Our best bets for the first major of the golf season include a long-awaited Masters victory for Rory McIlroy and a tough week for Justin Thomas.
The first Major of the season takes place this week with 89 players set to battle it out in the 88th edition of the Masters at Augusta National.
Spaniard Jon Rahm claimed the spoils last year and he is 11/1 to become the first player since Tiger Woods in 2002 to successfully defend the title, while Rory McIlroy is 10/1 to complete the Grand Slam at the 10th time of asking.
But all the attention is seemingly on 2022 winner Scottie Scheffler, who has been in red-hot form this season with two wins to his name and is the 4/1 favourite to have the Green Jacket slipped onto his shoulders for a second time.
Selections
Rory McIlroy to win and each-way 1000/1
Tony Finau to win and each-way 9998/1
Justin Thomas to miss the cut /
McIlroy to join elite club
Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Gene Sarazen are the five players to have achieved the Modern Grand Slam but a sixth name could be added to that list come Sunday evening, that being none other than McIlroy.
The Northern Irishman has had nine failed attempts to win the full set of Majors but he looks to have a great chance heading into the 2024 edition and that wait for the coveted Green Jacket may finally be over this week.
McIlroy has a victory to his name this year, triumphing at the Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour, and after some lacklustre performances on the PGA Tour, he sought the help of legendary coach Butch Harmon.
Whatever was discussed during the four-hour meeting is already paying dividends, with the 34-year-old four-time Major winner finishing third at last week’s Texas Open on his only start since chatting with Harmon.
McIlroy looks to have ironed out the issues he had with his swing and it would be a huge surprise if he didn’t contend at Augusta, a course where he has a runners-up finish, three top-five results and three top-10s from 15 appearances.
American eyeing Major breakthrough
Tony Finau also boasts a solid record at Augusta with one top-five and two top-10 finishes from six attempts, and his recent form suggests he could have a real crack at winning his first Major.
The American tied for second at the Houston Open on his most recent start and that was a confidence-boosting display, given the fact he had missed the cut the week before that at the Valspar Championship.
Finau has performed well from tee-to-green this season, an area of his game that has always been strong, and any improvement with the putter should see him right in the mix.
Augusta woe for JT
There were positive signs for Justin Thomas from the end of 2023 and into the start of 2024, with four top-five finishes in a row and a T6 at Pebble Beach suggesting he was back to his best.
However, the American has hit another lull of late with two missed cuts and a tied-64th result from his last four appearances and there are issues that need to be fixed.
Thomas also decided to split with caddie Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay just eight days before the Masters and there looks to be every chance he could miss the weekend’s action in Georgia, just like he did 12 months ago.
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