The Masters: special bets at Augusta National

TV: Sky Sports Golf, 7pm Thursday

The watching world would love to see Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods jousting for the Masters title on Sunday – the Grand Slam chaser and the Jack Nicklaus hunter going eyeball to eyeball – and it is an entirely feasible scenario.

Fairytale scripts rarely play out in reality, though, and hard-nosed punters may be rewarded for being less ambitious in their hopes for McIlroy and Woods. The enormous pressure may tell on both if they are contending for the title over the weekend, but a top-20 finish seems well within the compass of the pair, and BoyleSports have chalked up a surprisingly generous even-money about that double.

McIlroy has finished in the top ten in the last five editions of the Masters and is arguably playing the most consistent golf of his career. He should cruise into the top 20, and failure to do so could only be due to a mental issue or bad luck on the evidence of 2019. All seven of his tournaments this year have resulted in top-ten finishes.

Woods remains one of the best iron players in the business and this is the key to slaying Augusta. The four-times Masters champ has finished in the top 20 in four of his five events this year, the other being 30th place at Sawgrass, where he suffered a quadruple-bogey seven at the notorious 17th hole in round two.

At slightly shorter odds, another price which appeals involves a player to make the cut. In a field of just 87, with several pensioners who have no hope of success in attendance, only those who perform abysmally will fail to qualify for the weekend. The top 50 plus ties make the cut, along with anyone within ten shots of the lead.

Aaron Wise is handicapped by the fact he is making his Masters debut, but the super-talented youngster has all the tools to tame the famous Georgia layout. Even though he has struggled to find top gear this year, 5-6 looks generous about such a classy player surviving the Friday-night cull.

Jon Rahm, fourth in the Masters last year, looks a likely title contender, while the ball-striking brilliance of Hideki Matsuyama should see the Japanese ace appear on the leaderboard too. The 425-1 on offer about the Rahm-Matsuyama outright dual forecast is worth a small tickle.

Recommendations
R McIlroy and T Woods top-20 finish
3pts Evens BoyleSports
A Wise to make the cut
2pts 5-6 Betfair, Power
J Rahm-H Matsuyama dual forecast
0.5pt 425-1 Betfair, Paddy Power

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