MASTERS THREAD - GOLF

HunterST_BFC · Post by **HunterST_BFC** » Tue Apr 04, 2017 12:33 am

Really looking forward to this.

Difficult to predict the winner - 1st round draw / weather etc etc will play a part for sure.

What are your thoughts? Winner you see?
Top 5 etc. etc. etc?

happyclaret17 · Post by **happyclaret17** » Tue Apr 04, 2017 12:58 am

one of the bookies is paying out if your golfer leads in any round...another is paying 8 places.
I think the way that Spieth putts he should be included in bets....has had his driving problems and that par 3 last year will forever haunt him...( and me )...,8/1 is fair enough without being great value....I think mcilroy is rarely value and not sure dustin johnsons fade off the tee will be ideal.
bottom line...spieth could and perhaps should have won by 3 or 4 last year and he is 8/1.
perhaps the best sporting spectacle of the year...the colours on that course are amazing...looking forward to it.

ayrshireclaret83 · Post by **ayrshireclaret83** » Tue Apr 04, 2017 6:50 am

Speith is the man for agusta outsider Tom Pieters for me

HatfieldClaret · Post by **HatfieldClaret** » Tue Apr 04, 2017 6:55 am

Just hope the weather improves or everyone may kick the odds into the rough.

TVC15 · Post by **TVC15** » Tue Apr 04, 2017 8:22 am

The Masters is in the main not a tournament that outsiders / long shots win. Last year was an exception - and but for a freakish collapse by Speith he would have won it pretty easily. He went into the back 9 five shots ahead and had been leading the tournament from the first round.

Using a range of statistics and form you can usually narrow most golf fields down from 150 to 10 or maximum 15 players In trying to find the winner.

I think this years Masters has more chance of a long shot than recent years. DJ could easily run away with it the way he is playing but up until the last 6 months did not have the short game to win at Augusta. It would be no suprise if he won it - but equally no surprise if he missed the cut. 5/1 in a major is far too short to back in my view in most golf events but especially at Augusta.

8s for Speith and Mclroy is also too short given the problems both have had in the last 12 or 18 months. Speith's from the tee has been very poor for the last year - he has had major problems with hitting fairways. His putting is however sublime and one of the best I have ever seen....it's a big if that he can sort out his driving but if he can then nobody can touch him on the greens.

Mclroy has played well this year - he's hitting it miles and straight but the one question mark over his game continues to be his putting and Augusta is the last course in the world you can afford to be struggling on the greens.

My tips would be :
John Rham - though 20s is too short for a rookie. He does have the game to win it and this guy is a future star.
Mickleson - 28/1. Having a good season / seems to have overcome his back issues. One of the most talented golfers in the history of the game and loves Augusta.
Justin Rose - 25s. Coming back to a bit of form and has the class and game to win a Masters.

Longer shots for small each way bets (SkyBet first 8 places at a quarter odds is a great offer)

Berger - 80s
Fitzpatrick - 66s. Having a good season and madd a great debut at Augusta last year
Hatton - 50s. Been excellent in the majors
Grillo - 125s
Pieters - 66s. Really like this guy.

I love Augusta - one of the best sporting events of the year.

Good Luck

happyclaret17 · Post by **happyclaret17** » Tue Apr 04, 2017 8:29 am

good point about the weather....those texans like playing in the wind...if it blows then perhaps check out a few of those for top twenty finish at fancy prices...in fact if it blows then forget all the leaders...it will be wide open.

happyclaret17 · Post by **happyclaret17** » Tue Apr 04, 2017 8:34 am

tvc15
if you fancy rose then check out that bookie paying out if you lead on any round...rose usually a quick starter which is always factored into the first round leader market....if he could putt half as good as spieth he would have a glut of majors by now...think perhaps the us open more his bag where scoring likely to be near par because tee to green there arent many better are there.

TVC15 · Post by **TVC15** » Tue Apr 04, 2017 8:45 am

Cheers Happy - I don't think I will be backing Rose as you are right about his putting. He' just seems to be coming into this season in better shape than the last 2 or 3 years and happier with his game.

The US Open definitely lends itself more to his game for sure.

For Augusta I would just put him in the 10 or so golfers who I think can win it and his odds are not ridiculously short like the 3 market leaders.

It seems easier this year to go through the top players and find a big reason to not back them !!

My record in finding winners at the majors is very good. Willet was one of the outsiders I backed last year. Stenson was also my main bet for the Open. I also had DJ for the US Open

In the last 5 years since I have been studying the stats I have backed at least 50% of the major winners.

That's absolutely no guarantee that any of my selections win this year !!

The Enclosure · Post by **The Enclosure** » Tue Apr 04, 2017 8:50 am

Think Ricky Fowler has a really good chance this year...and as an outside bet for best Brit I will go with Tommy Fleetwood.

Darnhill Claret · Post by **Darnhill Claret** » Tue Apr 04, 2017 12:14 pm

I usually back about 6 each week and quite often have the winner, but for some reason I'm going 1 selection only, Rickie Fowler EW @ 22/1, first 8. He's continuing to improve in my eyes, he plays well at Augusta and has shown good form recently. Hope he can challenge for the green jacket but if not he must have a great chance of helping me show a profit.

