Media by Associated Press – Will Zalatoris hits from the fairway on the first hole during the second round of the Dell Technologies Match Play Championship golf tournament in Austin, Texas, Thursday, March 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
When it comes to the major tournaments on the PGA schedule, the Masters is the tournament that kicks the season into full gear once April rolls around.
This is an event that can add players to an elite fraternity and give their careers a highlight on their resumes. Here’s a look at some players down on the futures list worth betting on.
Will Zalatoris, +2000
Zalatoris has had issues with his putter so far this season. Zalatoris recently pulled out of the WFC_Dell Technologies Match Play event due to an illness. It is expected that his illness isn’t serious, and he should be ready for the Masters. Last year, Zalatoris finished in a tie for sixth place at the Master.
So far this season, Zalatoris’ only finished in the top 10 of one event. He placed fourth at the Genesis Invitational in February. The Masters has been an event that Zalatoris has felt comfortable with since early in his career. When Zalatoris debuted at the event in 2021, he finished second, one stroke behind Hideki Matsuyama.
Cameron Young, +3000
The American had a nightmarish start at the Masters last year. Young shot ten over and didn’t make the cut. However, the 25-year-old up-and-comer has shown his promise at a few other major tournaments last season. Young finished second at The Open Championship and also finished in a tie for third at the PGA Championship.
Young has one top-10 finish this season. Young finished third at the Hero World Challenge at Albany, N.Y., in December. This will be a tournament where Young will be eager to correct one of his worst performances of last season.
Hideki Matsuyama, +4000
The Japanese star won the Masters in 2021 and has largely struggled to cement his status as one of the top players on the tour since. Matsuyama withdrew from the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play event recently due to a neck injury. During his career, Matsuyama has had eight wins and 56 top-10 finishes.
So far this season, Matsuyama has two top-10 finishes, including at the Farmers Insurance Open in January and at THE PLAYERS championship in March. In 10 appearances at the Masters, Matsuyama has only missed the cut once. If he is healthy, Matsuyama should be in the mix to win the event.
Tiger Woods, +5000
The goal of Tiger reaching Jack Nicklaus’ record for most major titles is likely well beyond the veteran golfers’ reach. However, if Tiger was to pick up one more victory at a major tournament, it would likely be at the Masters. Of the 15 majors that Tiger has collected, five of them have come at the Masters.
Tiger last won the 2019 event. The 47-year-old golfer isn’t playing much outside of majors now. While the game has changed since he started playing, Tiger still is capable of handling the challenges Augusta has to offer.
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