Stay tuned throughout the day as theScore updates you with insights and analysis from Round 4 of ...

<p><em>Stay tuned throughout the day as theScore updates you with insights and analysis from Round 4 of the Masters.</em></p><p>It's not an exaggeration to say that may have been the most dramatic Masters ever. </p><p>Rory McIlroy took us on a wild ride Sunday at Augusta National, capped by a playoff victory over Justin Rose to claim the career grand slam. </p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Below was our running analysis and updates throughout the final round. (All times ET.)</p><p><strong>7:15 p.m.</strong> - Rory McIlroy does it! He becomes only the sixth player to win the career grand slam, joining Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan, and Gene Sarazen. What an incredible major championship. </p><p><strong>7:10 p.m. </strong>- Both players hit the green with their approach shots, but McIlroy's rolls back down the slope and settles in tight. Rose will need to repeat the 18th-hole magic that got him into the playoff. </p><p><strong>6:53 p.m.</strong> - We have a playoff. McIlroy misses a 5-footer on the last, dropping back to 11-under with Justin Rose. This is the first playoff at the Masters since Rose lost to Sergio Garcia in 2017. </p><p><strong>6:46 p.m.</strong> - His approach finds the greenside bunker. Another poor wedge shot from inside 125 yards. </p><p><strong>6:40 p.m.</strong> - McIlroy splits the fairway on 18. One more solid swing and two putts to claim the career grand slam.</p><p><strong>6:35 p.m.</strong> - McIlroy takes a one-shot lead to the 18th. The final hole at Augusta is playing 0.17 strokes over par. It's given up eight bogeys and two double-bogeys or worse so far today.</p><p><strong>6:30 p.m.</strong> - McIlroy stuffs his approach into No. 17 to two feet. He's now the heavy favorite with a likely birdie coming.</p><p><strong>6:18 p.m.</strong> - McIlroy heads to the 17th tee tied for the lead at 11-under with Justin Rose, facing two holes playing over par for the day to close out his round. </p><p><strong>6:15 p.m.</strong> - This is golf at its finest. Justin Rose drains a lengthy birdie putt on No. 18 to get into the clubhouse at 11-under. Rory McIlroy has to play the remaining three holes under par to avoid a playoff. He has a 9-footer for birdie on No. 16. </p><p><strong>6:10 p.m.</strong> - McIlroy fails to convert the eagle, but heads to the 16th tee with a one-shot lead. He's the -300 favorite with Justin Rose at +400 and Ludvig Aberg at +550. McIlroy has to make five more solid swings to win this. </p><p><strong>6:03 p.m.</strong> - "The shot of a lifetime!" says Jim Nantz after McIlroy bends a monstrous approach around the trees, landing on the 15th green and rolling to six feet. He will have an eagle putt left to give him a two-shot lead. </p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Poised to make eagle. Rory McIlroy goes for glory on No. 15. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/themasters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#themasters</a> <a href="https://t.co/hAM0zxnkM7">pic.twitter.com/hAM0zxnkM7</a></p>— The Masters (@TheMasters) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheMasters/status/1911540967586377879?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p><strong>5:55 p.m.</strong> - McIlroy, Ludvig Aberg, Justin Rose (all at 10-under), and even Scottie Scheffler (-8) have a shot at winning this. McIlroy, the betting favorite at -150, has 208 remaining on the par-5 15th but may have to deal with a tree. Get to a TV as soon as possible. </p><p><strong>5:52 p.m.</strong> - Justin Rose is the solo leader of the Masters. McIlroy bogeys No. 14 as his collapse continues. However, McIlroy remains the betting favorite at -120 because he still has a par 5 to play. </p><p><strong>5:45 p.m.</strong> - Somehow it's tied! McIlroy makes a double-bogey on the par-5 13th while Justin Rose birdies No. 16. McIlroy remains the -200 favorite but this tournament is far from over. </p><p><strong>5:35 p.m.</strong> - What just happened? McIlroy dumps his third shot into the water at the par-5 13th, an inexcusable error at this stage of the tournament. He goes from -2000 to -300 to win, a 20% swing in implied probability. </p><p><strong>5:15 p.m.</strong> - McIlroy safely lands on the 12th green following a bogey on No. 11. His lead is four over Justin Rose. It will have to take a complete collapse for McIlroy not to win at this point. </p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780398/cropped_GettyImages-2209569165.jpg?ts=1744575799" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780398/w220xh124_GettyImages-2209569165.jpg?ts=1744575799 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780398/w320xh180_GettyImages-2209569165.jpg?ts=1744575799 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780398/w640xh360_GettyImages-2209569165.jpg?ts=1744575799 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780398/w768xh432_GettyImages-2209569165.jpg?ts=1744575799 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780398/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2209569165.jpg?ts=1744575799 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">David Cannon / David Cannon Collection / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>5:10 p.m.</strong> - DeChambeau's struggling iron play has let him down again. He pulls another approach shot left, this time putting it into the water on No. 11. His round is starting to spiral while McIlroy looks in control leading by five.</p><p><strong>4:55 p.m.</strong> - Another one! McIlroy cans another birdie on 10 to get to 14-under. His lead remains four over Justin Rose. McIlroy's live odds are -1200, an implied probability of 92.3%. </p><p><strong>4:40 p.m.</strong> - McIlroy makes the turn with a four-shot lead after birdieing No. 9. His odds of winning are now -475, an implied probability of 82.6%. DeChambeau, Ludvig Aberg, and Justin Rose share second.</p><p><strong>4:35 p.m. </strong>- Aberg birdies No. 10 to get within three of the lead. He's down to +900 on the oddsboard. Rose pours in his second-straight birdie on No. 12 to also get to 9-under par. The chasers are coming!</p><p><strong>4:30 p.m.</strong> - Xander Schauffele, who's hitting his irons among the best in the field, hit his tee shot on No. 12 roughly 20 yards short and into Rae's Creek. Something to keep in mind as the leaders make the turn.</p><p><strong>4:10 p.m.</strong> - Another pair of pars gives McIlroy a three-shot lead into the par-5 eighth. McIlroy bogeyed No. 8 on Saturday, and DeChambeau has birdied it in back-to-back rounds. </p><p><strong>4:05 p.m. </strong>- Oh my goodness! After an errant drive on No. 7, McIlroy hoists his approach up and over the trees and lands it within feet of the cup. His miraculous recovery shot moves his live odds from -260 to -430. </p><p><strong>3:55 p.m.</strong> - McIlroy (-12) and DeChambeau (-9) exchange pars through Nos. 5 and 6. DeChambeau hit his best iron shot of the day on No. 6, which could be a big boost for the remainder of the round. Ludvig Aberg (-8), Scottie Scheffler (-7), Corey Conners (-7), and Justin Rose (-7) are lingering. </p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780399/cropped_GettyImages-2210106275.jpg?ts=1744575874" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780399/w220xh124_GettyImages-2210106275.jpg?ts=1744575874 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780399/w320xh180_GettyImages-2210106275.jpg?ts=1744575874 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780399/w640xh360_GettyImages-2210106275.jpg?ts=1744575874 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780399/w768xh432_GettyImages-2210106275.jpg?ts=1744575874 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780399/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2210106275.jpg?ts=1744575874 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Harry How / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>3:35 p.m.</strong> - DeChambeau's inaccurate tee shot costs him, as he drops another stroke. Meanwhile, McIlroy rolls in another birdie for the third two-shot swing in four holes. McIlroy leads by three and is a -200 favorite again. </p><p><strong>3:25 p.m. </strong>- DeChambeau has hit three full iron shots today, and they have all been hooked. His approach into No. 2 was long and left, his tee shot on No. 3 was left of his target, and his shot into the par-3 fourth missed long and left.</p><p><strong>3:15 p.m.</strong> - McIlroy and DeChambeau are exchanging blows. McIlroy rolls in a slippery 9-footer for birdie while DeChambeau three-putts to trail by one. McIlroy becomes the betting favorite at -150. </p><p><strong>3:10 p.m.</strong> - As expected, DeChambeau hits iron on the short par-4 third but fails to give himself a good angle into the tricky green. McIlroy hits driver but leaves himself with a tough pitch up the hill. He will have to hit a perfect pitch in order to keep it on the green. </p><p><strong>3:05 p.m.</strong> - DeChambeau takes the lead with a birdie on No. 2, while McIlroy makes par. McIlroy hit his drive into the fairway bunker and was forced to lay up on the par 5. DeChambeau becomes the odds-on favorite at -130.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780389/cropped_GettyImages-2210096816.jpg?ts=1744573948" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780389/w220xh124_GettyImages-2210096816.jpg?ts=1744573948 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780389/w320xh180_GettyImages-2210096816.jpg?ts=1744573948 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780389/w640xh360_GettyImages-2210096816.jpg?ts=1744573948 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780389/w768xh432_GettyImages-2210096816.jpg?ts=1744573948 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780389/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2210096816.jpg?ts=1744573948 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Michael Reaves / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>2:50 p.m.</strong> - McIlroy goes from the -200 favorite to +110 after one hole. </p><p><strong>2:45 p.m.</strong> - It's a disastrous start for McIlroy, who doubles the opening hole to instantly give up his lead. DeChambeau makes a 7-footer for par to head to the second with a share of the lead. </p><p><strong>2:35 p.m.</strong> - McIlroy's drive comes up 1 yard short and catches the lip of the fairway bunker. DeChambeau elects to hit 3-wood off the tee and hooks it into the left trees. A shaky start from the two leaders.</p><p><strong>2:25 p.m.</strong> - Ludvig Aberg birdies his first hole, gaining a stroke on the field. He's one of the few chasers with the firepower to track down the leaders. He has to birdie the par-5 second to give himself a chance.</p><p><strong>2:10 p.m. </strong>- Here's what we're looking for early from the contenders.</p><p>McIlroy: His opening drive will be extremely telling. Yesterday, he smoked one 331 yards over the fairway bunker, which led to a birdie. It will be huge for his confidence if he uncorks a similar drive. But it could be a shaky start if he's hitting his driver offline early. </p><p>DeChambeau: He ranked 47th in strokes gained: approach heading into the final round. His approach shot into No. 1 will be revealing and will let us know if he's dialled in with his irons or if he'll need another day of short-game wizardry to keep him in the fight.</p><p>Corey Conners: Not only does the Canadian need both McIlroy and DeChambeau to struggle, but Conners has to make birdies early. If he can get to 2-under through three holes, that could get the final pairing's attention. He'll likely need a round of 66 to have a chance.</p><p><strong>1:30 p.m.</strong> - Hideki Matsuyama is letting everyone know a score in the mid-60s is available. The 2021 champion is 7-under through 17 and only birdied two of the par-5s.</p><p><strong>12:20 p.m.</strong> - Roughly half the field that made the cut is on the course, providing some insight into how Augusta National is playing for the final round.</p><ul>
<li>No. 1 is playing at level par, conceding three birdies and three bogeys to the 27 players who've already teed off. A birdie here would pick up an important shot on the field, and there's some potential for a two-shot swing.</li>
<li>No. 3 is playing over par after playing under par each of the first three rounds. The pin location is extremely tricky, positioned on the right side of the green in a very narrow section. DeChambeau laid back off the tee when the pin was in a similar location Friday. It will be interesting to see if his strategy changes while trailing McIlroy.</li>
<li>Low scores are available. Brian Campbell is 5-under and Hideki Matsuyama is 4-under through 13 and 11 holes, respectively.</li>
</ul>

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Masters forecaddie: Running analysis of Round 4 at Augusta National

Stay tuned throughout the day as theScore updates you with insights and analysis from Round 3 of ...

