The US Masters is the opening Major Championship of the year and the world’s best players will be hoping to fine-tune their game in the build-up to the event at Augusta in April.
Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama is the defending champion following his maiden success in a major in 2021. Here is a look at who has the best chance of claiming the Green Jacket and what their odds are with the bookmakers.
Jon Rahm (8/1)
World number one Jon Rahm had an excellent year in 2021. Not only did he win his first major in the US Open, but he also finished inside the top 10 in all four major events. He is now the dominant player in the sport and will have gained a lot of confidence from the way he won the trophy at Torrey Pines last June.
Rahm’s game is perfectly suited to Augusta, as he has shown over the last four years, finishing fourth, ninth, seventh and fifth respectively. The Spaniard goes into this year’s tournament as the 8/1 favourite in the golf betting and he is the man to beat.
Jordan Spieth (11/1)
American Jordan Spieth ended his four-year wait for a trophy on the PGA Tour in 2021 when he won the Texas Open. The three-time major winner will also have been pleased with his performances in the US Masters and Open Championship last year, as he finished in a tie for third and second respectively in those events.
Spieth’s form at Augusta throughout his career is up there with the very best in the sport. The 2015 winner has finished second twice and ended the weekend in third place on two occasions. He was three shots behind Matsuyama last April. He will be relishing a return to Georgia as he bids to become a multiple Masters winner. The bookmakers make him 11/1 to come out on top.
Collin Morikawa (11/1)
Collin Morikawa will be full of confidence heading into the majors in 2022 as he produced his best performances in the big events in 2021. The American not only prevailed in his second Major Championship, with victory coming in the Open Championship, he also won the WGC Workday Championship and DP Tour World Championship.
Morikawa has had two appearances at Augusta now, so he should be very familiar with the course when he tees off this year. Last season’s Race To Dubai winner is one of the best ball strikers in the game at the moment. He will be hoping to showcase that at Augusta and can be backed at 11/1 to be successful.
Dustin Johnson (12/1)
It was less than two years ago that Dustin Johnson blew the field away in the 2020 US Masters in the rescheduled event in November. The former world number one finished on -20, five shots clear of the pack.
Johnson has the ability to score heavily at Augusta. Often it is his putting that lets him down. If the putter is hot, he will be a serious player once again in the opening Major Championship of the season. The 24-time PGA Tour winner is up with the market leaders at 12/1 in the outright market for the Green Jacket.
With so many of the top players in great form, it should be another great renewal of the US Masters, in what is many golf fans’ favourite tournament of the year.