Navigation

US Masters golf betting tips: Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods features in this week's golf betting tips for the 2009 US Masters

For now though, we must focus primarily on Tiger and his bid for a 5th US Masters, and 15th major title. When the great man was sidelined for knee surgery, I genuinely wondered whether he would ever quite be the same again. 8 months without competition is a very long time for anyone at the peak of such a competitive sport.

Just ten rounds of competitive golf later, I’m quite happy to put that nonsensical idea to bed. Tiger is back as good as ever, if not better. When he was playing through the pain barrier, he was already a class apart. The fact he can now play all his shots pain free presents a daunting prospect to his would-be challengers. His victory at Bay Hill a fortnight ago was reminiscent of his finest hours, and must bode well for this challenge on another of his favourite golf courses. With an extra fortnight since to further sharpen up his short game skills, Woods should now be perfectly prepared.

So whereas I did doubt momentarily that he was quite the certainty to overhaul Jack Nicklaus’ all-time record of 18 major titles, now I reckon he’ll do it within a couple of years. Beyond this week, the 2009 campaign includes a US Open at Bethpage Black, where he won comfortably in 2002, and a USPGA at Hazeltine, where he lost by a whisker to Rich Beem in the same year with the third placed player four shots back. In my view, he’s every bit as good now, and once again we could be looking at a serious grand slam challenge.

That leads me towards a bet that I advised last season, only to come a cropper when he got injured. Rather than taking the 25/1 about the grand slam, I recommend taking 12/1 about Woods winning three majors. With this bet, we can afford one slip up, and were he to win the first three, it would be straightforward having the necessary saver to bank profit ahead of Hazeltine.

23/10 this week is also a fair price, a full point higher than when runner-up last year. The fact that Woods hasn’t won a US Masters since 2005 has led some to wonder whether the toughened up Augusta experience has ‘Tiger-proofed’ this grand old course. I don’t give that theory any credence whatsoever. Tiger has finished runner-up in each of the last two renewals, without playing anywhere near his best. In fact, the tougher they make Augusta, the more it will suit Woods in my view.

With Woods fancied to win, and surely a near-certainty to make the top-5 for what would be the ninth time in thirteen professional ppearances at Augusta, I’m reverting to the old strategy of playing in markets that don’t include him. Normally in such a scenario, I would have recommended playing the widely available ’Without Woods’ market. However three bookmakers; Skybet, Bet365 and Tote; have gone one step further by offering 'Without Woods and Mickelson'. This good value offer definitely must take precedence.