<p><em>Stay tuned throughout the day as theScore updates you with insights and analysis from Round 3 of the Masters.</em></p><p>Moving day at Augusta was nothing short of incredible. From start to finish, fireworks were all over the course. Golf fans are in for a treat if Sunday's final round is half as good as Saturday's.</p><p>Below was our running analysis and updates throughout the third round. (All times ET.)</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p><strong>7:15 p.m. </strong>- Here's where we stand after Round 3:</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Leaderboard</th>
<th>Odds to win</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>1. Rory McIlroy (-12)</td>
<td>Rory McIlroy (-200)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2. Bryson DeChambeau (-10)</td>
<td>Bryson DeChambeau (+180)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3. Corey Conners (-8)</td>
<td>Corey Conners (+1800)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>T4. Patrick Reed (-6)</td>
<td> Ludvig Aberg (+4000)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>T4. Ludvig Aberg (-6)</td>
<td>Scottie Scheffler (+5000)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Here's what we saw out of each of the contenders.</p><p>Rory McIlroy: It's crazy to say McIlroy left shots out there, but his 66 should have been more like a 64. He opened with six consecutive threes (a Masters record) but bogeyed the par-5 8th, missed a short birdie effort on No. 9, and 3-putted No. 10. Still, McIlroy holds a two-shot edge after 54 holes. He's four of five in converting 54-hole leads in major championships.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780294/cropped_GettyImages-2209966549.jpg?ts=1744500052" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780294/w220xh124_GettyImages-2209966549.jpg?ts=1744500052 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780294/w320xh180_GettyImages-2209966549.jpg?ts=1744500052 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780294/w640xh360_GettyImages-2209966549.jpg?ts=1744500052 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780294/w768xh432_GettyImages-2209966549.jpg?ts=1744500052 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780294/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2209966549.jpg?ts=1744500052 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Richard Heathcote / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>Bryson DeChambeau: He didn't have his best stuff today, but his short game and putting kept his hopes alive. DeChambeau lost 1.79 strokes on approach shots but gained 1.32 around the green and 1.23 with his putter. His lengthy birdie putt on No. 18 was huge for his chances, moving his odds from +330 (23.3% implied probability) to +180 (35.7% implied probability)</p><p>Justin Rose: The 36-hole leader posted a 3-over 75 in the final pairing. His putter cooled off, and his tee-to-green game remained inconsistent. It was a good run for the 44-year-old, but his chance at the green jacket is all but over. </p><p>Scottie Scheffler: It was another mundane round for the reigning Masters champion. He shot even par Saturday with only two birdies. He's seven shots behind McIlroy and extremely unlikely to win back-to-back green jackets. </p><p>Corey Conners: The Canadian had a front-row seat to McIlroy's round, but could not get much momentum going. His 2-under day was solid, but failing to birdie either of the two par 5s on the back nine will likely keep him out of the running.</p><p><strong>7:00 p.m.</strong> - Bang! Bryson DeChambeau drains a 48-footer on the final hole for birdie, cutting into Rory McIlroy's lead and capping an incredible day at Augusta. The reigning U.S. Open champ will trail McIlroy by two going into the final round, which will be must-watch TV.</p><p><strong>6:50 p.m.</strong> - Rory McIlroy posts another sensational 66 around Augusta National to sit at 12-under. It marks the first 54-hole lead he's held in a major since 2014. He's also the -330 betting favorite, an implied probability of 76.7%. </p><p><strong>6:45 p.m.</strong> - DeChambeau heads to the last hole three back of McIlroy. The two are destined to be paired together in tomorrow's final pairing - a rematch of the 2024 U.S. Open.</p><p><strong>6:05 p.m.</strong> - Rory does it again! He extends his lead to four shots over Corey Conners after converting an eagle putt set up by a majestic approach from 205 yards on the par-5 15th. McIlroy is 6-under today, which would tie the lowest round of the day. He's now eagled three of the past six par 5s he's played.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780295/cropped_GettyImages-2209940585.jpg?ts=1744500148" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780295/w220xh124_GettyImages-2209940585.jpg?ts=1744500148 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780295/w320xh180_GettyImages-2209940585.jpg?ts=1744500148 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780295/w640xh360_GettyImages-2209940585.jpg?ts=1744500148 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780295/w768xh432_GettyImages-2209940585.jpg?ts=1744500148 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780295/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2209940585.jpg?ts=1744500148 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Andrew Redington / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>5:45 p.m.</strong> - As expected, Justin Rose has fallen back to Earth as his putter cools off. He's lost over 1.5 strokes putting in Round 3 after gaining over seven on the greens in his first two rounds combined. Rose is 2-over for the day, four behind Rory McIlroy.</p><p><strong>5:35 p.m.</strong> - McIlroy cashes in on the par-5 13th, birdieing one of the easier holes on the course to increase his lead to two. DeChambeau bogeys the par-3 12th but launches his drive on No. 13 to set up a potential eagle opportunity. DeChambeau has made one birdie and one par on No. 13 this week.</p><p><strong>5:15 p.m</strong>. - Scottie Scheffler is once again struggling to gain momentum around Augusta. The defending champ is 1-over in Round 3 with only one birdie and two bogeys. Sitting five shots off the pace, he's losing strokes on approach shots and on the greens.</p><p><strong>4:50 p.m.</strong> - A lot can change in an hour. Rory McIlroy's brief four-shot lead vanishes after making his second bogey in three holes on No. 10. Meanwhile, Corey Conners birdies three straight to get within one of McIlroy's lead alongside DeChambeau.</p><p>Updated odds:</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Rory McIlroy</td>
<td>+130</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bryson DeChambeau</td>
<td>+250</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Corey Conners</td>
<td>+650</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Scottie Scheffler</td>
<td>+700</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Shane Lowry</td>
<td>+1200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Justin Rose</td>
<td>+1600</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><strong>4:45 p.m.</strong> - Every hole on the back nine is playing over par except for the two par 5s - Nos. 13 and 15. Keep this in mind as the final group tees off on No. 10. </p><p><strong>4:20 p.m.</strong> - McIlroy makes his first mistake of the day with a bogey on the par-5 eighth. The unforced error on Augusta's second easiest hole drops him back to 10-under, but it came at the same time DeChambeau bogeyed the par-4 seventh. McIlroy leads DeChambeau and Shane Lowry by three.</p><p><strong>4:00 p.m.</strong> - DeChambeau is struggling with his iron play. He's found two greenside bunkers, and two other approach shots have left him with 40 feet or longer for birdie. His short game and putting are keeping him afloat through six holes. He trails Rory McIlroy by three.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780273/cropped_GettyImages-2209941475.jpg?ts=1744487306" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780273/w220xh124_GettyImages-2209941475.jpg?ts=1744487306 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780273/w320xh180_GettyImages-2209941475.jpg?ts=1744487306 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780273/w640xh360_GettyImages-2209941475.jpg?ts=1744487306 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780273/w768xh432_GettyImages-2209941475.jpg?ts=1744487306 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780273/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2209941475.jpg?ts=1744487306 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Harry How / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>3:45 p.m. - </strong>McIlroy becomes the first person ever to start a Masters round with five straight threes. His birdie on No. 5 gained him 1.29 strokes on the field, and moved him to the odds-on favorite at -140.</p><p><strong>3:15 p.m.</strong> - Get to a TV immediately. McIlroy is 4-under through four and has extended his lead to two shots over DeChambeau and Justin Rose. DeChambeau bogeys the short par-4 third, a hole playing 0.31 shots under par.</p><p><strong>2:55 p.m.</strong> - We're only 15 minutes into the final group's round, and it's been nothing but fireworks! DeChambeau rolls in a 45-footer for birdie on No. 1, and McIlroy chips in for eagle on No. 2.</p><p>Updated odds:</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Rory McIlroy</td>
<td>+140</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bryson DeChambeau</td>
<td>+210</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Scottie Scheffler</td>
<td>+500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Justin Rose</td>
<td>+1200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Corey Conners</td>
<td>+1400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Shane Lowry</td>
<td>+1600</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><strong>2:45 p.m.</strong> - McIlroy birdies the first hole to move to +200 in the betting market. The first hole is playing slightly over par, so McIlroy steals an early one. Scottie Scheffler birdies No. 2 to climb to 6-under. Justin Rose has his work cut out for him if he's going to fend off an elite crop of chasers.</p><p><strong>2:30 p.m.</strong> - We're minutes away from having all the groups on the course. None of the early chasers made a notable move, but Jason Day, Sungjae Im, and Viktor Hovland are all under par and within three of Justin Rose's lead. </p><p><strong>2:10 p.m.</strong> - Augusta is playing the easiest it has all week. The scoring average is currently 71.07, nearly a stroke under par. In Round 1, it played 1.59 strokes over par. </p><p><strong>2:05 p.m.</strong> - OK, Zach Johnson is on another level. The 2007 champion is now 7-under through 16 - well on his way to his best career round at Augusta. It's unlikely anyone else will post a number this low today, but it's good to know it's possible.</p><p><strong>1:45 p.m.</strong> - Zach Johnson is going low! No, he's not going to win, but he's 5-under through 14, proving low scores on moving day are out there.</p><p><strong>12:30 p.m. </strong>- Here's what we'll focus on in the earlier rounds:</p><ul>
<li>Overnight rain softened the course Friday morning. It will be interesting to see how firm the course plays since it will only get firmer as the day goes on.</li>
<li>Nos. 1-3: This segment of Augusta National is ripe for birdies. If you can get by the first with a par, you'll have a real shot at reaching 2-under through three holes. The par-5 second is one of the easiest holes on the course, and No. 3 has already conceded 10 birdies to the 19 players who played it in Round 3.</li>
<li>No. 5 played as the most difficult hole in Round 1, but it was the sixth toughest on Day 2 despite conceding only six birdies. If a player can either avoid disaster or steal a birdie on No. 5 today, that could play a huge role in their standing going into Sunday.</li>
<li>Navigating Amen Corner can make or break a player's round. The pin on No. 11 will likely leave a lot of players to deal with a tricky pitch shot. On No. 12, the pin is situated in the center of the green but is well protected between the two greenside bunkers. Wind is always a factor on the short par 3 as well. And on No. 13, the pin is located on a tiny shelf at the back of the green that will be tough to access. There will likely be a lot of two-putts unless someone can perfectly judge the rollout on their approach shot.</li>
</ul><p><strong>11:30 a.m.</strong> - The leaders don't tee off until after 2 p.m., but plenty is going on in Round 3 that helps set the stage for what's to come. For example, Jon Rahm is off to a blistering start with three straight birdies to start his round. That will let chasers like Xander Schauffele (-2), Collin Morikawa (-3), and Ludvig Aberg (-3) know there are birdies available on the opening few holes.</p>

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Masters forecaddie: Running analysis of Round 3 at Augusta National

Stay tuned throughout the day as theScore updates you with insights and analysis from Round 2 of ...

<p><em>Stay tuned throughout the day as theScore updates you with insights and analysis from Round 2 of the Masters.</em></p><p>Day 2 of the Masters is in the books!</p><p>Augusta National showed its teeth Thursday but played nearly a stroke easier Friday, allowing the leaderboard to tighten up at the top. Justin Rose leads by one over Bryson DeChambeau, but 15 players are within five of Rose's lead. This tournament is still wide open.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Below was our running analysis and updates throughout the second round. (All times ET.) </p><p><strong>7:45 p.m. </strong>- Here's where we stand after Round 2:</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Leaderboard</th>
<th>Odds to win</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>1. Justin Rose (-8)</td>
<td>Rory McIlroy (+300)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2. Bryson DeChambeau (-7)</td>
<td>Bryson DeChambeau (+310)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>T3. Rory McIlroy (-6)</td>
<td>Scottie Scheffler (+450)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>T3. Corey Conners (-6)</td>
<td>Justin Rose (+900)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>T5. Matt McCarty (-5)</td>
<td>Corey Conners (+1300)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>T5. Shane Lowry (-5)</td>
<td>Shane Lowry (+1800)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>T5. Scottie Scheffler (-5)</td>
<td>Tyrrell Hatton (+2200)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>T5. Tyrrell Hatton (-5)</td>
<td>Collin Morikawa (+2500)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Here's what we saw out of each of the contenders. </p><p>Rose: The Englishman once again relied heavily on his putting to survive in Round 2. He lost 0.43 strokes tee-to-green in Round 2 but gained more than two with his putter. He will have to get his tee-to-green game together if he has any chance of hanging on.</p><p>DeChambeau: The top LIV player turned in a near-flawless round. His only bogey came on the 16th after making four bogeys in Round 1. Like Rose, he's going to have to tidy up his approach play if he wants to win, but his combination of power and short game will make him tough to beat. </p><p>Rory McIlroy: He's played 34 of 36 holes better than anyone else this week. Unfortunately, McIlroy gave away four shots on two holes in Round 1 to rob him of the 36-hole lead. Still, McIlroy played flawlessly Friday and is the betting favorite to win the tournament.</p><p>Scottie Scheffler: It was an uncharacteristic lap around Augusta National for the two-time champion. Scheffler made five bogeys Friday, preventing him from getting closer to the lead. He lost strokes on the greens and off the tee, but you have to expect the No. 1 player in the world will rebound in a big way on moving day.</p><p><strong>7:05 p.m.</strong> - After an adventurous 18th, in which he was forced to pitch out sideways from the trees, Scottie Scheffler caps his 1-under round with his fifth bogey of the day. </p><p><strong>6:50 p.m. - </strong>With the cut locked at 2-over, its victims are finalized. Dustin Johnson, Russell Henley, Keegan Bradley, Cam Smith, and Phil Mickelson are among the notables to miss the cut. Tony Finau remains in a battle but needs to find a birdie on one of the final two holes. </p><p><strong>6:10 p.m.</strong> - Goodbye, Lefty. Phil Mickelson's attempt at making the cut will likely come up short after playing Nos. 15 and 16 at 3-over par. Mickelson had been playing well on LIV entering his 32nd Masters but appears to be headed toward his fourth career missed cut at Augusta.</p><p><strong>6:05 p.m.</strong> - Corey Conners posts a 2-under 70 to get to 6-under for the tournament. The Canadian reverted to his usual form in Round 2, gaining over two shots with his approach play while losing nearly a stroke on the greens. </p><p><strong>5:50 p.m</strong>. - Fred Couples can't get it done, either. The 65-year-old bogeys his final hole to finish at 4-over for the tournament. Couples remains the oldest player to ever make the cut. He set the record back in 2023.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780130/cropped_GettyImages-2209800475.jpg?ts=1744408084" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780130/w220xh124_GettyImages-2209800475.jpg?ts=1744408084 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780130/w320xh180_GettyImages-2209800475.jpg?ts=1744408084 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780130/w640xh360_GettyImages-2209800475.jpg?ts=1744408084 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780130/w768xh432_GettyImages-2209800475.jpg?ts=1744408084 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780130/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2209800475.jpg?ts=1744408084 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Harry How / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>5:25 p.m.</strong> - Bernhard Langer bogeys his final hole to fall to 3-over, likely ending his historic run at the Masters. The 67-year-old is making his 41st and final Masters appearance. He's a two-time green jacket winner. </p><p><strong>5:00 p.m.</strong> - All you can do is laugh. After making back-to-back birdies to open his back nine and drop to 4-under, Scottie Scheffler hits it long at No. 12 but catches a break as his ball rolls out of the trees. He then proceeds to chip in for a birdie, ending a round that was heading in the wrong direction with some more Scottie magic.</p><p><strong>4:30 p.m.</strong> - Oddsboard update after Scheffler makes his second bogey of the day on No. 10, dropping to 5-under for the tournament. The wind is really starting to pick up at Augusta.</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Scottie Scheffler</td>
<td>+330</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rory McIlroy</td>
<td>+350</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bryson DeChambeau</td>
<td>+375</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Justin Rose</td>
<td>+1000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tyrrell Hatton</td>
<td>+1400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Corey Conners</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><strong>4:25 p.m.</strong> - We are officially on cut watch for two popular seniors. Langer doubles the par-5 15th to fall to 2-over for the tournament. He'll need to play the final three in at least even par to make the weekend. Couples is also at 2-over with four holes remaining.</p><p><strong>3:55 p.m.</strong> - Jon Rahm rolls in a 10-footer on 18 that will likely secure himself a weekend tee time. Mickelson and Keegan Bradley are sitting on the projected 2-over cut as they head to the back nine.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779945/cropped_GettyImages-2209610984.jpg?ts=1744399509" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779945/w220xh124_GettyImages-2209610984.jpg?ts=1744399509 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779945/w320xh180_GettyImages-2209610984.jpg?ts=1744399509 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779945/w640xh360_GettyImages-2209610984.jpg?ts=1744399509 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779945/w768xh432_GettyImages-2209610984.jpg?ts=1744399509 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779945/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2209610984.jpg?ts=1744399509 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Richard Heathcote / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>3:25 p.m.</strong> - Rory McIlroy bounces back from an awful end to Thursday's round with a 6-under 66 in Round 2. He's two behind clubhouse leader Justin Rose, who heads into the weekend at 8-under. With the morning wave coming to an end, our attention turns to the cutline and the betting favorite, Scottie Scheffler, who just made his first bogey on No. 7 to drop to 5-under.</p><p><strong>2:50 p.m.</strong> - We've already seen fireworks on the 18th hole around the cutline. Assuming 2-over holds, Patrick Cantlay made a clutch birdie to get to 2-over, Russell Henley bogeyed his final hole to drop to 3-over, and Brooks Koepka made a quadruple-bogey eight that will send him home early.</p><p><strong>2:30 p.m.</strong> - Viktor Hovland birdies four straight on the back nine to vault up the leaderboard. He sits at 6-under for the tournament, two shots behind Justin Rose's clubhouse lead. Hovland's odds have shortened drastically from +5000 earlier in the round to +1600. </p><p><strong>2:10 p.m.</strong> - The cut is projected to be 2-over. DataGolf.com gives 2-over a <a href="https://datagolf.com/live-model/pga-tour">78.8% likelihood</a>. Notables battling to make the cut, along with their current scores, are: Jon Rahm (+2), Will Zalatoris (+2), Russell Henley (+2), Phil Mickelson (+2), Patrick Cantlay (+3), and Tony Finau (+3).</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779746/cropped_GettyImages-2209383095.jpg?ts=1744223206" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779746/w220xh124_GettyImages-2209383095.jpg?ts=1744223206 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779746/w320xh180_GettyImages-2209383095.jpg?ts=1744223206 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779746/w640xh360_GettyImages-2209383095.jpg?ts=1744223206 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779746/w768xh432_GettyImages-2209383095.jpg?ts=1744223206 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779746/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2209383095.jpg?ts=1744223206 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Andrew Redington / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>2:00 p.m.</strong> - Oddsboard update after McIlroy's eagle on the par-5 13th gets him to 5-under for the tournament:</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Scottie Scheffler</td>
<td>+250</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bryson DeChambeau</td>
<td>+300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rory McIlroy</td>
<td>+500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Justin Rose</td>
<td>+900</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ludvig Aberg</td>
<td>+1400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Corey Conners</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><strong>1:30 p.m.</strong> - Things are happening! Rory McIlroy opens his back nine with back-to-back birdies to get within six; Bryson DeChambeau pulls off an all-world up-and-down on No. 10 to remain at 7-under; Justin Rose regains his two-shot lead after a birdie on the par-3 16th; and Scottie Scheffler just began his second round. </p><p><strong>12:50 p.m.</strong> - McIlroy makes his second birdie of the day at the par-4 10th. He's been extremely steady Friday but didn't do enough damage on the front nine to get back in the mix. With it looking unlikely that the leaders slow down, McIlroy will likely need to play the remainder of the back nine at 2-under at least to set himself up for Saturday.</p><p><strong>12:45 p.m.</strong> - DeChambeau is the new betting favorite to win the Masters. He birdies the par-5 eighth to get within two of Justin Rose, moving his odds to +280 on theScore Bet/ESPN Bet.</p><p><strong>12:35 p.m.</strong> - He's well back, but Xander Schauffele puts together a special 3-under front nine. He had six birdie looks from within 15 feet, which he converted only three of. The two-time major winner climbs into a tie for 11th but is still seven shots behind leader Rose.</p><p><strong>12:10 p.m.</strong> - The first nine at Augusta is currently playing 0.3 strokes under par, much easier than yesterday when it finished at 0.37 shots over par. Rasmus Hojgaard has the lowest round of the day going at 4-under, with Bryson DeChambeau, Matt McCarty, and Sungjae Im all at 3-under in Round 2. Make your birdies early and hang on.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765891/cropped_GettyImages-2194214066.jpg?ts=1737131070" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765891/w220xh124_GettyImages-2194214066.jpg?ts=1737131070 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765891/w320xh180_GettyImages-2194214066.jpg?ts=1737131070 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765891/w640xh360_GettyImages-2194214066.jpg?ts=1737131070 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765891/w768xh432_GettyImages-2194214066.jpg?ts=1737131070 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765891/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2194214066.jpg?ts=1737131070 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Mateo Villalba / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>Noon</strong> - While players are making moves early, Rahm continues to be stuck in the mud. He's even through six holes and failed to birdie the par-5 second. The most likely cut is 3-over, according to <a href="https://datagolf.com/live-model/pga-tour">Data Golf</a>, so Rahm needs to maintain his current position.</p><p><strong>11:30 a.m.</strong> - Bryson from the bunker! DeChambeau shows off his bunker game with a hole-out birdie on No. 4. He moves to 2-under on the day, three strokes behind Rose, who makes the turn at 8-under for the tournament. Ludvig Aberg is at 5-under with DeChambeau, while Matt Fitzpatrick (-3), Im (-3), and Viktor Hovland (-2) all make early moves up the leaderboard.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bryson DeChambeau sparks a roar from the bunker on No. 4. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/themasters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#themasters</a> <a href="https://t.co/IGQRhTq0wA">pic.twitter.com/IGQRhTq0wA</a></p>— The Masters (@TheMasters) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheMasters/status/1910715933162610701?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p><strong>10:45 a.m.</strong> - The wind gusts are expected to exceed 20 mph at Augusta this afternoon, according to the broadcast. Players on the course now have to take advantage of the benign conditions. Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy are among the 17 players in red numbers. Rose remains at 7-under for the tournament.</p><p><strong>10:30 a.m.</strong> - The morning wave's featured groups are all on the course, and so far, Augusta is playing very comparable to Thursday. The par-5 second is playing nearly a half stroke under par and is a hole chasers must birdie if they want to chip away at Rose's lead.</p><p><strong>9:00 a.m. </strong>- Round 2 play is already underway, with the featured groups starting to tee off closer to 10 a.m.</p><p>Rose: The first-round leader has a three-shot lead, but there's still plenty of golf to be played. Rose gained 5.27 strokes putting in Round 1, which is unsustainable. He'll need to be better tee-to-green if he's to maintain his lead.</p><p>Schauffele: A winner of two majors last season, Schauffele had an up-and-down day in Round 1. He made five birdies, but six bogeys kept him in the black. If he can tidy up the mistakes, he'll have a good chance to track down the leaders.</p><p>McIlroy: He was in complete control yesterday until a terrible chip on the par-5 15th led to a double-bogey. McIlroy carded another double on No. 17 to destroy the fantastic round he had played through 14 holes. Getting off to a clean start in Round 2 through Augusta's easier holes could quickly get him back in the mix.</p><p>Aberg: While McIlroy was in reverse, his playing partner, Aberg, climbed up the leaderboard. Aberg birdied four of his final seven holes to grab a share of second. He's one of Scottie Scheffler's true contenders at the top of the leaderboard.</p><p>DeChambeau: He made seven birdies in Round 1, but four bogeys kept his round in check. DeChambeau started hot at last year's Masters with a 65, but followed it up with three rounds over par. How he navigates Augusta on Day 2 could make or break his chances for a green jacket.</p><p>Rahm: He spent most of Round 1 visibly angry while struggling his way around Augusta. Sitting at 3-over par, Rahm needs a solid second round if he plans to play the weekend.</p>

