Steve Palmer's Masters specials preview, best bets, free golf tips

Golf tips, best bets and player analysis for The Masters at Augusta National, Georgia.

Where to watch

Live on Sky Sports Main Event and Golf from 12.30pm Thursday

Best bets

Bubba Watson top former winner
3pts 7-2 general

Paul Casey top Englishman
1pt 15-2 Betfair

Hideki Matsuyama top Asian
1pt 7-5 Power

Rory McIlroy-Justin Thomas dual forecast
1pt 100-1 Betway

Masters preview

Bubba Watson carries high hopes of completing a Masters hat-trick this week and the enigmatic left-hander could go close to following up his 2012 and 2014 Augusta triumphs with a 2020 success.

Even if younger, classier players eventually get the better of Watson over 72 holes, there is every reason to believe he can end up as the top former Masters champion. Patrick Reed has not been hitting his ball with as much authority as he did in the build-up to his 2018 Masters victory, while Tiger Woods has shown nothing this year, and Adam Scott is short of a gallop having teed up only five times post-lockdown.

Jordan Spieth started well but faded quickly in Houston last week, while Phil Mickelson has been abysmal on the PGA Tour from the US PGA Championship onwards. Watson, seventh in the CJ Cup before fourth spot in the Zozo Championship, has been hugely impressive from tee to green and can enjoy himself at Augusta again. He was fifth in 2018 and 12th last year.

The top Englishman section may be won by Paul Casey, who has always had great affection for Augusta since finishing sixth on his debut in 2004. Seven further top-20s in the Masters have followed, including a 6-4-6 burst of form from 2015 through 2017.

Casey, tied for second in the US PGA in August, has not found top gear since, but the experienced Augusta campaigner looks the value option against Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood and the rest of the English raiders.

Punters happy to take shorter odds may want to consider Hideki Matsuyama for top Asian at a shade of odds-against. Matsuyama tied for second in the Houston Open on Sunday to give himself a timely pre-Masters injection of confidence.

Matsuyama can usually be relied upon to produce rock-solid iron-play, which is the key to success in the Masters, and Augusta form figures of 5-7-11-19-32 reflect his comfort at the Cathedral of Pines. In a weak section, the Japanese star can oblige favourite-backers.

Abel Gallegos is a tempting outsider in the top amateur market - the Argentinian could be the new Angel Cabrera - but Yuxin Lin is making his second Masters appearance and that experience may edge the favourite home.

Instead, try a speculative dual-forecast investment on Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas. Juicy three-figure prices are available about McIlroy and Thomas finishing first or second in either order on Sunday.

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