Phil Mickelson has a phenomenal record at Augusta, but his game looks out of sync coming into this week and for that reason cannot be backed with any great confidence at 9/2 (bet365).
The current world No.2 Steve Stricker (8/1 Boylesports) has never really challenged here, which is surprising considering his short game, but he does have a couple of top-10's to his name and he's long overdue a first major title. However, after winning the Northern Trust Open back in February, he's not really contended in four starts and another top-10 finish might be the best he can hope for.
Last week's winner Houston Open Anthony Kim will be a popular bet in the outright market so has to be of interest here at 11/1 (Totesport). Whether he has the patience to win at Augusta remains to be seen, though, and anyone watching him hit his six-foot par putt on the 18th (which would have given him victory in regulation) well past the hole will be wondering how he's going to cope with Augusta's lightning fast putting surfaces.
Jim Furyk (11/1 Blue Square) stormed into the Masters picture with victory in the Transitions Championship, but his lack of distance off the tee is always going to hold him back around here and it's hard to see him really contending for the green jacket.
Dustin Johnson (14/1 general) has the game to be a contender at Augusta - one day. His 30th place last year was a fair debut performance but this is a course that takes some learning and he might just need another year. Hunter Mahan has gone off the boil slightly since winning in Phoenix, but his fine major season last year - he finished 16th or better in three of the four, including a tie for 10th at the Masters - makes him a tempting bet at 18/1 (Paddy Power).
However, at slightly bigger odds, I just prefer the chances of SEAN O' HAIR (20/1 Ladbrokes) and MATT KUCHAR (22/1 bet365). Like Mahan, three-time winner O'Hair has showed he can play Augusta with two top-15 finishes in his three starts here and, while yet to his stride in 2010, he's definitely a player on an upward curve and a future major champion. This week, perhaps?
Kuchar has not played the Masters since missing the cut in 2002, but finished 21st as an amateur and returns this week a much better player. After struggling for much of last season, he hit form with a vengeance in the fall, winning the Turning Stone Resort Championship and has continued where he left off in 2010 with five top-20's, including second at the Bob Hope Classic and two thirds at the SBS Championship and CA Championship at Doral.
2007 winner Zach Johnson, last year's runner-up Chad Campbell, and the consistent Stewart Cink, all deserve respect but are not playing quite well enough to be seriously considered.
Recommended Bets:
Sean O'Hair 1pt @ 20/1 Ladbrokes
Matt Kuchar 1pt @ 22/1 bet365