Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions – 2024 Masters Tournament

Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions for the 2024 Masters Tournament  

Masters Tournament Fantasy Preview

An astonishing run of seven birdies in a row from Denny McCarthy was not enough to deprive Akshay Bhatia of a second PGA TOUR title at the Texas Open.

McCarthy would play his back nine on Sunday in just 28 shots – an extraordinary achievement at an Oaks Course that saw just four players reach double-digits under par for the tournament.

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But, in the end, it was McCarthy’s inability to make birdie at the first playoff hole that ultimately allowed Bhatia, who looked the most likely champion all-week long after carding an opening 63, to win his first ‘proper’ PGA TOUR title, after claiming the Barracuda Championship back in July.

It also means the Californian joins an exclusive club whose only other members are Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth: the only players under the age of 23 to win wire-to-wire on the PGA TOUR.

But, perhaps more important than all that, it scores Bhatia the final invite to The Masters this week, which is shaping up to be yet another intriguing renewal of the major held down Magnolia Lane.

Last Event’s Fantasy Results

Last week our horse pick was Hideki, who ended up with a strong T7 finish.  It was the 71 on Sunday that kept him back – we were all rooting for a huge final day from The Masters champ and he just couldn’t seem to get it done. 

Hats off to Akshay and his team for the incredible win, and for punching his ticket to The Masters! 

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2024 Masters Tournament Field

Putting aside PGA-LIV differences, The Masters field is a select bunch of most of the finest golfers on the planet – as well as a sprinkling of top amateurs and former purveyors of the Green Jacket.

It’s a heavyweight battle for the ages – defending champion Jon Rahm looking to become the first player since Tiger Woods in 2002 to retain their title, ahead of Scottie Scheffler, Brooks Koepka, and Rory McIlroy, who of course still has that career Grand Slam monkey on his back.

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Hideki Matsuyama, Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson, and Sergio Garcia – who lost in a playoff at LIV Miami on Sunday – are amongst the more prominent former champions in the field, while the likes of Wyndham Clark and Ludvig Aberg will look to become the first Augusta debutant since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979 to win The Masters.

Bhatia will be amongst the youngest in the field, while at the other end of the age spectrum we have Tiger Woods, who its been rumored was raining birdies down in a practice round at Augusta on the weekend. He’s joined by fellow veterans Phil Mickelson, Fred Couples, Vijay Singh, and Jose Maria Olazabal.

This Week’s Course Preview

In each of the last three editions of The Masters, the champion has been the only player to reach double-digits under par – so in amongst the pomp, pageantry, and perfect planting along Magnolia Lane, Augusta National remains a tough golf course to beat.

It’s a beauty and a beast. In amongst the colorful flowers and the lush landscapes lies a layout that tests the skill, mental fortitude, and physical capabilities of the players – already a lengthy 7,545 yard Par 72, Augusta is unique in that its grass grows in the direction of its tee boxes, reducing ball-run and lengthening the course.

That, and its severe undulations, make Augusta a tough assignment to simply walk around, let alone beat the best golfers in the world at.

Designed by Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie back in 1933, Augusta National has been tweaked by numerous others since – the likes of Tom Fazio and Rees Jones synonymous with modern era makeovers. But with Augusta, the changes are usually superficial; this is a golf course that still tests the best in the business nearly a century later. 

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Many of the holes are doglegging – the right-to-left shot shape is key here, with thick tree lines showing the way, although remember Augusta is generally shy of traditional rough and instead has pine straw protecting the fairways; a surface that is somewhat easier to play from than long grass.

The main defense of Augusta is its funky green complexes, which vary in size but almost always bring a unique challenge – be it via devilish runoffs, plateaus, contours or shelves. Making GIR here is only part of the puzzle; hitting your approach shot to the right section of the green is key.

Club selection and course management, in the face of the sheer elevation changes, is key – one of the reasons why those with prior history at Augusta tend to fare better than debutants.

Water is in play on only five holes, although the beauty of the design of Augusta is that it’s very much in play on each – dreams have been shattered on the 12th and 16th before.

