All the best golfers in the world will be in Augusta, Georgia, for the 2010 Masters as golf’s first major tees off, Thursday April 8-11. Seven of the top 15 players in the world ranking have won this year and will all be looking for a green Jacket. Last year’s winner was Angel Cabrera. PGA oddsmakers at BODOG.com have Tiger Woods as 4/1 odds favorite to win the 2010 Masters. Let’s take a look at who can be a definite contender heading into this week. Get in on the action and get your Masters 2010 Predictions in early at BODOG.com
Ernie Els ended two years without a victory by winning his second World Golf Championship title, and then made it two in a row with a victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. That made Els the first player in 2010 with multiple U.S. PGA Tour victories, and a big favorite at the Masters. After finishing no worse than sixth from 2000-2004 (including a pair of seconds), Els has missed his last three cuts at Augusta. So having two wins will boast his confidence in a big way and with all eyes on Tiger, Ernie can stay under the radar until final round Sunday.
Tiger Woods will be looking for his fifth green jacket if he can stay focused and get the win. He hasn’t played competitive golf since he won at the Australian Masters, in mid November. But it is Tiger Woods we’re talking about. His last Masters win was in 2005 and after that he’s come damn close. In 2006 he finished T3, in 2007 T2, in 2008 T2 and 2009 T6. He knows where to hit every shot, he knows every hole, bump and undulation there is on the course. The only thing that can be Tigers undoing will be rust. He hasn’t played competitive golf and playing practice rounds isn’t the same. If he is to pull off a win fans will take him back with open arms.
Anthony Kim won so convincingly at the 2010 Shell Houston Open that he’s red hot heading into the Masters. Kim couldn’t do wrong, even though he was wayward with his drives. If he missed the fairway he still put it feet from the hole on his approach shot. He made putt after putt no matter how far. The Shell Open is made to be as close as to Augusta National as possible. If he can carry his hot putting and outrageous approve shots he’ll be a contender Sunday.
Phil Mickelson is struggling this season having gone winless. He has had just one top-10 finish in seven starts and for the first time since 2003. He played last week’s Shell Houston Open where he finished a dismal 35th. While it didn’t earn him a sizable check, it gave him much-needed momentum heading into the season's first major. They try to make the Shell Open green’s as close as possible to Augusta National. Phil won his first green jacket back in 2004 and then a second in 2006. In 2007 he finished T24, in 2008 T5 and 2009 fifth. He has to been on top of his driving, Mickelson said. "I hit driver at every hole at Augusta except for one”. He has a great short game and can putt, if everything comes together Phil can have a third green jacket.
Steve Stricker won the Northern Trust Open so convincingly in February; it was his fourth PGA Tour victory in his last 15 starts, the highest rate of winning this side of Tiger Woods. It was enough for Stricker to be considered among the best players who haven’t won a major, and with his pure putting stroke, he should be a contender at the Masters.
2010 Masters Odds:
Tiger Woods 4/1
Phil Mickelson 10/1
Ernie Els 11/1
Padraig Harrington 16/1
Steve Stricker 20/1
Paul Casey 28/1
Retief Goosen 22/1
Lee Westwood 20/1
Jim Furyk 28/1
Martin Kaymer 33/1
Rory McIlroy 40/1
Geoff Ogilvy 33/1
Ian Poulter 28/1
Camilo Villegas 33/1
Dustin Johnson 40/1
Anthony Kim 25/1
Hunter Mahan 40/1
Vijay Singh 50/1
Henrik Stenson 40/1
Nick Watney 40/1
Robert Allenby 50/1
Angel Cabrera 50/1
K.J. Choi 50/1
Ross Fisher 50/1
Sergio Garcia 40/1
Sean O'Hair 50/1
Charl Schwartzel 40/1
Chad Campbell 66/1
Luke Donald 66/1
Zach Johnson 66/1
Graeme McDowell 66/1
Alvaro Quiros 66/1
Mike Weir 66/1
Stewart Cink 80/1
Tim Clark 80/1
Fred Couples 50/1
Lucas Glover 80/1
Robert Karlsson 80/1
Matt Kuchar 80/1
Kenny Perry 80/1
Rory Sabbatini 80/1
Adam Scott 80/1
Boo Weekley 80/1
Brian Gay 100/1
Justin Leonard 100/1
Francesco Molinari 100/1
Andres Romero 100/1
Y-E Yang 100/1
Stephen Ames 125/1
Ben Curtis 125/1
Bill Haas 125/1
Soren Hansen 125/1
Ryo Ishikawa 125/1
Miguel Angel Jimenez 125/1
Soren Kjeldsen 125/1
Steve Marino 125/1
Ryan Moore 125/1
David Toms 125/1
Oliver Wilson 125/1
Chris Wood 125/1
Ben Crane 150/1
David Duval 150/1
Simon Dyson 150/1
Anders Hansen 150/1
Trevor Immelman 150/1
Thongchai Jaidee 150/1
Jerry Kelly 150/1
Kevin Na 150/1
John Rollins 150/1
John Senden 150/1
Scott Verplank 150/1
Steve Flesch 150/1
Marc Leishman 175/1
John Merrick 175/1
Ryan Palmer 175/1
Ricky Barnes 175/1
Jason Dufner 200/1
Nathan Green 200/1
Chang Won Han 200/1
Yuta Ikeda 200/1
Shingo Katayama 200/1
Bernhard Langer 200/1
Heath Slocum 200/1
Nathan Smith 200/1
Matteo Manassero 250/1
Tom Watson 250/1
The Field (Any Other Golfer) 25/1
2010 Masters
When: Thursday April 8, 2009 7:30 AM ET
Line: BODOG.com
Pick: Anthony Kim 25/1
Point-Spreads.com Masters 2010 Predictions
The Bottom Line: Ernie Els or Anthony Kim. Get in on the action and get your Masters 2010 Predictions in early at BODOG.com and receive a 10% Deposit Bonus and start winning today!
