US Masters 2010,Augusta National

[down6061689194]

Couples EW @ 100/1 ish
Cambell EW @100/1 (last years runner up)
Villegas EW @ 30/1

[Orior]

'arry is 6 over after 7 holes at the Houston Open. Hope he doesnt do that next weekend.

[magickingdom]

harry fairly blew up last nite... pga.com are streaming tigers interview at 7pm tonight if its not on your telly

[Rossie11]

4/1 is a miserable price for Woods. He hasnt won it since 2005 and hasnt played in 6 months.

Laois Lad I know your a Casey fan. This will give you more confidence when backing him this week..

http://www.bettingzone.co.uk/golf/betting/

Paul Casey has had the look of a Masters winner ever since he took to Augusta like a duck to water on debut in 2004.

But prior to last week's event in Houston where he was preparing to defend his title, the Englishman's odds looked cramped with quotes of 20/1 and 25/1 commonplace.

When Casey pulled out through injury I was secretly delighted as it meant two things: he would avoid the stress of defending his title and his odds would likely drift.

And so it's proved.

Casey admitted that he felt tired going into last year's Masters after his win the previous week and with the Houston course set up to play like Augusta it's likely he would have been in contention and under the gun again at Redstone.

Now he is much fresher and, as expected, the injury was something and nothing.

Speaking of the shoulder 'injury', Casey told reporters on Sunday: "It was just because I slept on it awkwardly. I've had lots of treatment and it feels fine now."

In short, nothing has changed and yet we can now back Casey at 33/1.

Although his sixth place on his first start remains his best Augusta finish, he's built a solid bank of Masters form since. He was 10th in 2007 after recovering from a 79 on day one, 11th in 2008 after starting the final round in fourth and 20th last year despite being fatigued by his Houston win the week before.

Time and time again Casey will tell you that his best chance of a major is The Masters and in his current form this could be the year.

Before his Houston withdrawal, Casey had oozed class with a runners-up finish in the WGC Accenture Matchplay, a fourth in the Honda Classic and a sixth in the WGC CA Championship at Doral.

Casey does everything you want from a potential Masters winner and his third place on the US Tour's 2010 All-Around ranking (a measure of all parts of the game) shows just how well the world number six is playing.

With Tiger Woods still feeling his way back and Phil Mickelson struggling for consistency, this is a golden chance for Casey. He has the class to take it.

Previous form at Augusta means more than at most courses in my view and explains why, for example, Steve Flesch has finished sixth and fifth the last two years despite displaying little form elsewhere.

On that basis, I'm drawn to Chad Campbell - the forgotten man of last year's three-way play-off.

Campbell's eventual joint second place finish followed on from a third place at Augusta in 2006 when he was the halfway leader.

"I know I can win it, absolutely," Campbell told Augusta.com recently.

"I like the golf course and feel comfortable on it. I think it helps to be in contention and know what it's like to be up there, to know how to handle things. Hopefully, I won't be up there without winning another time. I'm excited to get back there this year and finish one spot higher."

So why does he do so well there? In short, he hits plenty of greens and does well on the ultra-slick putting surfaces.

Looking at his three good shows in the Masters (last year's second, his third in 2006 and 17th in 2005), he finished 11th, fourth and 16th in greens hit and 10th, 21st and 23rd in putts per round.

Campbell - a four-time US Tour winner - has an underrated short game and this year is ninth in Sand Saves and 24th in Scrambling.

Although his results haven't been great since his eighth place at the Sony Open on his 2010 bow, he's made the top 25 on his last two starts and the most recent of those came in Houston last week where he was fourth in Greens In Regulation.

Despite his excellent course form, he's still flying under the radar and it means we can get 100/1 on the Ryder Cup star. Get stuck in!

When Matt Kuchar first played at Augusta as an amateur in 1998, he won the crowds over with his constant smile and excellent golf.

His 21st-place finish marked him down as a future contender or even winner of The Masters but so far it hasn't worked out that way. Kuchar has only made two visits since (50th and missed cut) and the last of those was way back in 2002.

However, this year he heads to Augusta as one of the hottest players in golf.

In his last 12 US Tour starts (dating back to October) he can boast a win, a second, two thirds and two other top-10s.

Kuchar's last two starts show a third at Doral and an eighth in last week's Houston Open (easily his best finish there) and a look at his 2010 stats shows him first in Birdie Average, second in the All-Around ranking, 17th in Greens In Regulation, 18th in Putting Average and fifth in Scrambling.