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Masters forecaddie: Running analysis of Round 2 at Augusta National

Stay tuned throughout the day as theScore keeps you updated with insights and analysis from Round...

<p><em>Stay tuned throughout the day as theScore keeps you updated with insights and analysis from Round 1 of the Masters. </em></p><p>Welcome in! </p><p>We tracked everything going on at Augusta National during Round 1 and provided analysis on what we saw. We focused on the leaders, marquee names, and any surprises throughout the day.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Let's get to it! (All times ET.)</p><p><strong>7:20 p.m. </strong>- The round is complete! It was a phenomenal opening round (unless you're named <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/599" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/599">Rory McIlroy</a>) that sets the stage nicely for the remainder of the tournament.</p><p>Here's where we stand after Day 1:</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Leaderboard</th>
<th>To win odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>1. Justin Rose (-7)</td>
<td>Scottie Scheffler (+240)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>T2.  Corey Conners (-4)</td>
<td>Ludvig Aberg (+550)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>T2. Scottie Scheffler (-4)</td>
<td> Bryson DeChambeau (+650)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>T2. Ludvig Aberg (-4)</td>
<td> Justin Rose (+750)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>T5. Tyrrell Hatton (-3)</td>
<td> Rory McIlroy (+1100)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>T5. Bryson DeChambeau (-3)</td>
<td>Corey Conners (+2000)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><em>Odds via theScore Bet/ESPN Bet</em></p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Strokes gained: Tee to green</th>
<th>Strokes Gained: Putting</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Ludvig Aberg (+5.25)</td>
<td>Justin Rose (+5.26)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Aaron Rai (+4.78)</td>
<td>Max Greyserman (+3.67)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tyrrell Hatton (+4.66)</td>
<td>Tom Hoge (+3.66)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Matt McCarty (+4.50)</td>
<td>Sam Burns (+3.17)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sergio Garcia (+4.44)</td>
<td>Scottie Scheffler (+2.89)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><em>Data via <a href="https://datagolf.com/live-tournament-stats">DataGolf.com</a></em></p><p><strong>6:50 p.m.</strong> - <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/599" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/599">Rory McIlroy</a> may have posted the most disappointing even-par round in Masters history. He carded another double-bogey on the 17th before scrambling for par to end a round destined to be his best opening day at the Masters since 2011. McIlroy was once the +250 favorite, but has fallen to +1100 thanks to an ugly four-hole stretch. </p><p><strong>6:34 p.m.</strong> - Here comes Bryson! The big hitter birdies No. 16 for his third red number in his last four holes. DeChambeau was the first-round leader at last year's Masters after shooting 65 in Round 1. He's three shots off that pace right now, but his game seems to be in a much better spot. </p><p><strong>6:00 p.m.</strong> - Disaster strikes for <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/599" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/599">Rory McIlroy</a>. The Northern Irishman's first mistake of Round 1 is costly - he chipped his third shot into the water on No. 15, leading to a double-bogey seven. As a result, his odds to win plummet from +250 to +550, a 13% swing in implied probability.</p><p><strong>5:35 p.m.</strong> - <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1013" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1013">Justin Rose</a> is in the clubhouse at 7-under par, a brilliant round that thrust him into contention at yet another major. However, Rose gained over five strokes putting on Thursday, which will be tough to sustain. He's the third favorite to win at +750 behind Rory McIlroy (+250) and Scottie Scheffler (+300).</p><p><strong>5:10 p.m.</strong> - <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1111" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1111">Jon Rahm</a> seems lost - and angry. The 2023 champ is wearing his emotions on his sleeve as he tries to finish his opening round without completely embarrassing himself. Rahn is 4-over through 11, which is by far the worst showing out of any of the pre-tournament favorites, and his outright odds move from +1600 to +9000.</p><p><strong>4:55 p.m.</strong> - <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1013" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1013">Justin Rose</a>'s sensational opening round continues as he buries his seventh birdie of the day on No. 15 to take an early three-shot lead. Rose has missed three of six cuts on the PGA TOUR this season, so this outburst is a bit of a surprise. He does love Augusta, though: He's a two-time runner-up at the Masters and has 14 top-25 finishes in 19 appearances.</p><p><strong>4:40 p.m.</strong> - Early in the day, it looked as though we could be in store for some low scores. But that's not the case. Augusta National is playing extremely firm and fast, and even without much wind, the scoring average is 1.81 strokes over par (73.81). Four holes are playing under par, and only one of those is on the back nine (the par-5 15th).</p><p><strong>4:25 p.m.</strong> - It's been an uncharacteristic day for <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1213" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1213">Xander Schauffele</a>, the biggest name struggling on Thursday. The two-time major winner hit every fairway through 11 holes, but only six greens in regulation. He made three straight bogeys heading to No. 12 in the heart of Amen Corner.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779935/cropped_GettyImages-2209607271.jpg?ts=1744317675" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779935/w220xh124_GettyImages-2209607271.jpg?ts=1744317675 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779935/w320xh180_GettyImages-2209607271.jpg?ts=1744317675 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779935/w640xh360_GettyImages-2209607271.jpg?ts=1744317675 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779935/w768xh432_GettyImages-2209607271.jpg?ts=1744317675 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779935/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2209607271.jpg?ts=1744317675 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Harry How / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>3:55 p.m.</strong> - It was a nearly perfect first nine for <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/599" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/599">Rory McIlroy</a>. He had two moments of stress: par putts on the par-5 second and par-3 fourth, both of which he converted. He heads to the back nine at 3-under par - three shots behind <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1013" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1013">Rose</a> and one back of <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1540" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1540">Scheffler</a>.</p><p><strong>3:35 p.m.</strong> - Quick stats update: Leader <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1013" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1013">Justin Rose</a> tops the field in strokes gained: putting, picking up over four shots on the field on the greens. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1907" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1907">Corey Conners</a> (-4) and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1540" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1540">Scottie Scheffler</a> (-4) are in the top five. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1643" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1643">Harris English</a> (-2) led the field in strokes gained: approach, with <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/4424" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/4424">Joaquin Niemann</a> (E) second and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/994" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/994">Tyrrell Hatton</a> (-3) third.</p><p><strong>3:15 p.m.</strong> - <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/3135" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/3135">Collin Morikawa</a>'s time near the top of the leaderboard was short-lived. He played his final four holes at 3-over to fall into a tie for 23rd at even par. His odds lengthened drastically from +800 to +3500 as a result. </p><p><strong>3:00 p.m.</strong> - Again?! Scheffler drained a 42-footer on the par-3 16th to move one shot off Rose's lead. He's made over 100 feet of putts between two birdies on par 3s. (He sank a 62-footer on No. 4.) The reigning champion has gained over two strokes putting through 16 holes, and his odds are already down to +250 (28.6% implied probability).</p><p><strong>2:50 p.m.</strong> - There's something about major championships that brings out the best in <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1013" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1013">Justin Rose</a>. The 44-year-old Englishman made the turn at 5-under after hitting seven on nine greens in regulation and putting well enough to gain nearly three shots with the flatstick. Rose was a runner-up at the Open Championship last year - the most recent major contested.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779904/cropped_GettyImages-2209568355.jpg?ts=1744308182" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779904/w220xh124_GettyImages-2209568355.jpg?ts=1744308182 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779904/w320xh180_GettyImages-2209568355.jpg?ts=1744308182 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779904/w640xh360_GettyImages-2209568355.jpg?ts=1744308182 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779904/w768xh432_GettyImages-2209568355.jpg?ts=1744308182 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779904/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2209568355.jpg?ts=1744308182 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Andrew Redington / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>2:30 p.m.</strong> - We have a new clubhouse leader. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1907" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1907">Corey Conners</a> birdied three of his final four holes to post a 4-under 68. The Canadian gained over two strokes putting - a rarity for him - and gained nearly another two around the greens. His odds to win shifted from +5000 to +2000 with his opening-round performance.</p><p><strong>2:20 p.m.</strong> - Every group has teed off, and the afternoon wave is bringing the fireworks. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/437" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/437">Bryson DeChambeau</a> is 2-under through two and launched a 362-yard drive on the par-5 second. He then showed off his short game with a tidy pitch into the third to put another circle on the scorecard.</p><p><strong>1:55 p.m.</strong> - <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/3135" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/3135">Collin Morikawa</a> hasn't done anything exceptional today besides avoiding bogeys and making an eagle on the par-5 13th. Morikawa's blemish-free scorecard puts him one behind Hatton's 4-under lead. His live odds are down to +800, still behind Scheffler (3-under through 12) and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/599" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/599">Rory McIlroy</a> (E through two holes).</p><p><strong>1:40 p.m.</strong> - Shot of the day so far goes to <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/2106" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/2106">Fred Couples</a>, who holed out for eagle on the par-4 14th from 191 yards using a hybrid! The big bird put the 65-year-old into a tie for sixth at 1-under.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Into the hole from 191 yards. Fred Couples eagles No. 14! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/themasters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#themasters</a> <a href="https://t.co/5KD2bMUKv6">pic.twitter.com/5KD2bMUKv6</a></p>— The Masters (@TheMasters) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheMasters/status/1910386911371288697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p><strong>1:30 p.m</strong>. - Fun fact: Scheffler's first-nine score of 3-under ties the best start from a defending champion in the past 30 years. There have been four other instances, one of which was Scheffler in 2023, according to the <a href="https://x.com/JustinRayGolf/status/1910378049406648830">Twenty First Group's Justin Ray</a>.</p><p><strong>1:25 p.m.</strong> - <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/2071" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/2071">Max Homa</a> sighting? The golfer who received the most bets to miss the cut at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet is 2-under through four holes. It's the easiest stretch at Augusta National but still a positive sign for Homa, who's missed five straight cuts in the lead-up to the Masters.</p><p><strong>12:55 p.m.</strong> - Some notable names are starting to climb up the leaderboard. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/994" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/994">Tyrrell Hatton</a> (-3), <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1013" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1013">Justin Rose</a> (-3 through three), and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/55" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/55">Jordan Spieth</a> (-2) are all off to great starts. Hatton is currently the lowest LIV player with Niemann stuck at 2-under.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779890/cropped_GettyImages-2209579756.jpg?ts=1744305508" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779890/w220xh124_GettyImages-2209579756.jpg?ts=1744305508 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779890/w320xh180_GettyImages-2209579756.jpg?ts=1744305508 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779890/w640xh360_GettyImages-2209579756.jpg?ts=1744305508 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779890/w768xh432_GettyImages-2209579756.jpg?ts=1744305508 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/779890/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2209579756.jpg?ts=1744305508 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Harry How / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>12:50 p.m</strong>. - The last thing the rest of the field wants to see is <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1540" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1540">Scottie </a><span style="margin:0px; padding:0px; text-align:left"><a href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1540" target="_blank">Scheffler'</a>s</span> name near the top of the leaderboard early on Thursday. Bad news, folks - Scheffler is in cruise control. The reigning champ is 3-under through nine holes, one off <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/2091" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/2091">Stephan Jaeger</a>'s lead, and hasn't hit a poor shot yet. His live odds to win are down to +290, a 25.6% implied probability.</p><p><strong>12:26 p.m.</strong> - <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1747" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1747">Justin Thomas</a> is struggling big time. His score may not reflect it at 1-over par through seven holes, but he hasn't hit a good shot. Thomas failed to convert two straightforward up-and-downs, was forced to make an 11-footer to save par on No. 7 after an errant drive, and chunked his approach into the par-5 eighth.</p><p><strong>12:05 p.m.</strong> - We may have gotten a bit excited regarding early-round scoring. The front nine is playing 0.15 strokes over par with nine groups through. It's imperative for someone looking to post a solid front-nine score to make birdies early and hang on. The par-4 fifth is playing 0.62 strokes over par.</p><p><strong>11:50 a.m.</strong> - <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1480" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1480">Bernhard Langer</a> is a magician and this stat is too good not to share. Langer's longest drive during warm-up was 238 yards, <a href="https://x.com/JoelMBeall/status/1910359317724745898">according to Golf Digest's Joel Beall</a>, and is currently 1-under through 11 holes, sitting at T16.</p><p><strong>11:30 a.m.</strong> - <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/3311" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/3311">Aaron Rai</a> makes the turn leading at 4-under. One of the most accurate drivers on the PGA TOUR hit all seven fairways on the front and seven of nine greens in regulation. He's gained over three strokes tee-to-green and has live odds of +4500. Rai has the game to make some serious noise this week.</p><p><strong>11:15 a.m.</strong> - Scheffler is off to a comfortable 2-under start through four holes. He took care of the par-5 second and missed a slippery 12-footer for birdie on No. 3. He was seen yawning as he walked toward the fourth green then rolled in a 62-footer for birdie. Talk about a walk in the park.</p><p><strong>10:45 a.m.</strong> - Rai becomes the first player to reach 3-under par in his Masters debut. All three of his birdie putts have been less than 10 feet long, and he also missed a 6-footer on No. 4. His closing odds were +17500, but his current odds of +6000 may be worth a look.</p><p><strong>10:37 a.m.</strong> - <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/4424" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/4424">Joaquin Niemann</a> is off to a fantastic start, making birdie on his first two holes. He then burned the edge on No. 3, narrowly missing out on a third straight. LIV's top player has yet to record a top-15 finish in a major championship but couldn't have drawn up a better start.</p><p><strong>10:15 a.m.</strong> - <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/4700" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/4700">Nicolai Hojgaard</a> started 3-over through two holes but rattled off five birdies over his next six holes, showing how scorable Augusta is at the moment. Hojgaard becomes the first player since 1992 to have at least five birdies and a double-bogey or worse on their first nine holes, <a href="https://x.com/JustinRayGolf/status/1910339452435640624">according to the Twenty First Group's Justin Ray.</a></p><p><strong>9:55 a.m.</strong> - As the lead group makes the turn, scoring conditions at Augusta are perfect. There isn't a breath of wind, and golfers are taking advantage, with 13 players already in red numbers. If someone can make par on No. 1, they'll have a good shot at getting to 2-under par quickly. The par-5 second follows, and No. 3, playing nearly half a stroke under par, could end up being the easiest hole today.</p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/30917858/related