If you’re watching on from home, here’s an Augusta National hole-by-hole to help mark your card.

Hole 1: Tea Olive (Par 4, 445 yards)

Stroke Average in 2023: 4.20 

Here’s a drive that sets the tone for a player’s early holes at Augusta National: doglegging to the right, anything that strays left can find its way into the trees. Playing uphill, Tea Olive also features an undulating green, and a bunker front-left that has been like a magnet in recent years.

Hole 2: Pink Dogwood (Par 5, 575 yards)

Stroke Average in 2023: 4.68 

One of the easiest holes on the real estate, making birdie at the second is vital. It’s a relatively easy tee shot, while the second shot is played downhill – giving plenty a chance to find the green in two. There’s some sizable bunkers protecting the green, but even those laying up would expect to make birdie here.

Hole 3: Flowering Peach (Par 4, 350 yards) 

Stroke Average in 2023: 4.07

The third is a deceptive hole. You’d think at that yardage for a Par 4 it would be simple, but driving what is a thin and severely-sloping green is far from easy. The fact that many players will take 5-iron off the tee here is evidence of how respected Flowering Peach is.

Hole 4: Flowering Crab Apple (Par 3, 240 yards)

Stroke Average in 2023: 3.21

Any 240-yard Par 3 hole is a challenge, but particularly so when it plays downhill and has frontside bunkers protecting the green. The green also slopes from front to back, too.

Hole 5: Magnolia (Par 4, 495 yards)

Stroke Average in 2023: 4.35

Approximately 50 yards has been added to Magnolia in recent years, revealing why it has become one of the toughest holes on the property. Two deep bunkers stationed to the left-side of the fairway make an accurate tee shot non-negotiable.

Hole 6: Juniper (Par 3, 180 yards) 

Stroke Average in 2023: 3.07

This is one of those famous holes where the tee box sits high above the small green; a green that slopes markedly from right to left. Depending on the day, pin position here can be forgiving or downright cruel. A pin on the top shelf gives the players around three metres, little more, to land their ball on.

Hole 7: Pampas (Par 4, 450 yards) 

Stroke Average in 2023: 4.26

There’s not actually a huge number of bunkers at Augusta, compared to other courses, but you’ll find considerable sand on the seventh hole – the green, which slopes from back to front, is pretty much surrounded by hazards. 

Hole 8: Yellow Jasmine (Par 5, 570 yards) 

Stroke Average in 2023: 4.60

As we’ll detail later, breaking par on the Par 5s at Augusta is vital – the eighth hole is another where birdie or better is a must. Playing uphill and with a narrow green, accurate players will leave themselves a short wedge in; a rare moment where attacking the pin is possible. 

Hole 9: Carolina Cherry (Par 4, 460 yards) 

Stroke Average in 2023: 4.05

The front nine is closed out with Carolina Cherry, a hole that features one of the sheerest elevation drops on the real estate. But the green itself is elevated, meaning that loose approaches will simply roll yards away from their intended target. That could leave a catastrophic up-and-down.

Hole 10: Camellia (Par 4, 495 yards)

Stroke Average in 2023: 4.12

A downhill hole that doglegs to the left, Camellia features a bunker of around 60 yards in length in the center of the fairway. Even hitting a good tee shot guarantees nothing, as the players are left a lengthy approach into a sloping green.

Hole 11: White Dogwood (Par 4, 520 yards)

Stroke Average in 2023: 4.28

Say a prayer as you enter Amen Corner, with this colossal Par 4 offering a less-than-warm welcome. You’ve probably seen photos of that narrow corridor through the trees that greets the players off the tee, and even then there’s a lengthy approach from a downslope into a green protected by a pond to the left. Some 21 double bogeys or worse were made here in 2023.

Hole 12: Golden Bell (Par 3, 155 yards)

Stroke Average in 2023: 3.01

A 155-yard Par 3….no problem, right? Wrong. Golden Bell is home to a meteorological phenomenon – a wind that can double in speed with a single gust – due to the hole’s location. What’s more, the elevated green is protected by water front and sand behind, while the landing zone is one of the slimmest at Augusta.