One other key point is that his Georgia connections (he went to Georgia Tech) means that his Augusta history doesn't just end in 2002. As an Atlanta resident, Augusta is never far from his mind and he revealed recently: "(Since 2002) I have played casually (at Augusta) many times and have been able to keep up with the changes."

With plenty of support, Kuchar could be smiling his way to victory if he plays as well as he has been and the 90/1 is more than a fair price.

A third American pick is Sean O'Hair at 66/1.

The three-time US Tour winner shot three rounds in the 60s when finishing tied 10th at Augusta last year so was left to rue a second-round 76.

His top 10 added to and improved upon a tied 14th in 2008 so he certainly puts a tick in the course-form box.

His 2010 has been a bit of a disappointment but that's been due to a stress fracture in his forearm which has hampered him.

That would appear seriously off-putting but he said in mid-March that it was "pretty much healed up" and he was starting to hit his driver well.

But it's the knock-on effect of the injury which might serve him well this week. While resting from the range, O'Hair has been able to sharpen up his short game and admits his putting - so often an Achilles heel - is the best he's known it at this time of year. As evidence he's ranked fifth in Putting from 5-15 feet and he'll get plenty of those length putts at Augusta.

O'Hair's 12th place in the current Scrambling stats also highlights his improved short-game play and getting up and down this week is another big key to success.

The signs are there - 21st at Bay Hill and 18th at Doral on the recent Florida swing - that O'Hair is starting to hit form and the 66/1 could prove a very nice price.

Finally, Ryan Moore could prove an interesting contender at 150/1.

Moore enjoyed a sensational amateur career and that earned him two trips to The Masters where he finished 35th in 2003 and tied 13th in 2005 (low amateur).

Injury stopped him returning in 2006 so this is his first appearance at Augusta as a pro.

It's fair to say he can't wait.

Speaking to reporter Todd Miles recently, Moore revealed: "It's the one tournament I look forward to the most every time, every year. This is my favorite major. I honestly have a hard time believing it's not everybody's.

"I really like fast greens - the faster, the better - and that is a big part of it," Moore said. "You don't have to hit putts. I don't have a lot of 'pop' or hands in my stroke, so it works well on faster greens.

"Part of it is the layout and the holes. They look good to me. I can step up and hit shots. It's hard to explain why."

After playing in a practice round with Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Charles Coody in 2005, no wonder he loves this place and having managed 13th as an amateur he has every chance of improving on that as a pro.

Having shaken off his injury problems, Moore is now starting to thrive and at the back end of 2009 finally became a PGA Tour winner.

He's cooled off a little of late but was tied 14th in Phoenix three starts ago and has only missed one cut all season.

The stats show he's driving the ball great (second in Total Driving) and he's also in the top 25 in the Scrambling stats so his game looks a good fit when you add in his liking for slick greens.

Moore has started just six majors as a pro and has madethe top 10 in two of them so can thrive at the very top level and in what looks a wide-open year he could be a dark horse worth investing in.

[Hedley Lamarr]

Thursday and Friday tee times


1240 Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus (honorary starters)

1250 and 1557 Nathan Green (Aus), Heath Slocum, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa)

1301 and 1608 Craig Stadler, John Merrick, Jerry Kelly

1312 and 1619 Ian Woosnam (Gbr), Brian Gay, Marc Leishman (Aus)

1323 and 1630 Bernhard Langer (Ger), Scott Verplank, (x) Brad Benjamin

1334 and 1641 John Senden (Aus), David Toms, Graeme McDowell (Gbr)

1345 and 1652 Mark O'Meara, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa), (x) Nathan Smith

1356 and 1714 Martin Kaymer (Ger), Geoff Ogilvy (Aus), Luke Donald (Gbr)

1407 and 1725 Tom Watson, Tim Clark (Rsa), Steve Marino

1418 and 1736 Bill Haas, Todd Hamilton, Anders Hansen (Den)

1429 and 1747 Dustin Johnson, Oliver Wilson (Gbr), Alvaro Quiros (Spa)

1440 and 1758 Mike Weir (Can), Lee Westwood (Gbr), (x) Matteo Manassero (Ita)

1502 and 1809 Chad Campbell, Francesco Molinari (Ita), Paul Casey (Gbr)

1513 and 1820 Ernie Els (Rsa), Anthony Kim, Ryo Ishikawa (Jpn)

1524 and 1831 Angel Cabrera (Arg), Jim Furyk, (x) Byeong-hun An (Kor)