Masters forecaddie: Analysis of Round 1 at Augusta National

Bettors are putting their trust - and money - in Rory McIlroy ahead of the 2025 Masters, as the N...

<p>Bettors are putting their trust - and money - in <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/599" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/599">Rory McIlroy</a> ahead of the 2025 Masters, as the Northern Irishman is the most popular selection to don the green jacket at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet.</p><p>McIlroy has garnered 9.5% of all bets placed on the tournament winner market and a staggering 15.1% of the handle (money wagered). That means both big and small bettors believe this is the week McIlroy ends his major championship drought to become only the sixth golfer to achieve the career grand slam.</p><p>While he's second on the oddsboard at +600 behind defending champion <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1540" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1540">Scottie Scheffler</a>, a case could be made that McIlroy deserves to be the favorite based on his body of work this year. This is the first time in his career that McIlroy will tee it up at Augusta National with two victories from the season already under his belt.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Scheffler (+475), meanwhile, isn't in the same form as last year entering the Masters, with no victories and only two top-five results. Plus, defending at Augusta is difficult. Only three players - Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo, and Jack Nicklaus - have accomplished the feat.</p><p>That hasn't prevented bettors from backing the favorite, though. Scheffler is the second-most bet-on golfer as he goes for his third green jacket in four years.</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>% of bets</th>
<th>Player</th>
<th>% of handle</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Rory McIlroy</td>
<td>9.5%</td>
<td>Rory McIlroy</td>
<td>15.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Scottie Scheffler</td>
<td>6.9%</td>
<td>Scottie Scheffler</td>
<td>12.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bryson DeChambeau</td>
<td>6.9%</td>
<td>Collin Morikawa</td>
<td>7.3%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Collin Morikawa</td>
<td>6.5%</td>
<td>Bryson Dechambeau</td>
<td>6.6%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ludvig Aberg</td>
<td>5.1%</td>
<td>Ludvig Aberg</td>
<td>4.8%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Xander Schauffele</td>
<td>4.3%</td>
<td>Xander Schauffele</td>
<td>3.9%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brooks Koepka</td>
<td>3.5%</td>
<td>Tommy Fleetwood</td>
<td>3.7%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jon Rahm</td>
<td>3.0%</td>
<td>Jon Rahm</td>
<td>3.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Justin Thomas</td>
<td>2.9%</td>
<td>Viktor Hovland</td>
<td>3.4%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Will Zalatoris</td>
<td>2.5%</td>
<td>Brooks Koepka</td>
<td>2.9%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/3135" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/3135">Collin Morikawa</a> (+1400) and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/437" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/437">Bryson DeChambeau</a> (+1500) round out the top four options, but both see a significant drop off from Scheffler in terms of handle.</p><p>McIlroy is also getting love in the prop markets. A top-five finish for McIlroy is the most bet-on prop at +150. Morikawa's top-five finish and top-10 finish are the second and fourth most bet-on props, respectively.</p><p>On the flip side, bettors do not like <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/2071" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/2071">Max Homa</a>'s chances of playing weekend golf. Homa to miss the cut is the fifth-most bet-on prop and has accumulated the fourth-most handle.</p><p>Homa's struggles this year are well-documented. He's missed four straight cuts and finished near the bottom of the leaderboard at two no-cut events this season. He's changed equipment, swing coaches, and will have a new caddie on the bag this week in Augusta. He did finish T3 at the Masters last year but bettors are hoping those good vibes do not return this week. </p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/30911601/related

Bettors make Rory most popular pick to tame Augusta National

We're less than 24 hours away from the opening tee ball being hit at Augusta National to kick off...

<p>We're less than 24 hours away from the opening tee ball being hit at Augusta National to kick off the 2025 Masters Tournament. </p><p>We covered our outright selections in the main <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3260710" href="https://thescore.com/news/3260710">betting preview</a>, but with so many markets available for the Masters, we couldn't stop at just three picks.</p><p>Let's get to our 10 favorite prop bets for the season's first major. </p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p><strong>Schauffele: To finish top 20 (-120)</strong></p><p>The thesis behind backing <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1213" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1213">Xander Schauffele</a> in the outright market and the top-20 market is the same: He's undervalued based on an injury that no longer impacts his game.</p><p>The winner of two majors in 2024 is being treated as a worse golfer than <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/5384" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/5384">Ludvig Aberg</a>, who has played in four career majors and missed two of those cuts, and the same as <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1747" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1747">Justin Thomas</a>, who hasn't won since 2022 and missed back-to-back cuts at Augusta.</p><p>Schauffele has finished inside the top 20 in 11 straight major championships and a whopping 23 of the 30 career majors he's played. This is stealing at -120 odds.</p><p><strong>Lowry: To finish top 20 (+110)</strong></p><p>The 2019 Open Champion is in form to earn a second major victory. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/325" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/325">Shane Lowry</a> ranks fourth on DataGolf's adjusted strokes gained: tee-to-green rating, behind only <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/3135" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/3135">Collin Morikawa</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/599" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/599">Rory McIlroy</a>, and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1540" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1540">Scottie Scheffler</a>. He's collected five top-20s in his last six starts, recorded two top-10s in majors last season, and finished T3 at the 2022 Masters.</p><p><strong>Conners: To finish top 20 (+150)</strong></p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1907" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1907">Corey Conners</a> is one of the best ball strikers in the world, a reputation he's proven through his strong performances at Augusta over his career. In six starts as a professional, he's recorded three top-10s and missed only one cut. Conners has finished inside the top 20 in four straight PGA TOUR starts and should carry his elite tee-to-green form into the Masters.</p><p><strong>MacIntyre: To finish top 20 (+150)</strong></p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/4894" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/4894">Robert MacIntyre</a> ranks fifth on DataGolf's adjusted strokes gained: tee-to-green rating. He placed T12 and T23 in two career starts at Augusta, and that was before he elevated his game. Since then, he's won two marquee events (the Canadian Open and the Scottish Open) to become a top-20 player in the world. Left-handed golfers have always found success around the iconic Masters layout. MacIntyre could be in the mix to become another lefty to don the green jacket.</p><p><strong>Zalatoris: To finish top 20 (+160)</strong></p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1622" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1622">Will Zalatoris</a>' worst finish in three starts at the Masters is a T9. We're only asking him to finish in the top 20 and getting +160 odds. Zalatoris has been a model of consistency over his past 10 PGA TOUR starts, with no finish worse than T47. His incredible iron play will allow him to separate from the field at Augusta more than any other venue, and a top-20 result shouldn't be an issue.</p><p><strong>Hoge: To finish top 40 (+110)</strong></p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1807" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1807">Tom Hoge</a> finished T3 at the Players Championship and T5 at the Valero Texas Open in the run-up to the Masters, and it'd be hard to find many golfers with better lead-in form at comparable odds. He's a great iron player and came T39 in his Masters debut two years ago.</p><p><strong>Straka: Top continental European (+800)</strong></p><p>We waxed poetic about <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/534" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/534">Sepp Straka</a> in the main betting preview, so it would make sense that we like the Austrian in prop markets. Here, Straka is mainly competing against <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1111" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1111">Jon Rahm</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/5384" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/5384">Ludvig Aberg</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/5297" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/5297">Viktor Hovland</a>, and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/621" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/621">Sergio Garcia</a>. Straka is in the best form out of anyone in this category. If we like his chances to win the green jacket, he's an easy golfer to back against players surrounded by question marks.</p><p><strong>MacIntyre: Top left-handed golfer (+200)</strong></p><p>For the same reasons listed above, backing MacIntyre in the top lefty market is another way to get exposure to the Scot. There's a record eight lefties teeing it up this week, but none in better form than MacIntyre. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/5671" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/5671">Akshay Bhatia</a> is his toughest competition, but we'll trust the more experienced major competitor to take down this market as the favorite.</p><p><strong>Reed: Top LIV golfer (+1100)</strong></p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1162" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1162">Patrick Reed</a>'s short game remains one of the best in the world and is always a factor at Augusta. This isn't a knock at his other LIV compadres' chances; Rahm, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/437" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/437">Bryson DeChambeau</a>, or <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1461" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1461">Brooks Koepka</a> can all win this week. But at +1100, Reed should be in the mix for the top LIV player. The 2018 champ has finished inside the top 12 in four of his last five Masters starts, which could be good enough to win this bet.</p><p><strong>Hovland: To miss the cut (+180)</strong></p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/5297" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/5297">Viktor Hovland</a> is one of the few players in the Masters who won in their last start. While that may suggest he's in good form, his comments after the Valspar Championship victory indicate he's not overly confident in his game.</p><p>"Some of the shots that I'm hitting, it's going to make it really difficult for me to be in contention at Augusta if I don't rectify that problem," Hovland said, <a href="https://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=206215">according to ASAP Sports</a>.</p><p>We're going to bank on him not being able to correct the problem that plagued him before his win when he missed three straight cuts.</p>

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Masters props: Targeting Lowry, Conners in the top-20 market

The field is set for the 2025 Masters, and it's time to make some predictions about what will unf...

