Rory McIlroy heads the leaderboard and the betting for the 2011 Masters tournament following Thursday's first day's play in Augusta. The Northern Irishman carded a seven under par total of 65 on Thursday to sit joint leader with another European, the long hitting Alavaro Quiros who also made light of the Augusta National course to shoot 65. McIlroy has been clipped in to 5/1 following the first round, but many punters and McIlroy himself will remember he put himself in a similar position in the 2010 Open Championship before slumping in the second round. McIlroy's unlikely to experience the windy conditions he did that day, but it's difficult to imagine the Augusta course will be playing as benign as it did on Thursday. Perfect golfing conditions where met by an almost faultless round by the 21 year old, who missed several makeable birdie putts despite still shooting such a low score.
All eyes will be on McIrloy on Friday as he goes out late on Friday, alongside other youngsters Rickie Fowler and Jason Day in one of the most exciting three-balls of the opening two days. Bookmaker Ladbrokes make McIlroy their 6/5 favourite to win this three-ball, but with Fowler on two under par for the tournament he's still in an excellent position with Jason Day two shots back on level par. Fowler birdied four of his last five holes to rescue a round which at one point looked like slipping away. The young American is 40/1 to win the tournament outright but an attractive looking 9/5 to win his three-ball, as he looks to reel McIlroy back in on Friday.
Despite shooting a 65 and sharing the lead with McIlroy, Spaniard Alvaro Quiros is almost three times the price at 14/1 with Ladbrokes. McIlroy has performed well in major championships before and has a win on the PGA Tour to his name, but Quiros is the more experienced of the pair and has more wins to his name, including a win in Dubai earlier this season. Much will depend on Quiros's driving and if he can keep it straight off the tee all week he'll be a major player, bombing the ball out 340+ yards is a huge advantage.
Last year's winner Phil Mickelson is second favourite in the outright betting at 6/1, despite carding an opening round of 70, which leaves last year's winner five shots back on two under par. Mickelson got off to a slow start twelve months ago and in truth it was a comfortable round with many birdie chances missed rather than a struggle. The bookmakers are also keeping fellow multiple Masters winner Tiger Woods on side, with Ladbrokes going 12/1 about the former world number one's chances despite being sicx shots back on one under par. Tiger played well on Thursday and is an even money chance to score less in the second round than his three ball partners Graeme McDowell (+2) and Robert Allenby (+3).
World number one Martin Kaymer continues to struggle on the Augusta National golf course. The German has struggled to make the cut on each of his past three appearances and he has it all to do on Friday after carding a first round six over par total of 78, leaving just four players worst off than him after day one. Kaymer was a big price of 22/1 prior to the tournament and it would seem that the bookmakers were right to take him on.
Lee Westwood still remains in the hunt but will be under pressure to shoot a good second round, as he lies seven shots off the pace at level par and is available at 25/1 to go one better than his runners-up spot twelve months ago. Matt Kuchar showed the two top golfers in the world at the moment the way to play Augusta, carding a first round three under par total to sit tied for seventh and joint fourth favourite at odds of 14/1 with Ladbrokes. The American is also 13/8 to win his three-ball with Westwood and Kaymer, although the 12/5 about the German's chances look big if you can keep the faith with the young world number one.
Ross Fisher carded the best round of the English strong contingent, finishing on three under par. Fisher is 40/1 to win his first major tournament here, whilst the likes of Westwood and Casey are the best fancied of the English, at odds of 25/1 with Ladbrokes. Casey sits on two under par, whilst Luke Donald, many people's favourite prior to the tournament teeing off is a 33/1, following his first round level par score.
Outright Odds
5/1 Rory McIlroy (-7)
6/1 Phil Mickelson (-2)
12/1 Tiger Woods (-1)
14/1 Alvaro Quiros (-7)
14/1 Matt Kuchar (-4)
14/1 KJ Choi (-5)
16/1 Y-E Yang (-5)
25/1 Lee Westwood (E)
25/1 Paul Casey (-2)
25/1 Geoff Ogilvy (-3)
33/1 Nick Watney (E)
33/1 Sergio Garcia (-3)
33/1 Charl Schwartzel (-3)
40/1 BAR
Three Ball Betting
6/5 Rory McIlroy
9/5 Rickie Fowler
3/1 Jason Day
12/5 Martin Kaymer
13/8 Lee Westwood
13/8 Matt Kuchar
Evs Tiger Woods
2/1 Graeme McDowell
10/3 Robert Allenby
Odds supplied by Ladbrokes.com, who are betting live in-running throughout the 2011 Masters tournament.
Posted: Friday, 8th April 2011
Author: Russell Lloyd
Tags: us masters, rory mcilroy, alvaro quiros, phil mickelson, ladbrokes,
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