Golf first major tournament of the 2010 gets underway this week from Augusta, Georgia; home of the Masters. The quest for the Green Jacket will begin with first round action this Thursday, April 8th. While the first round pairings will not be released until Tuesday, many of the players in this year’s field are already in Augusta to play a couple of practice rounds to get ready for the four round competition. One of the more interesting events of this week is the Par 3 contest which is always held on the Wednesday before actual play begins. This friendly outing which is played on a separate par 3 course at Augusta is a chance to relax and have some fun, before the tournament grind begins in full the next day. This is not necessarily an event you want to win, as no player who has won the par 3 contest as ever gone on to win the Masters.
The biggest story line coming into this week is Tiger Woods return to competitive play. Woods has not played in a tournament since his self imposed hiatus from the game to tend to his well documented problems in his personal life. While it is hard to imagine he will be in top competitive form after a five month absence from the game, the odds makers have him listed a 9-2 favorite to win his fifth Green Jacket. Phil Mickelson is a close second favorite at 5-1. Mickelson has won this tournament twice; in 2004 and 2006. Last year’s unexpected winner in a three way playoff with Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell, Angel Cabrera from Argentina is currently a 50-1 long shot to repeat as champion. No European player has won at Augusta since Spain’s Jose Maria Olazabal won in 1999. Ireland’s Padraig Harrington is a 12-1 favorite to finally break this drought.
A U.S. player has won the Masters six out of the last ten years, although there has only been three different players; Woods (three times), Mickelson (twice), and Zach Johnson (once) to actually win. The other four champions include Cabrera (2009), Tever Immelman (2008) from South Africa, Mike Weir (2003) from Canada, and Vijay Singh (200) from Fiji. The first foreign player to ever win a Green Jacket was Gary Player from South Africa back in 1961. Jack Nicklaus still holds the record for most victories at Augusta with six. Arnold Palmer joins Woods in second place with four tournament wins.
One of the more interesting players to watch this week will be Anthony Kim. After his playoff win yesterday in the Shell Houston Open, it could be his turn to break through and finally win a major. He is currently listed at 30-1 odds to win this week. Sergio Garcia, who is probably the biggest name player never to win a major, is currently listed at 28-1. Ernie Els, who has won multiple majors but never a Green Jacket, is listed at 30-1 odds to win this week. Some other players to watch this week include Jim Furyk at 25-1, Ian Poulter at 20-1 and Rory McIlroy at 15-1.
While I never like to bet against Tiger Woods as he always seems to come up with incredible performances in majors no matter what the circumstances, a win this week would be a stretch even for him. My pick for this year’s Masters is 33 year old Paul Casey from England, who is currently listed at 18-1.
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