<p>The field is set for the 2025 Masters, and it's time to make some predictions about what will unfold at Augusta National.</p><p>Our golf writers, Dane Belbeck and Eric Patterson, share their picks on who they think will win the coveted green jacket, who will disappoint the most, and everything in between. </p><p>Let's dive in. </p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><h3>Masters champion</h3><p><strong>Rory McIlroy</strong></p><p>If not now, when? Augusta National may have put <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/599" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/599">Rory McIlroy</a> in the friend zone years ago, but the all-around development in his game has him coming in as a different man. This is the first time he's driven down Magnolia Lane with two victories already under his belt in the calendar year, having secured wins at Pebble Beach and The Players. He'll run into enough birdies throughout the week to be in contention Sunday, but he'll need to limit bogeys if he wants to win. I bet he does, and he finally completes the career grand slam with an emphatic triumph.<em> - Belbeck</em></p><p><strong>Xander Schauffele </strong></p><p>For the sake of being different - and to completely disagree with my colleague's boldest take below - we'll go with <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1213" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1213">Xander Schauffele</a>. </p><p>Schauffele seems to be flying under the radar despite holding two major championship trophies. There's a reason for that, though: A rib injury he sustained early in the season knocked him out for two months, and he's failed to finish inside the top 10 in his three starts since his return.</p><p>But his most recent start at the Valspar Championship suggests he's 100% healthy - he gained 11.2 strokes on approach shots, the best of his career. The last time he played Augusta, he was still dubbed the best player without a major. Now, he has the chance to be the first to hold three simultaneous majors titles since <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1637" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1637">Tiger Woods</a>. <em>- Patterson</em></p><h3>Top longshot</h3><p><strong>Will Zalatoris (+6000)</strong></p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/450689/cropped_GettyImages-1312017776.jpg?ts=1618183410" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/450689/w220xh124_GettyImages-1312017776.jpg?ts=1618183410 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/450689/w320xh180_GettyImages-1312017776.jpg?ts=1618183410 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/450689/w640xh360_GettyImages-1312017776.jpg?ts=1618183410 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/450689/w768xh432_GettyImages-1312017776.jpg?ts=1618183410 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/450689/w1080xh607_GettyImages-1312017776.jpg?ts=1618183410 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1622" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1622">Will Zalatoris</a> has never <em>really</em> struggled at the Masters. He has played the event three times, and his tie for ninth last year represents his worst finish ever. His approach game is elite, which is essential to thrive at Augusta, but his putting makes the difference. Zalatoris traditionally ranks outside the top 100 on TOUR in putting each season, but he ranked third in that statistic over his first two Masters appearances, according to <a data-in-app-uri="" href="https://x.com/JustinRayGolf/status/1778094471743156557">Justin Ray of the Twenty First Group</a>.<em> - Belbeck</em></p><p><strong>Sepp Straka (+6000)</strong></p><p>You don't have to go too far down some of the PGA TOUR's most important stat categories to find <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/534" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/534">Sepp Straka</a>. He may not be a household name, but those paying attention this year know how well the Austrian is playing.</p><p>He won the American Express in January and followed that up with five top-15 finishes in his last seven starts. He's seventh in strokes gained: total, sixth in strokes gained: tee to green, and fifth in strokes gained: approach on the PGA TOUR this season. Don't be shocked if Straka secures Austria's first major championship title. - <em>Patterson</em></p><h3>Top Debutant</h3><p><strong>Rasmus Hojgaard</strong></p><p>He might be a rookie at <em>these</em> Masters, but he's been wildly successful as of late at different Masters. The Dane played in the Qatar Masters, British Masters, European Masters and Andalucia Masters last year and posted three top-six finishes and a tie for 17th. He's also got the bonus of having his twin brother, Nicolai, to walk him through the debut process after a 16th-place showing in his first Masters last year. <em>- Belbeck</em></p><p><strong>Maverick McNealy</strong></p><p>McNealy is, understandably, a +600 co-favorite to the top debutant at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet. He has four top-10 finishes on the PGA TOUR this season, including a third-place showing at last week's Valero Texas Open. He has the length and iron-play required to navigate Augusta's tricky layout, and he's one of the best putters in the field. - <em>Patterson</em></p><h3>Boldest prediction</h3><p><strong>Schauffele misses the cut</strong></p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/579814/cropped_GettyImages-1495396014.jpg?ts=1685727742" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/579814/w220xh124_GettyImages-1495396014.jpg?ts=1685727742 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/579814/w320xh180_GettyImages-1495396014.jpg?ts=1685727742 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/579814/w640xh360_GettyImages-1495396014.jpg?ts=1685727742 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/579814/w768xh432_GettyImages-1495396014.jpg?ts=1685727742 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/579814/w1080xh607_GettyImages-1495396014.jpg?ts=1685727742 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Andy Lyons / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>Considering he's made 60 straight cuts, this is about as bold as it gets. Since his return from a rib injury earlier this year, Schauffele hasn't quite regained the form that saw him grab two majors in 2024. He currently ranks outside the top 160 on TOUR in strokes gained: off the tee, around the green and putting. Schauffele will eventually return to his brilliant output, but we'll take the shot at him missing the cut as our bold take. <em>- Belbeck</em></p><p><strong>Mickelson and Garcia both finish inside the top 10</strong></p><p>Blast from the past, shall we? <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1308" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1308">Phil Mickelson</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/621" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/621">Sergio Garcia</a> have been playing well on LIV this season and, as past Masters champions, know a thing or two about contending at Augusta National. </p><p>Mickelson has two top-10s in his past three starts on LIV, including a solid showing last week in Miami. Garcia earned a LIV victory three starts ago and finished on the podium in his final prep event for the Masters. It's a long shot, but Lefty finished as a runner-up to <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1111" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1111">Jon Rahm</a> in 2023, and Garcia can easily keep his strong play going in his effort to make the 2025 European Ryder Cup team. <em>- Patterson</em></p><h3>Best player to miss the cut</h3><p><strong>Ludvig Aberg</strong></p><p>Schauffele would undoubtedly be the biggest name to miss the cut outside of McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, but we used him for the bold prediction, so let's move further down the list. Aberg electrified the crowd with a second-place finish in his first Masters - and first major championship in general - last year. He also already has a win this year, but he's struggled in recent weeks. Aberg has missed two straight cuts and has broken 70 just once in his last eight rounds. <em>- Belbeck</em></p><p><strong>Viktor Hovland</strong></p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/5297" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/5297">Viktor Hovland</a> has some question marks surrounding his game, even though he won his last start.</p><p>Hovland admitted after his Valspar Championship victory that he was surprised he won because he had little confidence in where his ball was going. He also gained 7.4 strokes putting en route to the win, the best putting week of his career and an area he's struggled with throughout the year.</p><p>Let's call Hovland's recent win a stroke of luck. Hovland missed three missed cuts in a row, and that form is far more likely to make an appearance at Augusta National than another week of flukey golf shots. <em>- Patterson </em></p>

PINEHURST, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 13: Xander Schauffele of the United States and Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland shake hands on the 18th green during the first round of the 124th U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort on June 13, 2024 in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

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Masters predictions: Who will win, and who will disappoint at Augusta

The greatest time of the golf calendar is here. It's Masters week. Clear your weekend schedules, ...

<p>The greatest time of the golf calendar is here. It's Masters week. Clear your weekend schedules, place some bets, and settle onto the couch for what should be an incredible tournament.</p><p>A field of 95 players will descend on the iconic grounds of Augusta National for the year's first major championship. Defending champion <a href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1540">Scottie Scheffler</a> is the betting favorite at +440 at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/599" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/599">Rory McIlroy</a>, whose quest for his first green jacket is the story of the week, is the second favorite at +650.</p><h3>The course</h3><ul>
<li>Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia</li>
<li>7,555 yards, par 72</li>
<li>Bentgrass greens</li>
<li>All four par 5s under 600 yards</li>
<li>Long par 4s place a premium on mid- to long-iron play</li>
<li>Tests every aspect of players' games</li>
</ul><p>One of the best aspects of the Masters is the familiarity every fan has with Augusta. When the TV broadcast cuts to a new player, you can almost instantly recognize which hole they're on. Augusta is widely regarded as one of the best courses in the world and a perfect test for today's modern professional. There's no faking it around Augusta National for 72 holes - whoever wins the green jacket will be a deserving champion.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><h3>Past winners</h3><p>2024: Scottie Scheffler (-11) over Ludvig Aberg<br>2023: Jon Rahm (-12) over Brooks Kopeka, Phil Mickelson<br>2022: Scottie Scheffler (-10) over Rory McIlroy<br>2021: Hideki Matsuyama (-10) over Will Zalatoris<br>2020: Dustin Johnson (-20) over Sungjae Im, Cameron Smith<br>2019: Tiger Woods (-13) over Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Xander Schauffele<br>2018: Patrick Reed (-15) over Rickie Fowler<br>2017: Sergio Garcia (-9) in a playoff over Justin Rose<br>2016: Danny Willett (-5) over Jordan Spieth, Lee Westwood<br>2015: Jordan Spieth (-18) over Phil Mickelson, Justin Rose<br>2014: Bubba Watson (-9) over Jordan Spieth, Jonas Blixt<br>2013: Adam Scott (-9) over Angel Cabrera<br>2012: Bubba Watson (-10) over Louis Oosthuizen<br>2011: Charl Schwartzel (-14) over Jason Day, Adam Scott<br>2010: Phil Mickelson (-16) over Lee Westwood</p><h3>The favorites</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Scottie Scheffler</td>
<td>+475</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rory McIlroy</td>
<td>+625</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Scheffler and McIlroy are on a tier of their own this week by a significant margin. Bettors will need to form an opinion on these two before placing bets.</p><p>There isn't much more you can say about Scheffler's history at Augusta. He's won two of the past three Masters, an incredible feat highlighting how ideally suited this course is for his game.</p><p>However, Scheffler's form isn't the same as last year's. He's yet to win this season and - we're nitpicking here - only has two top-five finishes in six starts. Scheffler's odds have moved from +400 to +475, and there may be an opportunity to back the reigning champ if it continues to drift. But for now, you're paying a price that doesn't reflect his current form. For that reason, he's a pass despite his obvious winning potential.</p><p>As for McIlroy, his career at Augusta National is well-documented for all the wrong reasons. On paper, his history doesn't look concerning, but his seven top-10s in 16 career starts are a bit of a mirage since he hasn't genuinely contended at the Masters since 2011.</p><p>However, this could be McIlroy's best opportunity to complete the career grand slam. He's already won twice this season - something he's never done prior to the Masters during his career - and you can poke holes in nearly every other contender's game.</p><p>Admittedly, +625 is a short price for someone who hasn't won a major since 2014, and it's probably a pass considering the other options at far longer prices on the betting board. But if forced to pick one player to win the Masters without considering the odds, it's McIlroy.</p><h3>The contenders</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Collin Morikawa</td>
<td>+1400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jon Rahm</td>
<td>+1400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bryson DeChambeau</td>
<td>+1600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ludvig Aberg</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Xander Schauffele</td>
<td>+2200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Justin Thomas</td>
<td>+2200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Joaquin Niemann</td>
<td>+2800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brooks Koepka</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>The oddsboard opens after the top two with eight players priced from +1400 to +2800. As mentioned above, every one of these players has holes in their resume that could lead to one of the most wide-open Masters in recent memory.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/3135" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/3135">Collin Morikawa</a> has the stats, recent form, and course history that align with past Masters winners, but he hasn't won since October 2023. And the times he's been close, Morikawa has looked uncomfortable while contending. He held the lead late at the Arnold Palmer Invitational before getting stuck in neutral on the back nine to let <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1700" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1700">Russell Henley</a> steal the trophy. Given his recent Sunday struggles, the pressure of a green jacket may be too much for Morikawa to handle.</p><p>It's tough to know the state of <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1111" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1111">Jon Rahm</a>'s and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/437" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/437">Bryson DeChambeau</a>'s games leading into the Masters. Neither has won on LIV this year, and it's hard to determine if they're ready for Augusta's test with no strokes-gained data.</p><p>DeChambeau took advantage of a soft Augusta National last year in Round 1. He opened with a 65 but followed up with rounds of 73, 75, and 73 to fall out of contention. The idea that he may have figured out Augusta might be overblown.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/5384" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/5384">Ludvig Aberg</a> has missed two straight cuts coming into the tournament. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1213" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1213">Xander Schauffele</a> isn't in good form, either. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1747" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1747">Justin Thomas</a> is unlikely to end a nearly three-year winless drought on the biggest stage in golf. And <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/4424" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/4424">Joaquin Niemann</a> may be leading LIV's standings, but he doesn't have a single top-15 finish in a major.</p><p>Of course, there are positives for everyone's game in this range, but (for the majority) the risk doesn't outweigh the price you're being asked to pay. </p><h3>The next tier</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Brooks Koepka</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hideki Matsuyama</td>
<td>+3300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jordan Spieth</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Patrick Cantlay</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Shane Lowry</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tommy Fleetwood</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Viktor Hovland</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell Henley</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Min Woo Lee</td>
<td>+4500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Corey Conners</td>
<td>+5000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tyrrell Hatton</td>
<td>+5500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Robert MacIntyre</td>
<td>+5500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Will Zalatoris</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cam Smith</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sepp Straka</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sergio Garcia</td>
<td>+7500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Akshay Bhatia</td>
<td>+7500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Patrick Reed</td>
<td>+7500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tony Finau</td>
<td>+8500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Wydham Clark</td>
<td>+8500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jason Day</td>
<td>+8500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dustin Johnson</td>
<td>+10000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Phil Mickelson</td>
<td>+10000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><h3>Picks</h3><p><strong>Xander Schauffele (+2200)</strong></p><p>If you are casually tuning in to bet on golf for the first time this year and see Schauffele's odds at +2200, he'd likely be an automatic bet. That's the strategy we're taking with this selection. Don't overthink the obvious value attached to a player who won two majors last season.</p><p>A rib injury kept Schauffele out for two months earlier in the year. Missing time is less than ideal, but he's had three tournaments to sharpen his game before Augusta. While Schauffele's finishes haven't been great, his underlying numbers suggest he's nearly back to last year's form. In his most recent start at the Valspar Championship, Schauffele gained 11.2 strokes on approach shots, the best week of iron play he's had in his career.</p><p>Schauffele has also struggled with his driver since returning to the PGA TOUR. However, he mentioned in his pre-tournament press conference that he put last year's driver back in the bag because he didn't have enough time to test the 2025 model he received. Schauffele's typically a tremendous driver of the ball, which should return with a familiar weapon back in his hands.</p><p>Schauffele's major championship pedigree - and success at the Masters - have the makings of someone who should end their career with a green jacket. This is the perfect time to buy low on a player whose upside rivaled Scheffler's form from last year. </p><p><strong>Will Zalatoris (+6000)</strong></p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1622" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1622">Will Zalatoris</a> has played in three Masters, with his worst finish being last year's T9. Augusta rewards elite ball-strikers like Zalatoris, and his advantage over the field grows when the course gets crispy, which it's expected to be this week. There's also something about the Augusta greens that Zalatoris likes. He's far from the best putter in the world, but he ranked third in strokes gained: putting over his first two Masters appearances, according to <a href="https://x.com/JustinRayGolf/status/1778094471743156557">Justin Ray of the Twenty First Group</a>.</p><p>Despite lacking a top-10 finish this season, Zalatoris has been extremely consistent with no missed cuts. He also briefly held the lead on the weekend at the Players Championship, something <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/4299" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/4299">Min Woo Lee</a> also did before winning shortly after at the Houston Open.</p><p><strong>Sepp Straka (+6000)</strong></p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/534" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/534">Sepp Straka</a> may be the best relatively unknown player in the world, and you're getting a deal on him at +6000. </p><p>The big Austrian ranks seventh on the PGA TOUR in total strokes gained this season and fifth in strokes gained: approach, and he has a victory under his belt leading into the Masters. Straka also fits the current-form trend of recent Masters champions, with five top-15 showings in seven starts since his victory.</p><p>Additionally, Straka has past success in majors. He was a runner-up in the 2023 Open Championship (only five majors ago), T7 in the 2023 PGA Championship, and T16 at last year's Masters.</p><p>There's a lot to like about Straka's recent form, and major history suggests he could be a surprise winner.</p>

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Masters betting preview: 3 selections to don the green jacket

LIV Golf had been playing in the far corners of the globe before last week. You're likely not alo...