Hole 13: Azalea (Par 5, 545 yards)

Stroke Average in 2023: 4.70

It’s go time again as the players must make hay on the next Par 5 hole. Although 30 yards has been added to Azalea in recent years, this is still one of the more gettable holes at Augusta – avoid Rae’s Creek left and in front of the green, and you’ll have a wedge in for birdie.

Hole 14: Chinese Fir (Par 4, 440 yards)

Stroke Average in 2023: 4.16

Chinese Fir is all about its green. Sloping left to right and with a false front, the most accurate iron players will leave themselves a birdie putt – the rest will be left with a nasty up-and-down, or a long old two-putt that will test their nerve.

Hole 15: Firethorn (Par 5, 550 yards) 

Stroke Average in 2023: 4.66

One of Augusta’s great risk-and-reward holes, there’s the possibility of eagles and the drama of huge scores too – Sergio Garcia once made a 13 at Firethorn. It’s a downhill approach into a green protected by a huge pond, and even those that lay up are left with a wedge with which a little too much spin can prove disastrous. 

Hole 16: Redbud (Par 3, 170 yards) 

Stroke Average in 2023: 2.92

Historically the easiest Par 3 at Augusta, Redbud is a sloping green defined by its pin positions – those that sit at the bottom of the incline leave the players with real opportunities; remember Tiger’s famous chip-in here in 2005?

Hole 17: Nandina (Par 4, 440 yards)

Stroke Average in 2023: 4.25

One of the tightest fairways at Augusta, Nandina is governed by its tee shot – land it in the short grass, and opportunities to make birdie or par present themselves. Miss the fairway, and a whole heap of trouble awaits.

Hole 18: Holly (Par 4, 465 yards)

Stroke Average in 2023: 4.30

It’s somehow fitting that the final hole at Augusta is also one of its toughest. Holly plays so markedly uphill that the green is actually a vantage point from which you can see plenty of the rest of the course. Sand left and trees right haunt the tee shot, while the large green features two tiers – leaving the possibility that the 72nd hole leader will be left with a mammoth two putt to complete their victory.

Weather Forecast for Augusta, GA

The unsettled weather forecast for Augusta poses more questions than answers.

It looks as though there could be rain around on Tuesday and Wednesday, while the forecast for the first day of the tournament on Thursday has the dreaded ‘thunderstorms’ in its predictions – plus a ferocious breeze upwards of 20mph.

Friday should be somewhat drier although as windy as Thursday, before things settle down in time for the weekend.

Saturday is expected to be warm and sunny, with the wind dropping to around 12mph, while Sunday could be better still – the wind drops to 8mph, leaving behind a warm day with temperatures expected to reach 82 degrees.

AUGUSTA WEATHER

Last Year’s Results from the Masters Tournament

The headlines went to Rahm, in the end, at The Masters in 2023, but if Brooks Koepka had been able to convert a two-shot lead with a round to play, the LIV vs PGA narrative would once again have gone into overdrive – Rahm, you’ll recall, was still a PGA TOUR pro at this point.

As it was, Koepka’s title charge came unstuck on the Sunday, as he failed to make a single birdie on the front nine while making six bogeys in all.

Viktor Hovland also faded from view with a Sunday 74, and while Phil Mickelson and Jordan Spieth finished fast, they were simply too far behind the imperious Rahm to make any dent in his title bid.

The Spaniard made four birdies and just one bogey in a nerveless final round, taking advantage of Brooks’ slips to win by some four shots and claim his maiden Green Jacket.

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Where to Play Fantasy Golf for this Week’s Masters Tournament

The ante is upped for the players this week, and the same is true for DFS aficionados too, with a handful of milly-maker contests backed by others with rather handsome paydays up for grabs.

• PGA $4m Fantasy Golf Millionaire: The flagship contest sees a potential return of 100,000x to the lucky winner, who will turn their $10 entry into a $1 million top prize. Happily, there’s plenty of other sizable payouts available too.

