The Masters 2020: The best prop bets this week at Augusta

Many moons ago, when I was in high school in England, we had to wear a green blazer. It wasn’t particularly fashionable and stank of Lynx Africa, which was the leading smell of choice for teenage lads in 2010.

But this week, I will dig that blazer out of my closet and attempt to squeeze into it while I put my feet up on the couch and soak in the action from Augusta.

The world’s best golfers are set to tackle the game’s most challenging course over four days of thrilling action in the 2020 Masters. With a slice of history and a far nicer green jacket than mine up for grabs, we are all set for another incredible exhibition of golfing excellence.

Here are the best prop bets for this weekend’s action at Augusta

Will there be a hole-in-one: Yes (-225)

You can’t go on Twitter these days without seeing Jon Rahm’s incredible hole-in-one from a practice session this week. The Spaniard has hit two holes-in-one during practice and is my outright pick for the week.

That’s a good sign for this bet, as is recent history. Last year, both Justin Thomas and Bryson DeChambeau scored an ace on the 16th hole. In 2018, Charley Hoffman did the same. There was no hole-in-one in 2017, but that may have been a blip, because a year earlier, we saw three aces — one apiece from Shane Lowry, Davis Love III and Louis Oosthuizen.

If there is going to be one this year, the 16th is the place to get it, at around 180 yards, and it may just be the pre-Masters hype, but I’m feeling it this year again.

To miss the cut: Matthew Wolff (+275)

Matthew Wolff’s incredible performance at the U.S. Open to finish second helped propel the young hotshot up the world rankings, and he is now hotly tipped to perform well at the Masters.

I just can’t see it happening.

My trends piece on BetAmerica goes through a lot of what you need to win at Augusta, including course experience, ability to find the greens, good scrambling, and impressive par 3 performance.

Wolff has none of these. He has never experienced the test that is Augusta, he ranked 104th in greens in regulation last year, and 140th in scrambling. He was also outside the top 20 in putting average and par 3 performance.

With all that in mind, it could be a difficult couple days for Wolff, who will start Thursday teeing off on Amen Corner, with Bubba Watson and Tommy Fleetwood.

Top U.S. player: Bryson DeChambeau (+500)

While I’ve made no secret I'm backing Rahm outright, it’s hard not to factor DeChambeau into my staking plan. The U.S. Open winner has revolutionized the game with his driving, and while power off the tee isn’t the most crucial stat at Augusta, DeChambeau has the game to excel.

He has played Augusta three times, and although he has never cracked the top 20, he arrives at the Masters in the form of his life. His ability off the tee is going to help him take apart the par 5s, but he also plays the par 3s well (he ranked 30th on the PGA Tour last year).

He ranked in the top 16 for scrambling and putting average, as well, and his 67 in the final round of the U.S. Open showed that, if it comes down to a battle of nerves on the final day, BDC has it in spades.

Group C winner: Webb Simpson (+350)

Another American I was desperate to include in my staking plan is Webb Simpson, who I feel has a live outside chance. Collin Morikawa is the favorite in this group, but he will make his Augusta debut and ranks outside the top 40 in a lot of key stats, which throws up plenty of red flags.

Watson is a two-time green jacket winner but has fallen to 44th in the world rankings. Zach Johnson (2007) is the only winner in the last 15 years not to be in the world’s top 30.

Tony Finau and Hideki Matsuyama are also in Group C and both have finished in the top 5 of the Masters before, but Simpson is the stronger play. Simpson is better at finding fairways, better at scrambling, and nobody was as good with the putter last season. Simpson shot a 64 on Saturday last year, one shot off the record at Augusta, and a similar effort will help him win this group.

Top 10 finish: Jon Rahm (+225)

My Christmas is riding on Rahm proudly putting on the green jacket Sunday. But as a saver, backing him to finish in the top 10 looks a shrewd move.

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