<p>LIV Golf had been playing in the far corners of the globe before last week. You're likely not alone if you're unaware of how the 12 LIV golfers competing in the Masters have been playing this season.</p><p>We're here to update you on some old friends returning to golf's biggest stage at Augusta National this week as we review their 2025 results and evaluate their chances at a green jacket in the season's first major.</p><h3>Bryson DeChambeau</h3><p><strong>Masters odds: +1400<br>LIV standings: 15th</strong></p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>The reigning U.S. Open champion remains winless on LIV this season, but he has three top-10 results, including last week at Doral, where he held the 36-hole lead before a final-round 75 derailed his chances. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/437" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/437">DeChambeau</a> also finished second on the Asian Tour's International Series event in India in a field full of LIV members.</p><p>DeChambeau has the third-shortest odds to win the Masters at +1400, which you could argue is underserved based on this campaign's results. However, his major record from last season holds a ton of weight. DeChambeau finished T6 at last year's Masters and T2 at the PGA Championship before winning at Pinehurst. He's a true major contender and proved in 2024 that he's figuring out Augusta. Could this be his year?</p><h3>Jon Rahm</h3><p><strong>Masters odds: +1600<br>LIV standings: 3rd</strong></p><p>The most surprising LIV defector is also winless in five events this year, but he hasn't finished worse than a T9. Still, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1111" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1111">Rahm</a> is held to a higher standard than every other LIV player, so you'd hope to see him have at least one victory heading to Augusta.</p><p>He finished T45 at last year's Masters in his first major appearance as a member of Legion XIII. Rahm then missed the cut at the PGA Championship, withdrew from the U.S. Open due to a toe injury, and finished T7 at The Open. It won't take much for Rahm to improve upon last year's major results, but it's hard to know where his game currently stands. He could win his second green jacket or fail to contend like last year. Neither would be a surprise.</p><h3>Joaquin Niemann</h3><p><strong>Masters odds: +2500<br>LIV standings: 1st</strong></p><p>Niemann has been the best player on LIV over the past two years, and he's already collected two individual titles to put him atop the 2025 point standings. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1308" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1308">Phil Mickelson</a> called Niemann the <a href="https://x.com/PhilMickelson/status/1901234136783688114">best player in the world</a> in March, inadvertently dumping a ton of pressure on the 26-year-old.</p><p>However, Niemann has struggled in the sport's biggest tournaments, with his best finish being a T16 at the 2023 Masters across 22 career majors. The Chilean winning a green jacket would boost LIV more than any other player on its roster, but that's a tall ask for someone who's never faced major championship pressure on Sunday.</p><h3>Brooks Koepka</h3><p><strong>Masters odds: +3000<br>LIV standings: 10th</strong></p><p>Koepka is a five-time major champion. There isn't much more to be said about a player with that type of resume. His lead-in form to majors rarely mattered, even when he was on the PGA TOUR, consistently rising to the occasion and competing at a high level whenever healthy.</p><p>Koepka has zero injury concerns heading into Augusta, and he finished second two starts ago on LIV (his second top-10 of the season). With all that said, Koepka struggled in last year's four majors, as he didn't finish better than T26. This week will reveal a lot about the state of his game. Is Koepka still a threat, or has his performance tailed off since winning the 2023 PGA Championship?</p><h3>Tyrrell Hatton</h3><p><strong>Masters odds: +5000<br>LIV standings: 26th</strong></p><p>It's been a sluggish start for Hatton in his second LIV season. His only top-10 result came in the campaign's first event, and he finished T33 last week in Miami. Hatton won the Dubai Desert Classic in January, but that was early in the year before the LIV season started.</p><p>With shoddy recent form and a suspect track record at Augusta National, it would be surprising to see Hatton's name near the top of the leaderboard come Sunday. </p><h3>Cam Smith</h3><p><strong>Masters odds: +6000<br>LIV standings: 29th</strong></p><p>Smith's first top-10 result of the LIV season came last week in Miami, a good sign for someone who's contended multiple times at Augusta. Smith has recorded five top-10 finishes in eight starts at the Masters. If last week's performance means anything, the Aussie could make a run at his second major victory.</p><h3>Dustin Johnson</h3><p><strong>Masters odds: +8000<br>LIV standings: T28</strong></p><p>Johnson has one top-10 finish on LIV this year and should have claimed a second last week before firing 79 in the final round to settle in a tie for 27th. Two starts ago, Johnson came dead last in the 54-man LIV field, behind the formerly retired Anthony Kim, Luis Masaveu, and Frederik Kjettrup.</p><p>To say Johnson's game has fallen off a cliff would be an understatement. He's also coming off the worst major season of his career after missing two of four cuts and not finishing in the top 30.</p><h3>Sergio Garcia</h3><p><strong>Masters odds: +8000<br>LIV standings: 2nd</strong></p><p>The 2017 Masters champ is having a great year on LIV. He won three starts ago and placed third last week in Miami. Garcia also secured a top-five finish on the Asian Tour's International Series in Macau.</p><p>But he's been horrendous in major championships since winning the green jacket (15 missed cuts in 25 starts). Still, it's a Ryder Cup year, and Garcia may be using that as motivation to make the European Team after failing to make the squad in 2023.</p><h3>Patrick Reed</h3><p><strong>Masters odds: +8500<br>LIV standings: 21st</strong></p><p>Like Smith, Reed's best result of the 2025 LIV campaign came last week in Miami with a T7. He also finished second in the Asian Tour's Macau event.</p><p>With or without form, Reed's played well at the Masters, compiling four top-15 showings in six starts since his 2018 victory. It wouldn't be a shock to see Reed have another solid outing, but you shouldn't bank on him earning a second green jacket.</p><h3>Phil Mickelson</h3><p><strong>Masters odds: +10000<br>LIV standings: 12th</strong></p><p>The one thing Mickelson has taught us throughout his career is never to count him out. The oldest major champion in history is in fine form ahead of his 32nd Masters appearance. He's placed third and sixth within his last three LIV starts and was within striking distance most of last week.</p><p>The three-time green jacket winner came T2 at the 2023 Masters with dreadful lead-in form, so perhaps we are in for another surprising week from Mickelson.</p><h3>Charl Schwartzel</h3><p><strong>Masters odds: +30000<br>LIV standings: 14th</strong></p><p>Schwartzel earned his best outing of the year with a second-place finish in Miami last week, but he has no chance of winning a second green jacket. He's finished inside the top 10 at Augusta twice since his 2011 victory.</p><h3>Bubba Watson</h3><p><strong>Masters odds: +50000<br>LIV standings: 36th</strong></p><p>LIV had Watson in its relegation zone last year, but his role as team captain saved him in the standings. This season isn't going any better for the two-time Masters winner. Watson has yet to crack the top 10 and has posted three consecutive finishes outside the top 30.</p>

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, WEST VIRGINIA - AUGUST 16: Jon Rahm of Spain hand shakes Bryson DeChambeau of the United States after finishing the 18th hole during day one of LIV Golf: Greenbrier at The Old White Course on August 16, 2024 in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

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LIV at the Masters: Catching up with 12 familiar faces ahead of Augusta

No disrespect to the ongoing Valero Texas Open, but there are fewer than seven days until the fir...

<p>No disrespect to the ongoing Valero Texas Open, but there are fewer than seven days until the first tee ball is hit at Augusta National. It's officially Masters week.</p><p>From a betting perspective, the 2025 Masters could not be more intriguing. While odds for the event have been available for a while, recent movement atop the oddsboard has generated two clear front-runners.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1540" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1540">Scottie Scheffler</a> is the favorite at +450 (18.2% implied probability) at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet, but his odds have drifted slightly from his low of +375. </p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Meanwhile, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/599" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/599">Rory McIlroy</a> is playing some of the best golf of his career, with his opening odds of +1000 shortening to +600 after he won The Players Championship. Rarely are two players priced so short heading into a tournament, creating a wide gap at the top.</p><h3>The favorites</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Scottie Scheffler</td>
<td>+450</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rory McIlroy</td>
<td>+600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Collin Morikawa</td>
<td>+1400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ludvig Aberg</td>
<td>+1600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bryson DeChambeau</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jon Rahm</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Justin Thomas</td>
<td>+2200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Xander Schauffele</td>
<td>+2200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Joaquin Niemann</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>It's unlikely the market will allow McIlroy to jump Scheffler on the oddsboard. Although he hasn't won this season, Scheffler's success at Augusta National is too strong, as he's claimed two of the last three green jackets.</p><p>However, you can certainly make the case that McIlroy is the best player in the world at the moment. He won at TPC Sawgrass and took down the AT&amp;T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, marking the first time he's earned two victories leading into the Masters. But Augusta National has been McIlroy's kryptonite ever since he collapsed on the back nine in 2011 - the last time he was truly in contention to win the green jacket.</p><p>Bettors will be forced to make one of three decisions if they want a decent return on picking the winner correctly: Choose Scheffler, choose McIlroy, or venture further down the oddsboard to find the winner.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/3135" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/3135">Collin Morikawa</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/5384" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/5384">Ludvig Aberg</a> are the next two options on the oddsboard. Morikawa is one of three players gaining over two strokes per round this season (Scheffler and McIlroy are the others), and he's recorded three straight top 10s at Augusta.</p><p>Aberg won the Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines in February and was the runner-up to Scheffler in his Masters debut last year. Aberg's showing at the Texas Open may influence his odds slightly, but he should remain within the top five or six on the betting board.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/437" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/437">Bryson DeChambeau</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1111" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1111">Jon Rahm</a>, and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/4424" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/4424">Joaquin Niemann</a> are grouped among the favorites as LIV Golf's top-end talent. It's hard to know exactly how they've been playing on LIV this season. However, the trio faces a tough test this weekend at Doral's Blue Monster course in Miami, which could shed some light on the state of their games.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1213" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1213">Xander Schauffele</a> currently holds two of the four major championship titles, but his odds have lengthened to +2200 after a rib injury and some poor play derailed the start of his 2025 season. While he's a potential long shot, Augusta National isn't a course where struggling players regain their form.</p><h3>The next tier</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Hideki Matsuyama</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brooks Koepka</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jordan Spieth</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Shane Lowry</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tommy Fleetwood</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Viktor Hovland</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Min Woo Lee</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Patrick Cantlay</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tyrrell Hatton</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Will Zalatoris</td>
<td>+4500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell Henley</td>
<td>+5000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Akshay Bhatia</td>
<td>+5500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cam Smith</td>
<td>+5500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Robert MacIntyre</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Corey Conners</td>
<td>+6600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tony Finau</td>
<td>+6600</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>While the top of the betting board is unlikely to see much movement, the remainder can easily change throughout the week as oddsmakers react to the betting market. Most players' odds will lengthen as the week goes on, with sportsbooks competing to offer the best prices. </p><p>Check back all week for more in-depth betting coverage of what should be a fantastic Masters Tournament.</p>

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Masters odds: Scheffler, McIlroy in a tier above the rest

The hockey world is locked into Alex Ovechkin's chase of Wayne Gretzky's NHL career goals record....

<p>The hockey world is locked into <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/players/1280" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/1280">Alex Ovechkin</a>'s chase of Wayne Gretzky's NHL career goals record. Ovechkin is only three tallies shy of breaking Gretzky's 894 mark. It's going to happen - and it's only a matter of when.</p><p>With seven Capitals games remaining before the playoffs, Ovechkin's odds of scoring his 895th career goal this season are -500 at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet, which equates to an implied probability of 83.3%.</p><p>Those odds have shifted drastically over the past week after the Capitals' captain potted a goal in three consecutive games. Before Washington's tilt against the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/2" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/2">Buffalo Sabres</a> on Sunday, Ovechkin was only -115 (53.5% implied probability) to break Gretzky's record this season.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Ovechkin's chances of becoming the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer this season have never been better.</p><p>The Capitals play the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/17" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/17">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/7" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/7">New York Islanders</a> two more times each this season, giving those two teams the shortest odds to concede the record-breaking goal. </p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Team (Date)</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Blue Jackets (April 12 &amp; 13)</td>
<td>+170</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Islanders (April 6 &amp; 15)</td>
<td>+275</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hurricanes (April 10)</td>
<td>+500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Penguins (April 17)</td>
<td>+550</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Blackhawks (April 4)</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Washington plays host to the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/16" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/16">Chicago Blackhawks</a> on Friday, with oddsmakers suggesting there's a 3% chance Ovechkin records a hat trick to make history.</p><p>But Ovechkin has a flair for the dramatic, doesn't he? How about leaving it to the final game of the regular season against longtime rival <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/players/1002" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/1002">Sidney Crosby</a>'s <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/10" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/10">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>? That would be appointment viewing for any hockey fan. </p><p>In terms of how he'll do it, an even-strength marker is the heavy favorite at -220. However, Ovechkin dominates on the power play. He has the most power-play tallies in NHL history with 323 (49 more than second-place Dave Andreychuk), with 36.2% of his career goals coming with the man advantage. Perhaps he'll do it in a similar fashion to how he's scored so many power-play markers before - a one-timer on his off wing from the face-off dot.</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Method</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Even strength</td>
<td>-220</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Power play</td>
<td>+160</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Shorthanded</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>A short-handed goal is a long shot at +6000. Ovechkin has only five short-handed goals in his career.</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Period of goal</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>1st period</td>
<td>+250</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2nd period</td>
<td>+230</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3rd period</td>
<td>+105</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Overtime</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Oddsmakers believe the third period is when Ovechkin will most likely score the historic goal, which makes sense considering the possibility of an empty-netter. But it wouldn't feel right if Ovechkin broke the long-standing record on an empty-netter.</p><p>Regardless of how Ovechkin scores it, breaking the record this season would put a bow on the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/15" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/15">Washington Capitals</a>' incredible 2024-25, which will likely include being the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Nobody, aside from perhaps Gretzky himself, wants to see this chase carry over to next season.</p>

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What the odds say: When and how will Ovi break Gretzky's goals record?