• PGA $600k Drive the Green: The regular Drive the Green contest also gets a welcome boost up to $600k, which will see the winner walk away $100k richer from their $5 entry. 

This Week’s Fantasy Notes

It takes tangibles and intangibles to win The Masters.

You need the mental toughness, and the physical fitness, to win an event as demanding and as storied as this – the possibility of achieving golfing dreams has brought out the imposter syndrome in some down the back nine at Augusta come Sunday.

As for the tangibles, the secret to defeating Augusta isn’t that secret at all – you need to be able to religiously drive the ball 300+ yards, adding cuts and fades where necessary. You’ll need to be classy in the mid-iron range, but you’ll also need a reliable rescue game when greens are missed.

Oh, and putting on Bentgrass greens that can reach 13 on the stimp? Yeah, and that too.

It’s also vital to make hay on the Par 5s, which are the only four holes at Augusta in which birdie is very much on the table. Length is an advantage in that regard, but also wedge play in the 100-125 yard range given that many will lay up rather than attack the greens in two.

There’s two obvious course correlations that spring to mind: Riviera, home of the Genesis Invitational, and Torrey Pines, host of the Farmers Insurance Open. 

They have favored quality drivers over the years, and those with class throughout their bag on approach – check out the winners of those events, and cross-examine that with those that have performed well in The Masters, for further proof of the link.

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Our Top 5 (and Top 2 Sleeper) Fantasy Picks and Odds to Win the Masters Tournament   

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Top 5 Picks/Odds to Win the Masters Tournament  

Top Tier Pick # 1

Xander Schauffele (Odds: 18/1, FPPG: 99.6, Salary: $9,900)

If a player has a $12,100 salary, should there be question marks about their game?

Scottie Scheffler is the best player in the world, whose tee-to-green ability is such that he can win anywhere, any time. But can he win at Augusta if his putter misfires? Remember, he ranked first for SG: Approach here last year, second for SG: Tee-to-Green, but lost -1.16 strokes to the field on the greens and had to settle for a never-close T10 finish.

Will the career grand slam narrative prove too much to bear for Rory? Are Rahm and Koepka playing well enough to win a major (we don’t know, seeing as LIV don’t produce regular Strokes Gained data updates)? Do we want to risk $10,000 on an Augusta debutant like Wyndham Clark?

In the end, we’ve circled back to a consistent Augusta performer in Xander Schauffele, whose record here – 10-MC-3-17-2 – offers a glimpse of what might be.

It’s true that he doesn’t win enough relative to his ability, but at the same time there’s no doubting the fact that he’s good enough to win The Masters – this is a tremendous driver of the golf ball who boasts an outstanding recovery game around the greens.

A winner at the somewhat-correlating Kapalua, with T2 and T4 finishes at Torrey Pines and Riviera respectively, there can be no doubting Schauffele’s aptitude for the Augusta assignment.

Key Stats:

• SG: Off-the-Tee – 8th
• SG: Around-the-Green – 8th
• SG: Approach – 19th

Top Tier Pick #2

Will Zalatoris (Odds: 33/1, FPPG: 68.6, Salary: $9,200) 

With second-place finishes to his name at Augusta, Torrey Pines and Riviera, it’s fair to say that conditions are in the favor of Will Zalatoris this week.

His T2 at the Genesis came as recently as February, which – allied to the T4 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational thereafter – offers some comfort given that Zalatoris missed the cut at the PLAYERS (the cramped TPC Sawgrass is unlikely to be a happy hunting ground for him), and finished T74 at the Houston Open, losing -1.76 strokes to the field on the greens.  

Otherwise, his ball-striking is in fine fettle, and his ability to hit fairways with good length is a huge advantage at Augusta. 

Having missed the 2023 Masters due to injury, can Zalatoris make up for lost time this week?

Key Stats:

• SG: Approach – 8th
• Par 5 Birdie or Better Leaders – 21st
• Scrambling from <10 Yards – 27th

Mid-Tier Pick #1

Hideki Matsuyama (Odds: 20/1, FPPG: 86.2, Salary: $9,000)

There were concerns about various injuries for Hideki Matsuyama heading into the Texas Open, but the fact he was able to finish T7 there – ranking third for SG: Tee-to-Green – helps to assuage any doubts about his fitness.

