scheffler was a Racing Post Sport pre-tournament recommendation at 16-1 and some cover on Smith at 11-4 may appeal to cautious punters. The Sawgrass champion has a fantastic temperament and is well capable of making life difficult for the leader. Scheffler can be fancied to use his three-shot buffer to get over the line in front, but it would be a surprise if Smith went down without a serious fight.

Final-round twoball punters are advised to oppose ailing golfers. Tiger Woods has done superbly to overcome 17 months away from competition and make the cut, but the physical battle of this mission has started to tell. Woods has surely got precious little left in the tank - and world number two Jon Rahm seems a rock-solid 8-13 investment to beat Woods in round four.

Hideki Matsuyama, labouring with neck issues, was ragged in round three and can be opposed in round four with Viktor Hovland, while Webb Simpson, who has also had neck problems in the Masters build-up, can be taken on with Will Zalatoris.

Smith, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas can all be expected to finish with a flourish in the better weather. All can be supported in the over-under round-four-score market with BoyleSports.

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