Opening Day is Thursday, kicking off the 2025 regular season for 26 of the league's 30 clubs.   W...

<p>Opening Day is Thursday, kicking off the 2025 regular season for 26 of the league's 30 clubs. </p><p>We covered who's favored and who bettors are backing <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3246783" href="https://thescore.com/news/3246783">to win the World Series</a>. Now, it's time to see who's most likely to win baseball's most coveted season-long awards.</p><h3>AL MVP</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Aaron Judge</td>
<td>+300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bobby Witt Jr.</td>
<td>+300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Gunnar Henderson</td>
<td>+750</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Corey Seager</td>
<td>+1300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>José Ramírez</td>
<td>+1300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Yordan Alvarez</td>
<td>+1400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Vladimir Guerrero Jr.</td>
<td>+1500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Julio Rodríguez</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mike Trout</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rafael Devers</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Wyatt Langford</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brent Rooker</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Royce Lewis</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/4773" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/4773">Aaron Judge</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/12336" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/12336">Bobby Witt Jr.</a> are co-favorites to win the American League MVP at +300 (25% implied probability) at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet. Judge was the unanimous winner last year, while Witt received all 30 second-place votes.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>However, bettors aren't rushing to back Judge to win back-to-back MVPs, which would also be Judge's third in the past four years. He's received only 4.8% of the handle (money wagered) and 2.7% of the bets placed on the AL MVP market.</p><p>Witt, on the other hand, is the go-to selection for the betting market. He's attracted 33% of the handle and 22% of all bets, leading both categories.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/12373" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/12373">Julio Rodríguez</a> has garnered the second-most handle (10.2%) as a long shot at +2000. He finished fourth in AL MVP voting two seasons ago when he hit 32 home runs, drove in 103 runs, and stole 37 bases.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/8267" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/8267">Vladimir Guerrero Jr.</a> is the second-most bet-on player to win AL MVP as he enters his walk year after failing to reach a contract extension with the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/teams/4" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/teams/4">Toronto Blue Jays</a>.</p><h3>NL MVP</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Shohei Ohtani</td>
<td>+145</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Juan Soto</td>
<td>+550</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Fernando Tatis Jr.</td>
<td>+900</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mookie Betts</td>
<td>+1200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Kyle Tucker</td>
<td>+1600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bryce Harper</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Elly De La Cruz</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ronald Acuña Jr.</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Francisco Lindor</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Freddie Freeman</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jackson Merrill</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Corbin Carroll</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jackson Chourio</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ketel Marte</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Matt Olson</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Paul Skenes</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Pete Alonso</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/9519" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/9519">Shohei Ohtani</a> is the clear favorite to repeat as National League MVP. He won the award without throwing a pitch in his first year with the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/teams/26" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/teams/26">Los Angeles Dodgers</a>. He's expected to return to the mound sometime in the first half of the season.</p><p>Ohtani is looking to win his third straight MVP and fourth in the last five years. If he can pull off the feat, Ohtani would become the first to win three consecutive MVPs since Barry Bonds won four straight from 2001 to 2004.</p><p>But just like the AL, bettors aren't backing the favorite in the NL. Ohtani ranks outside the top 10 in handle and bet count.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/14246" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/14246">Elly De La Cruz</a> is getting the most love, attracting 26.1% of the handle and 26.3% of the bets on the NL MVP market. The <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/teams/22" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/teams/22">Cincinnati Reds</a> infielder was eighth in MVP voting last year in his first full big-league season.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/1688" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/1688">Bryce Harper</a>, a two-time NL MVP winner, has received the second-most handle and third-most bets at a generous +1800.</p><h3>AL Cy Young</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Tarik Skubal</td>
<td>+360</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Garrett Crochet</td>
<td>+450</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cole Ragans</td>
<td>+1000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jacob deGrom</td>
<td>+1100</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Logan Gilbert</td>
<td>+1100</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Framber Valdez</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>George Kirby</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hunter Brown</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Pablo López</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Max Fried</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Shane McClanahan</td>
<td>+2200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Luis Castillo</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bailey Ober</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Grayson Rodriguez</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Joe Ryan</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Kevin Gausman</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Seth Lugo</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/11799" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/11799">Tarik Skubal</a>, the 2024 Cy Young winner, is the favorite to repeat as the league's top pitcher with an implied probability of 21.7%. He would be the first to win back-to-back AL Cy Youngs since Pedro Martinez (1999-2000).</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/12246" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/12246">Garrett Crochet</a> is the second favorite and has attracted 27.2% of the handle placed on the market. The <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/teams/2" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/teams/2">Boston Red Sox</a> acquired Crochet in an offseason trade with the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/teams/6" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/teams/6">Chicago White Sox</a>. </p><h3>NL Cy Young</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Paul Skenes</td>
<td>+250</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Zack Wheeler</td>
<td>+650</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Blake Snell</td>
<td>+900</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Chris Sale</td>
<td>+1000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Corbin Burnes</td>
<td>+1400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sandy Alcantara</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Spencer Strider</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hunter Greene</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Yoshinobu Yamamoto</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cristopher Sánchez</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dylan Cease</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Justin Steele</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Logan Webb</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Michael King</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Shohei Ohtani</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tyler Glasnow</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/17521" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/17521">Paul Skenes</a> is the only favorite for a major award who's also receiving the most love from the betting market. The 2024 NL Rookie of the Year is +250 with an implied probability of 28.6% to win the award, and 20.8% of the handle is on him to do so. Last season, the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/teams/24" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/teams/24">Pittsburgh Pirates</a> flamethrower was the National League's starter in the All-Star Game and finished third in Cy Young voting.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/2917" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/2917">Zack Wheeler</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/11757" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/11757">Cristopher Sánchez</a> are the next-most bet-on pitchers, while last year's Cy Young winner, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/1577" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/1577">Chris Sale</a>, isn't in the top 10 in handle.</p><h3>AL Rookie of the Year</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Jasson Domínguez</td>
<td>+400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Roman Anthony</td>
<td>+650</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jacob Wilson</td>
<td>+750</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Kristian Campbell</td>
<td>+750</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cam Smith</td>
<td>+800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jackson Jobe</td>
<td>+800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Kumar Rocker</td>
<td>+1400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Will Wagner</td>
<td>+1400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jace Jung</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/teams/3" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/teams/3">New York Yankees</a> outfielder <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/15477" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/15477">Jasson Domínguez</a> is the favorite to win the award. He has played 26 MLB games and hit six homers across two seasons, and he's projected to hit seventh in the Yankees' stout lineup.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/teams/8" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/teams/8">Detroit Tigers</a> pitcher <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/17680" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/17680">Jackson Jobe</a> has received the most handle (15.3%) and most bets (19.1%). <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/18723" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/18723">Tomoyuki Sugano</a>, whose odds are +3000, is the second-most bet-on rookie. The 35-year-old signed a one-year deal with the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/teams/1" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/teams/1">Baltimore Orioles</a> after spending 12 years with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan.</p><h3>NL Rookie of the Year</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Roki Sasaki</td>
<td>+200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dylan Crews</td>
<td>+300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Matt Shaw</td>
<td>+450</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bubba Chandler</td>
<td>+900</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jordan Lawlar</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hyeseong Kim</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>The Dodgers' latest international signing, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/19077" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/19077">Roki Sasaki</a>, is the +200 favorite to win the NL Rookie of the Year, but <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/17319" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/17319">Dylan Crews</a> is getting nearly all the betting attention.</p><p>Crews has garnered a whopping 75.5% of the handle placed on the NL ROY market and 36.7% of the bets. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/17245" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/17245">Matt Shaw</a> is next at only 7.3% of the handle and 15.6% of the bets.</p><p>These odds will fluctuate during the season, and we'll have you covered with awards updates as storylines unfold throughout the summer.</p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/30737489/related

MLB awards odds: Who's favored to take home baseball's top honors?

Viktor Hovland's win at the Valspar Championship capped a fantastic Florida swing. Now the PGA TO...

<p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/5297" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/5297">Viktor Hovland</a>'s win at the Valspar Championship capped a fantastic Florida swing. Now the PGA TOUR heads to Texas for a two-week stretch leading into the Masters, starting with the Houston Open at Memorial Park Golf Course.</p><p>The 155-man field, headlined by <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1540" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1540">Scottie Scheffler</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/599" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/599">Rory McIlroy</a>, takes on one of Tom Doak's latest renovations. Memorial Park has few bunkers and shares some features with Augusta National, especially around the greens, making it a perfect tune-up venue for golfers vying for the green jacket.</p><h3>The course</h3><ul>
<li>7,475 yards, par 70</li>
<li>John Bredemus design, renovated by Tom Doak in 2019</li>
<li>Poa-grass greens</li>
<li>Short rough makes it a bomber's paradise</li>
<li>Water in play on just four holes and only 21 bunkers</li>
<li>Three par 5s, the shortest being 587 yards</li>
</ul><h3>Previous winners</h3><p>2024: Stephen Jaeger (-12)<br>2023: No tournament<br>2022: Tony Finau (-16)<br>2021: Jason Kokrak (-10)<br>2020: Carlos Ortiz (-13)</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><h3>The favorites</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Scottie Scheffler</td>
<td>+380</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rory McIlroy</td>
<td>+675</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>The field is extremely top-heavy, with Scheffler and McIlroy atop the oddsboard and shorter than +1000. </p><p>This duo eats up roughly a third of the field's win probability, forcing you to decide between one of the two best players in the world or a handful of the other contestants. </p><p>Scheffler hasn't regained his 2024 form, but he's close. His worst finish on the season was a T25 at the Phoenix Open, and he's gained at least six strokes tee-to-green in four of five tournaments played. He could easily win this tournament by multiple strokes, but it's tough to justify backing him at odds shorter than +400 when we still haven't seen him put it all together for 72 holes.</p><p>McIlroy is coming off his Players Championship victory, marking the first time in his career he's collected two PGA TOUR wins before the Masters. This raises the concern that McIlroy may only be playing the Houston Open to get competitive reps on a course that shares similarities to Augusta. If he's playing in Texas but envisioning Georgia for some of his shots, he can't be backed at such short odds.</p><h3>The next tier</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Aaron Rai</td>
<td>+2800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tony Finau</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Davis Thompson</td>
<td>+3300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>J.J. Spaun</td>
<td>+3300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Michael Kim</td>
<td>+3300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jason Day</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Wyndham Clark</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Taylor Pendrith</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Min Woo Lee</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jacob Bridgeman</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Si Woo Kim</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sungjae Im</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Stephan Jaeger</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alex Smalley</td>
<td>+5000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Thomas Detry</td>
<td>+5000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Joe Highsmith</td>
<td>+5500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Maverick McNealy</td>
<td>+5500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sahith Theegala</td>
<td>+5500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Max Greyserman</td>
<td>+5500</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><h3>Picks</h3><p><strong>Min Woo Lee - To win (+3500)</strong></p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/4299" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/4299">Min Woo Lee</a> has never played Memorial Park, but he's a fantastic course fit on paper. Lee is the third-longest player on TOUR, has an elite short game, and can get extremely hot with his putter. If all three of those assets click for him, he's in for a strong week.</p><p>The Aussie has been decently successful at the Masters as well, with two top-25 finishes in three starts. Australians tend to be better suited to greens surrounded by short grass, as is the case at Memorial Park, rather than heavy rough. Lee's also in form, having played in the final pairing going into Round 3 at the Players Championship two weeks ago.</p><p><strong>Maverick McNealy - To win (+5500)</strong></p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1961" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1961">Maverick McNealy</a> has competed at Memorial Park three times with no finish worse than his T27 from last year, and those results came before he added distance off the tee. McNealy's length will increase his advantage at this venue because he's so good on and around the greens.</p><p>He's coming off two missed cuts in Florida, but before that, he finished second at the Genesis Invitational and T9 at the Phoenix Open. This is the perfect buy-low spot on a player who was much higher on stronger oddsboards earlier this season.</p><p><strong>Sahith Theegala - To win (+5500)</strong></p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/4240" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/4240">Sahith Theegala</a> has a similar game to McNealy; he's long enough off the tee but can separate himself from the field thanks to his short game and putting.</p><p>Theegala has played solidly all season but lacks a high finish. However, none of the venues the PGA TOUR has visited so far fit Theegala's game as well as Memorial Park. He's played the Houston Open three times and finished inside the top 30 in his last two appearances.</p><p>Getting Theegala at +5500 is another buy-low opportunity on someone with the upside to compete against the likes of Scheffler and McIlroy on Sunday. </p><p><strong>Davis Riley - To win (+8000), top 20 (+400)</strong></p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1670" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1670">Davis Riley</a> has two top-10s in his last three starts, including a T7 last week where he gained 6.7 strokes on approach shots and 6.2 shots around the green to lead the field in strokes gained: tee to green. </p><p>Riley has played Memorial Park three years in a row, with no finish worse than T29. He came T14 in 2024. At the time, that was his best PGA TOUR finish in over a year, and it helped propel him to victory at the Charles Schwab Challenge two months later.</p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/30733146/related

Houston Open betting preview: Scottie, Rory, or the field?

While the 2025 season is already underway thanks to the Dodgers-Cubs series in Tokyo, Opening Day...