The Japanese ace simply would not have played in the Lone Star State if he was injured, and so we can assume he will head to Augusta capable of living up to the physical demands inherent.

Matsuyama loves The Masters. It provided his best day in golf in 2021 when he slipped into the Green Jacket; one of nine consecutive cuts made at Augusta, a run which includes six finishes of T14 or better.

A winner at Riviera in February, Matsuyama is on course for another strong showing at one of his favorite layouts.

Key Stats:

• SG: Around-the-Green – 1st
• Approaches from 100+ yards – 20th
• Par 5 Birdie or Better Leaders – 24th

Mid-Tier Pick #2

Sahith Theegala (Odds: 50/1, FPPG: 81.6, Salary: $7,700)

Debutants can, as a rule, struggle at Augusta National, which explains why Sahith Theegala’s T9 effort here 12 months ago was so eye catching.

It franked his quickfire ascendance into the upper echelons of the sport, which has been powered by excellence in all departments of his game.

Hence why Theegala is so appealing in the majors, because he’s long, is solid with his mid-range approaches, putts well, and is capable of making birdies or keeping bogeys off the card, as the conditions require.

An incoming formline of 28-9-6-37-5 whets the appetite, as does the fact that he’s finished second at Kapalua, T4 at Torrey Pines, and T6 at Riviera.

Key Stats:

• Greens in Regulation – 11th 
• SG: Putting – 13th
• SG: Off-the-Tee – 14th

Low-Tier Pick

Tommy Fleetwood (Odds: 45/1, FPPG: 76.5, Salary: $7,500)

For a low-tier pick at The Masters, simply drafting a guy that is rock-solid from tee to green makes sense.

Tommy Fleetwood ranked fourth for SG: Tee-to-Green at the Texas Open, drawing a line under the horrorshow performance he put in at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

A respectable T35 at the PLAYERS followed T10 at the correlating Genesis in February, while at the start of the year he was winning the Dubai Invitational amongst classy company, so there’s a lot to like about Fleetwood’s trajectory.

The Englishman has made six consecutive cuts at Augusta National, posting three top-20 finishes in that span.

Key Stats:

• Total Driving – 19th
• SG: Around-the-Green – 25th
• Bogey Avoidance – 36th

Sleeper Pick for the Masters Tournament

Stephan Jaeger (Odds: 175/1, FPPG: 76.4, Salary: $7,100)

If you’re going to make your debut at The Masters, you want to be heading there full of confidence.

And that’s a situation that Stephan Jaeger finds himself in, having won the Houston Open in his last outing.

That was the German’s maiden PGA TOUR title, and it’s one that came about after he dedicated himself to adding length to his game – check out his upward curve on DataGolf for more evidence of that.

Jaeger has long been a decent ball-striker, and classy around the greens, but now he has the length to compete anywhere – always a useful skill to have around Augusta.

Key Stats:

• Total Driving – 4th
• Approaches from 150-175 yards – 5th
• SG: Around-the-Green – 35th

Alternative Sleeper Pick for the Masters Tournament

Taylor Moore (Odds: 250/1, FPPG: 72.9, Salary: $6,400)

Trending in the right direction heading into The Masters is Taylor Moore, who followed T12 at the Valspar Championship with T2 at the Houston Open last time out.

The former was built on excellence on approach, whereas the latter was based upon Moore’s short game smarts, so it would appear that all areas of his game are in a good place – he bettered the field average off the tee in Houston, too.

T39 on debut at Augusta last year, Moore has that reliable all-round game that fares well in such testing conditions – an idea franked by a T11 turn at Torrey Pines, too.

Key Stats:

• Greens in Regulation – 12th
• SG: Around-the-Green – 31st
• Bogey Avoidance – 46th

This Week’s Sample Fantasy Lineup

Note: Sample lineups provided as examples only.  Be sure to mix-and-match Valspar to best fit individual contests.

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Fantasy Golf Predictions – This Season 

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