Others I like are Matsuyama, Rahm, Johnson, Spieth, Thomas and Berger.

Top Brit I'd throw a few darts, low stakes. Fleetwood, Wood, Sullivan, Fitzpatrick, Hatton.

jdrobbo · Post by **jdrobbo** » Tue Apr 04, 2017 1:35 pm

Brandon Grace
Loouis Oosthuizen
Jon Rahm

Better Call Saul · Post by **Better Call Saul** » Tue Apr 04, 2017 1:52 pm

I would love to see Sergio Garcia as a major winner and wouldn't rule him out for the Masters.
My dark horse is England's Paul Casey.

HunterST_BFC · Post by **HunterST_BFC** » Fri Apr 07, 2017 12:10 am

Some Great Choices Above.

Day 1 just about done there has been some impressive stuff.
Rose / Garcia / infact anyone level or better, has had a very good day.
More scores to land but for me Westwood showed very well today. A Good start for a few already.

Some others mentioned above struggled more.
Pin positions and weather play a big part day 2.
Some will have to try and "gun it" and some will think that "safer" is the way.
Expect some big names to fall short, miss the cut.

Day 2 is always good -

minnieclaret · Post by **minnieclaret** » Fri Apr 07, 2017 7:28 am

Spieths lucky number is not 9. Another 4 shots blown on 1 hole. Watch out for Shane Lowry

Cheshireclaret · Post by **Cheshireclaret** » Fri Apr 07, 2017 8:44 am

I backed Willet last year and was chuffed to bits! This year I've backed Henley, Lowry and Fleetwood although the latter surprisingly had a shocker yesterday and is realistically out of the running already at +6.

For the first year in a few I've not backed Matsuyama because he was at 18/1 and I'm not betting huge sums. I therefore expected this to assist him in winning the thing but thankfully not!

TVC15 · Post by **TVC15** » Fri Apr 07, 2017 11:41 am

Tough conditions yesterday - Willet started awfully but came back really well to play probably his best round in any tournament since winning at Augusta last year.

So many players double bogeyed the last hole.

Amen Corner was playing as hard as always - the sensible experienced players just try and get through these 3 holes in par or dropping a single shot.

Spieth's 9 was incredible - he played really well but for that one hole so would not rule him out.

Great to see 3 legends of the game put in great rounds - Ernie Els, Freddy Couples and Bernhard Langer.

It happens almost every year that a couple of the senior players do well in the first couple of rounds as experience and know how of the course is massive at Augusta.

You could have got 300/1 on any of these being first round leader....which each way is still a very tasty price. They probably won't have the stamina to last the distance but I did have Couples at 150s about 6 or 7 years ago and he finished 5th. He was leading up to the last round and his back started playing up....not surprising these guys are in their 60s !!

ian · Post by **ian** » Fri Apr 07, 2017 7:04 pm

had a quid E/W on the Hoff earlier in the week, he must have found out because he's a bit jittery today

HunterST_BFC · Post by **HunterST_BFC** » Sat Apr 08, 2017 11:42 pm

Day 3
Rose being solid.
Spieth strong - (has anyone ever won with a 9 in the 4 rounds?)
I wish Garcia would drop those shorts one's on the green as if he was playing with a mate... The inches between his ears are the issue - A real "Major" issue. It kills his scores.
Fowler has the best game (still has 2 to play at the mo' round 3)

Day 4 is a shoot out - hard to call winner.
Weather looks tame also.

If someone strings a good front 9 it's possible.
Place your bets / or just enjoy!

TVC15 · Post by **TVC15** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 12:02 am

Gonna be a great spectacle tomorrow - so tight at the top and Fowler, Garcia, Rose and Speith all playing great golf.

Impossible to choose the winner - would love it to be Garcia to break his major duck.

Rose would be great for GB....and I like Ricky Fowler

Financially Speith would have me quids in !!!

HunterST_BFC · Post by **HunterST_BFC** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 12:10 am

TVC15 wrote:Gonna be a great spectacle tomorrow - so tight at the top and Fowler, Garcia, Rose and Speith all playing great golf.

Impossible to choose the winner - would love it to be Garcia to break his major duck.

Rose would be great for GB....and I like Ricky Fowler

Financially Speith would have me quits in !!!

Have to agree but Spieth never quits

Sergio needs to go back to basics putting wise - it's in his head. Love him to win one though.
Rose winning would further validate the Olympic win that many belittled.

Got a feeling Fowler may take it.

USC · Post by **USC** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 1:09 am

Great day of golf. Tomorrow is set up perfectly with several in contention - Sergio/Rose winning would be great. Hope Westwood has a good final round too.

Buxtonclaret · Post by **Buxtonclaret** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 9:22 pm

Love to see Sergio win this. (On Seve's birthday too)
Building up nicely.
One of the great sporting occasions.

happyclaret17 · Post by **happyclaret17** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 9:30 pm

I am liking Rose from here ....with Sergio having to take all the pressure in the lead I can see Rose mugging him on the back 9...going to be a few twists and turns yet though.