1535 and 1842 Phil Mickelson, Robert Allenby (Aus), Yong-eun Yang (Kor)

1546 and 1853 Retief Goosen (Rsa), Hunter Mahan, Robert Karlsson (Swe)

1557 and 1250 Ben Crane, Simon Dyson (Gbr), Michael Campbell (Nzl)

1608 and 1301 Larry Mize, Ryan Palmer, Chris Wood (Gbr)

1619 and 1312 Sandy Lyle (Gbr), Justin Leonard, Kevin Na

1630 and 1323 Ben Crenshaw, Steve Flesch, (x) Ben Martin

1641 and 1334 Ryan Moore, Ross Fisher (Gbr), Nick Watney

1652 and 1345 Trevor Immelman (Rsa), Soren Hansen (Den), John Rollins

1714 and 1356 Vijay Singh (Fij), Jason Dufner, Sean O'Hair

1725 and 1407 Thongchai Jaidee (Thai), Ben Curtis, Soren Kjeldsen (Den)

1736 and 1418 Camilo Villegas (Col), Kenny Perry, Rory McIlroy (Gbr)

1747 and 1429 Zach Johnson, Henrik Stenson (Swe), (x) Chang-won Han (Kor)

1758 and 1440 Fred Couples, Sergio Garcia (Spa), Shingo Katayama (Jpn)

1809 and 1502 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa), Edoardo Molinari (Ita), Lucas Glover

1820 and 1513 Charl Schwartzel (Rsa), Stewart Cink, Padraig Harrington (Ire)

1831 and 1524 Yuta Ikeda (Jpn), Ian Poulter (Gbr), Steve Stricker

1842 and 1535 Tiger Woods, Matt Kuchar, KJ Choi (Kor)

1853 and 1546 Adam Scott (Aus), David Duval, Ricky Barnes

[The Real Laoislad]

Mcilroy said on Sky Sports he wants to make the step up and win the Masters as it's been so long since a British player won it.....that's nice of him

[sammymaguire]

and I thought Rory was one of us... 

[phpearse]

Rory seems to have a split personality when it comes to these things. British when asked about such things on Sky but Irish state side. Just seems to play to the audience. I remember him playing in the Ireland youth and interpro teams and he had his tricolour on his bag and shoes.

What about the Maguire twins from Sean Quinn's part of the world. Leona has just won her second French U21 title at the age of 15 and is tipped to be in the Curtis Cup team this year.

[sammymaguire]

Graeme McDowell tends to start well in these big comps, good guy to trade on if you use the betting exchanges currently trading at 149/1 on betfair, IF he had a decent first round, this could go to 50's easily enough - worth £20 anyway I reckon

A couple of others worth noting, Kevin Na a dark horse yank that has the power to get around Augusta 210/1, and is Luke Donald ever gonna come good in any of the Majors? 110s   

[Minder]

and I thought Rory was one of us... 

Is he shite, but some on here will tell you he is.........

[heganboy]

and I thought Rory was one of us... 

Is he shite, but some on here will tell you he is.........

wtf? relevance?

[stephenite]

The Aussies are talking up Allenby as their biggest hope - but his sometimes wayward putting will rule him out at Augusta I think, even if it has improved.

Would like to see Westwood win it if none of the Irish manage it.

Ryan Moore would be a good outside tip for a silly tenner. 5am starts for me from tomorrow morning to watch it live and I can't wait

[Hedley Lamarr]

The Aussies are talking up Allenby as their biggest hope - but his sometimes wayward putting will rule him out at Augusta I think, even if it has improved.

Would like to see Westwood win it if none of the Irish manage it.

Ryan Moore would be a good outside tip for a silly tenner. 5am starts for me from tomorrow morning to watch it live and I can't wait

Adam Scott has the game if his head is right.

[gerrykeegan]

I'm bringing the wife away for a romantic weekend (as in a weekend away from the kids!) I haven't the heart to tell her about the golf, it's going to be tough on her.

[The Real Laoislad]

I'm bringing the wife away for a romantic weekend (as in a weekend away from the kids!) I haven't the heart to tell her about the golf, it's going to be tough on her.

I told my woman last night that if she wanted to move home to her parents until next Monday it would probably be for the best. Champions League last night and tonight, Liverpool on tomorrow, Golf from Thursday to Sunday and Real Madrid v Barcelona on Saturday oh and I'm also playing Golf Friday afternoon... I do feel bad for her a it's her birthday on Saturday but sure what ya gonna do? It's just unfortunate for her really isn't it