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After being bumped to mid-November last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Masters will be resuming its usual place as the first major on the golfing calendar. The world's best players will tee it up at Augusta National from 8-11 April. There's been an interesting trend that's developed in recent years. Five of the past six Masters champions were first-time winners of the green jacket. Only Tiger Woods, who won his fifth Masters in 2019, broke up the run of newbies. Who are the favourites in the golf betting odds to win the 2021 Masters? Which players with longer odds should you consider as you assess the tournament? Who should you avoid wagering on at all costs? The Favourites Dustin Johnson (+600) He's the defending champion and also currently the world's No. 1-ranked player. The love for Johnson amongst the oddsmakers is entirely understandable. Johnson is fifth on the PGA Tour in driving distance and rates among the top 10 in shots gained tee to green, approaching the green and around the green. A word of warning. The returning champ hasn't added another green jacket the following year since Woods in 2003. He was the first to do so since Nick Faldo in 1989-90. Justin Thomas (+1600) Every year he's played in the Masters, Thomas has improved his finish. He was 39th in 2016, 22nd in 2017, 17th in 2018, 12th in 2019 and fourth last year. He hadn't been the same player since the social media backlash he received when microphones picked him up, muttering a homophobic slur after missing a putt at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. However, his win at the Players Championship at Sawgrass suggest he has put hs troubles behind him. Collin Morikawa (+2500) The PGA Championship winner already has four PGA Tour victories to his credit. Morikawa didn't fare well last year in his first Masters, finishing in a tie for 44th. Still, it's difficult to ignore his consistency. Morikawa is first in shots gained approaching the green and third in shots gained tee to green. He's also fourth in greens in regulation and seventh in birdies. In With A Chance Xander Schauffele (+1800) Is Schauffele destined to forever be Mr Runner Up? He's already chalked up a half-dozen top-10 finishes at majors but is still in search of his first win. The major heartbreaks he's suffered include second-place finishes in the 2019 Masters and at the 2018 Open Championship, and a third at the 2019 U.S. Open. He finished in the top 17 at all three of the majors played last year. Patrick Cantlay (+2200) Third in the FedEx Cup standings, Cantlay has been in contention in the past two Masters. He finished ninth in 2019 and 17th last year. He's third on the Tour in total shots gained. The world's number nine ranked player, Cantlay also rates among the top 10 in birdies and scoring average. Enticing Longshot Daniel Berger (+4000) Berger has won twice since June and also chalked up four other top-seven finishes over that span. In his first Masters in 2016, he tied for 10th. He's never missed the cut at Augusta. And Berger could still be miffed about failing to qualify for last year's Masters by the April deadline and unable to play in the rescheduled event in November when his game was red hot. Avoid These Guys Rory McIlroy (+1000) Like a snowbird in November, McIlroy's game has gone south. Unlike those snowbirds, he has no idea of when it will return. The Masters is the one major missing from McIlroy's resume. And it will remain AWOL. Brooks Koepka (+1100) There's a good chance that Koepka won't even be playing in the Masters. He withdrew from the Players Championship and is getting a sprained knee assessed by specialists. Koepka endured woes with his left knee in the past, but this time, it's the right knee giving him trouble. Bryson DeChambeau (+1200) The reigning U.S. Open champion will be a sexy pick, especially after his impressive performance in winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational. But Augusta is a track that rewards accuracy over distance. DeChambeau, number one on the PGA Tour in driving distance, won't overpower Augusta. In four tries at the Masters, DeChambeau has never cracked the top 20.