Quickenthetempo · Post by **Quickenthetempo** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 9:39 pm

I backed Thomas Pieters to come in the top 8 which would be good.

Would love to see Garcia win it or Rose for being English

PaintYorkClaretnBlue · Post by **PaintYorkClaretnBlue** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 9:40 pm

I've got Paul Casey ew at 50/1 with skybet, hope he can keep a place!!

Winstonswhite · Post by **Winstonswhite** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 9:41 pm

Another vote for Garcia here. It's shaping up for a tight finish though!

Buxtonclaret · Post by **Buxtonclaret** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 9:44 pm

happyclaret17 wrote:I am liking Rose from here ....with Sergio having to take all the pressure in the lead I can see Rose mugging him on the back 9...going to be a few twists and turns yet though.

You could well be right, Happyclaret.
Sergio's putting has let him down before.
Still love him to chalk that first Major up though.

Buxtonclaret · Post by **Buxtonclaret** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 9:45 pm

PaintYorkClaretnBlue wrote:I've got Paul Casey ew at 50/1 with skybet, hope he can keep a place!!

That's looking a good bet!

MACCA · Post by **MACCA** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 9:49 pm

Rose Is my bet.

Had him to win by 2, when 2 behind Garcia.

Has Garcia got the bottle?

HunterST_BFC · Post by **HunterST_BFC** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 10:24 pm

Kucher !!!

What a guy!

Holes in one at the masters - celebrates - picks the ball out keeps walking , signs it and hands it to a kid!

Nice.

Buxtonclaret · Post by **Buxtonclaret** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:19 pm

Gripping stuff this!
Sergio ain't going away!
Great birdie there.

Dazzler · Post by **Dazzler** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:22 pm

Anyone but a yank

What a shot by Sergio

TheFamilyCat · Post by **TheFamilyCat** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:24 pm

How slow are Sergio and Rose playing? Pretty much 2 holes behind Speith and Fowler. I've known fourballs of Grandads get round Marsden Park quicker.

Great shot by Sergio there though.

Buxtonclaret · Post by **Buxtonclaret** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:27 pm

Get in!!
Eagle!

Amazing this.

HunterST_BFC · Post by **HunterST_BFC** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:28 pm

TheFamilyCat wrote:How slow are Sergio and Rose playing? Pretty much 2 holes behind Speith and Fowler. I've known fourballs of Grandads get round Marsden Park quicker.
Great shot by Sergio there though.

That ruling and faffing took an age with the Garcia drop.
He does take an age on shots too.

SG EAGLE - JR BIRDIE
Awesome golf!
Could go to a playoff...

Buxtonclaret · Post by **Buxtonclaret** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:31 pm

What a Tee shot to follow that Eagle too!
And Rose follows up with a brilliant reply..

Dazzler · Post by **Dazzler** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:32 pm

Oh my word!

HunterST_BFC · Post by **HunterST_BFC** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:34 pm

These two are good mates.
Great to see the sportsmanship between them, both buzzing for each other but both serious

HunterST_BFC · Post by **HunterST_BFC** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:34 pm

Got It - Allis says!

HunterST_BFC · Post by **HunterST_BFC** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:35 pm

Dribbled it dribbled it - Allis says!

Buxtonclaret · Post by **Buxtonclaret** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:36 pm

Drat!
He missed it!

FactualFrank · Post by **FactualFrank** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:39 pm

I don't watch golf anymore but if it's anything like the 2012 Ryder Cup finale, I bet it's entertaining.

Buxtonclaret · Post by **Buxtonclaret** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:40 pm

Get tuned in, Frank.
It's bloody marvellous!

HunterST_BFC · Post by **HunterST_BFC** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:42 pm

FactualFrank wrote:I don't watch golf anymore but if it's anything like the 2012 Ryder Cup finale, I bet it's entertaining.

Stick the telly on Frank!
It's good... Fact!

FactualFrank · Post by **FactualFrank** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:49 pm

Someone very close to me died a few years ago and we used to watch the big golf comps. Not watched a golf tournament since. Updates is fine by me. I'd love Garcia to win though.... he's a 'lad'!

Buxtonclaret · Post by **Buxtonclaret** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:49 pm

Bugger.
Sergio was frightened of that one.

THEWELLERNUT70 · Post by **THEWELLERNUT70** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:49 pm

I backed Peiters e/w at 80/1. My ar5e was twitching a bit when he had that mid round run. I've had a decent spin for my brass I suppose

Buxtonclaret · Post by **Buxtonclaret** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:51 pm

Sorry to hear that, Frank.

Justin misses.
Sergio doesn't.
Go to the 18th all square.

HunterST_BFC · Post by **HunterST_BFC** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:52 pm

Hole 72 squeeky time

Buxtonclaret · Post by **Buxtonclaret** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:54 pm

Cracking drive by Sergio.
Answered by Justin with...A cracking drive!

Brilliant stuff by both.