<p>While the 2025 season is already underway thanks to the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/teams/26" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/teams/26">Dodgers</a>-<a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/teams/21" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/teams/21">Cubs</a> series in Tokyo, Opening Day for for every other team (except the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/teams/5" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/teams/5">Rays</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/teams/29" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/teams/29">Rockies</a>) kicks off Thursday.</p><p>The reigning World Series champions are heavy favorites to repeat. The Dodgers are +275 at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet with an implied probability of 26.7%, over twice as likely as the closest team.</p><p>They are the biggest preseason favorites since the 2003 <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/teams/3" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/teams/3">Yankees</a>, according to <a href="https://www.sportsoddshistory.com/world-series-favorites-prior-to-the-start-of-the-season/">SportsOddsHistory.com</a>.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><h3>World Series odds</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Team</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Dodgers</td>
<td>+275</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Braves</td>
<td>+800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Yankees</td>
<td>+850</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mets</td>
<td>+1000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Phillies</td>
<td>+1000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Orioles</td>
<td>+1200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Astros</td>
<td>+1400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Padres</td>
<td>+1600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Red Sox</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Diamondbacks</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Guardians</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mariners</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rangers</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cubs</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tigers</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Twins</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Royals</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brewers</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Giants</td>
<td>+5000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rays</td>
<td>+5000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Reds</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cardinals</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Blue Jays</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Pirates</td>
<td>+7500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Athletics</td>
<td>+15000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Angels</td>
<td>+15000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nationals</td>
<td>+15000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Marlins</td>
<td>+30000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>White Sox</td>
<td>+40000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rockies</td>
<td>+40000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>The Dodgers are stacked and deserve to be atop the oddsboard. Reigning NL MVP <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/9519" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/9519">Shohei Ohtani</a> is expected to return to the mound before June, but even without him, the Dodgers field one of the best rotations in the league with <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/5351" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/5351">Blake Snell</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/17234" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/17234">Yoshinobu Yamamoto</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/4257" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/4257">Tyler Glasnow</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/9566" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/9566">Dustin May</a>, and highly coveted international free agent <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/19077" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/19077">Roki Sasaki</a>.</p><p>Their lineup is also extremely dangerous; Ohtani, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/4184" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/4184">Mookie Betts</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/1412" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/1412">Freddie Freeman</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/4472" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/4472">Teoscar Hernández</a>, and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/4250" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/4250">Max Muncy</a> are about as potent a top five as you'll find in the bigs.</p><p>The Dodgers have a win total of 105.5, with the over having -125 odds. That's 12 wins higher than the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/teams/15" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/teams/15">Braves</a>, who are next at 93.5.</p><p>Barring injuries, the Dodgers should have a fantastic chance of repeating - and the majority of bettors hope they do. The Dodgers have amassed 22% of the handle (money wagered) and 16% of the bets placed on the World Series winner, leading all teams in betting action. </p><p>In the betting market's eyes, the Braves are the Dodgers' stiffest test in the NL. Atlanta will be without <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/8292" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/8292">Ronald Acuña Jr</a>. to begin the season as he continues to recover from knee surgery. With Acuña back, the Braves' lineup rivals the Dodgers'.</p><p>However, bettors are backing the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/teams/18" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/teams/18">Phillies</a> to push the Dodgers for the NL crown. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/1688" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/1688">Bryce Harper</a> and Co. have garnered the second-most handle (13.5%) and second-most bets (13%) at +1000.</p><p>The Yankees appear to be the class of the American League. They're the only AL team with odds shorter than +1000 and the only AL team inside the oddsboard's top five. The Yankees have attracted the third-most handle at 12%.</p><p>The Bronx Bombers lost last year's World Series to the Dodgers and then lost <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/8271" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/8271">Juan Soto</a> to the crosstown rival Mets. The Yankees hope injecting <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/4899" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/4899">Cody Bellinger</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/1851" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/1851">Paul Goldschmidt</a> into the heart of their lineup can replace some of Soto's production.</p><p>Speaking of the Mets, they are +1000 to win the World Series (9.1% implied probability) and +200 to win the NL East behind the Braves. The Mets are the fifth-most bet-on team in terms of handle and bet count.</p><p>Since the Dodgers are soaking up so much of the win equity, only eight teams have an implied probability of greater than 5%. The <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/teams/2" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/teams/2">Red Sox</a> have received the most love among long shots with 7% of both the handle and number of bets at +2000.</p><p>While 2025 may look like another year of Dodgers domination, a lot can change over 162 games.</p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/30723130/related

World Series odds: Dodgers biggest preseason favorites since 2003

We're hours away from the opening tipoff of the men's 2025 NCAA Tournament. Time is running out t...

<p>We're hours away from the opening tipoff of the men's 2025 NCAA Tournament. Time is running out to fill out your bracket and get your bets in before the madness begins. </p><p>For those who have placed a wager on who will win the Big Dance, the most popular selections have been <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaab/teams/380" href="https://thescore.com/ncaab/teams/380">Florida</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaab/teams/329" href="https://thescore.com/ncaab/teams/329">Duke</a>. </p><p>The Gators and Blue Devils are the two favorites to win it all and won't have to play each other until the finals. Duke is +290 (25.6% implied probability), while Florida is +335 (23% implied probability).</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Since the bracket was revealed Sunday, Florida has received 23% of the handle (money wagered) and 22% of the bets placed at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet. Meanwhile, Duke has attracted 26% of the handle and 18% of the bets.</p><p>These two 1-seeds are head and shoulders above the rest of the contenders in terms of support received from the betting market. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaab/teams/86" href="https://thescore.com/ncaab/teams/86">Auburn</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaab/teams/471" href="https://thescore.com/ncaab/teams/471">Houston</a>, the tournament's other two 1-seeds, have each amassed 11% of the handle and 10% of the bets placed since the bracket was released.</p><h3>Championship winner betting splits</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Team</th>
<th>Odds</th>
<th>% of handle</th>
<th>% of bets</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Duke</td>
<td>+290</td>
<td>26%</td>
<td>18%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Florida</td>
<td>+335</td>
<td>23%</td>
<td>22%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Auburn</td>
<td>+550</td>
<td>11%</td>
<td>10%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Houston</td>
<td>+675</td>
<td>11%</td>
<td>10%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alabama</td>
<td>+2000</td>
<td>3%</td>
<td>4%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>St. John's</td>
<td>+2200</td>
<td>6%</td>
<td>7%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tennessee</td>
<td>+2200</td>
<td>3%</td>
<td>4%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Michigan St.</td>
<td>+2500</td>
<td>5%</td>
<td>6%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Maryland</td>
<td>+6000</td>
<td>1%</td>
<td>2%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Michigan</td>
<td>+10000</td>
<td>1%</td>
<td>2%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><em>*Top 10 most-bet-on teams listed</em></p><p>Outside of the 1-seeds, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaab/teams/1011" href="https://thescore.com/ncaab/teams/1011">St. John's</a> leads the way with 6% of the handle and 7% of the bets. Rick Pitino's Red Storm will likely need to get through Florida in the Elite Eight to keep their national title dreams alive.</p><p>The three other 2-seeds - <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaab/teams/41" href="https://thescore.com/ncaab/teams/41">Alabama</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaab/teams/1063" href="https://thescore.com/ncaab/teams/1063">Tennessee</a>, and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaab/teams/660" href="https://thescore.com/ncaab/teams/660">Michigan State</a> - make up the remainder of the top eight most-bet-on teams to win it all.</p><p>While only one team can cut down the nets at the tournament's end, you still have plenty of ways to get action on a team you like to go far. Betting information on who the market hopes to advance from each region can also provide a glimpse at who people are taking to reach the Final Four in their brackets.</p><h3>To win East Region</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Team</th>
<th>Odds</th>
<th>% of handle</th>
<th>% of bets</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Duke</td>
<td>-135</td>
<td>62%</td>
<td>58%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alabama</td>
<td>+425</td>
<td>21%</td>
<td>20%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Arizona</td>
<td>+850</td>
<td>3%</td>
<td>5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Wisconsin</td>
<td>+1000</td>
<td>3%</td>
<td>5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BYU</td>
<td>+2000</td>
<td>3%</td>
<td>3%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Duke also dominates the bet count for who will represent the East Region in the Final Four with 62% of the handle and 58% of the bets, nearly three times as much action as Alabama. </p><h3>To win South Region</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Team</th>
<th>Odds</th>
<th>% of handle</th>
<th>% of bets</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Auburn</td>
<td>-105</td>
<td>33%</td>
<td>33%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Michigan St.</td>
<td>+450</td>
<td>35%</td>
<td>38%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Iowa State</td>
<td>+600</td>
<td>4%</td>
<td>6%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Michigan</td>
<td>+1600</td>
<td>8%</td>
<td>7%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>North Carolina</td>
<td>+2000</td>
<td>5%</td>
<td>3%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Even though Auburn is the odds-on favourite to win the South Region, Michigan State has taken the most action. At +450 odds, it's safe to assume the Spartans advancing to the Final Four would be a negative outcome for sportsbooks. </p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaab/teams/659" href="https://thescore.com/ncaab/teams/659">Michigan</a> is also getting love from bettors at +1600. However, the Wolverines are only 2.5-point favorites in their first-round matchup against <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaab/teams/188" href="https://thescore.com/ncaab/teams/188">UC San Diego</a>. </p><h3>To win West Region</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Team</th>
<th>Odds</th>
<th>% of handle</th>
<th>% of bets</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Florida</td>
<td>-110</td>
<td>63%</td>
<td>51%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Texas Tech</td>
<td>+500</td>
<td>3%</td>
<td>9%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>St. John's</td>
<td>+550</td>
<td>20%</td>
<td>22%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Maryland</td>
<td>+800</td>
<td>3%</td>
<td>6%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>UConn</td>
<td>+2500</td>
<td>1%</td>
<td>3%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Florida is getting most of the attention in the West Region, with a whopping 63% of the handle on the Gators getting to the Final Four, more than three times as much as St. John's.</p><p>Conversely, Texas Tech is getting glossed over with only 3% of the handle landing on the Red Raiders despite being the second favorite.</p><h3>To win Midwest Region</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Team</th>
<th>Odds</th>
<th>% of handle</th>
<th>% of bets</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Houston</td>
<td>+130</td>
<td>39%</td>
<td>39%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tennessee</td>
<td>+350</td>
<td>28%</td>
<td>30%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Gonzaga</td>
<td>+800</td>
<td>9%</td>
<td>9%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Kentucky</td>
<td>+1000</td>
<td>9%</td>
<td>8%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Clemson</td>
<td>+1400</td>
<td>7%</td>
<td>5%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Houston has attracted the most handle and bets of any team in the Midwest Region. The Cougars have the longest odds of any 1-seed to advance to the Final Four, largely because their road to San Antonio isn't easy. They will likely have to face <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaab/teams/421" href="https://thescore.com/ncaab/teams/421">Gonzaga</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaab/teams/250" href="https://thescore.com/ncaab/teams/250">Clemson</a>, and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaab/teams/1063" href="https://thescore.com/ncaab/teams/1063">Tennessee</a>, who all rank inside <a href="https://kenpom.com/index.php">KenPom</a>'s top 18. </p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/30664558/related

March Madness insights: Bettors split on Duke, Florida for national title

March Madness is here! It's that time when people become college basketball experts despite havin...

<p>March Madness is here! It's that time when people become college basketball experts despite having watched less than a minute of action all season.</p><p>Everyone and their mother will fill out a bracket to compete against friends or colleagues in a pool. Many people won't know where to start, and they may only now be learning who the country's best team is or what school Cooper Flagg plays for.</p><p>If that's you, don't stress. We're here to help with five tips for building a winning March Madness bracket without knowing anything about this year's college basketball landscape.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><h3>Navigate the chalk</h3><p>First things first: You'll have to do some work on your own with the guidance of these tips because I'm far from a college basketball expert myself. I'm not here to give out winning picks, but I do understand what it takes to build a winning bracket, and it begins with navigating the chalk.</p><p>You'll hear chalk a lot this week, which means a popular pick or a favorite. Remember: Winning a bracket pool is about beating your opponents, <em>not</em> building the perfect bracket. Avoiding chalk provides leverage and can create an easier path to winning.</p><p>Let's say you're in a 20-person pool, and you and 14 others have picked Duke as the champion. To win, you'd need Duke to claim the title <em>and</em> you'd need better selections throughout the rest of your bracket. Do you really want your picks between the coin-flip games of Baylor versus Mississippi State or BYU versus VCU to decide your fate?</p><p>Theoretically, as one of 15 entrants who selected Duke, you have a 1-in-15 (6.67% - you versus the other Duke pickers) chance to win the pool, while Duke has an implied probability of 25% to win the tournament. Even though you may have picked the champion correctly (which is already hard to do), the odds of having the best bracket are still stacked against you.</p><p>Instead, you could pivot to a different favorite. Maybe you'll be the only person to select Houston, for example, which has +650 odds to win (13.3% implied probability). That theoretically boosts your chances of winning the pool from 1-in-20 (5%) to 13.3% (Houston's probability) because you'll likely outscore the rest of your pool if you've picked the winning team.</p><p>Apply this logic throughout the bracket to help you gain leverage over your opponents - but keep in mind that avoiding chalk throughout the bracket is impossible. And sometimes, it makes sense to take the perceived chalk if your competitors are contrarians. If you believe you'll be one of just five people in your 20-person pool to take Duke, and you went a little off the board for your other finalist, then opting for the chalky favorite is more reasonable.</p><h3>Study the odds</h3><p>Once you've grasped which teams are chalk by reading articles or listening to a podcast or two, studying futures odds will help narrow down your selections.</p><p>Futures markets are a fantastic place to find sharp information. Markets for an event of March Madness' magnitude receive so many bets that they become very efficient, accurately representing a team's chances. There are odds for teams to reach every stage of the NCAA Tournament, and this can be a great way to find a sleeper.</p><p><strong>Odds to reach the Sweet 16</strong></p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Seed</th>
<th>East</th>
<th>South</th>
<th>West</th>
<th>Midwest</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>1</td>
<td>Duke (-600)</td>
<td>Auburn (-400)</td>
<td>Florida (-800)</td>
<td>Houston (-325)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2</td>
<td>Alabama (-250)</td>
<td>Michigan St. (-220)</td>
<td>St. John's (-155)</td>
<td>Tennessee (-275)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3</td>
<td>Wisconsin (-115)</td>
<td>Iowa St. (-170)</td>
<td>Texas Tech (-185)</td>
<td>Kentucky (+110)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>4</td>
<td>Arizona (-185)</td>
<td>Texas A&amp;M (+110)</td>
<td>Maryland (-155)</td>
<td>Purdue (+100)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>5</td>
<td>Oregon (+225)</td>
<td>Michigan (+200)</td>
<td>Memphis (+500)</td>
<td>Clemson (+135)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>6</td>
<td>BYU (+225)</td>
<td>Ole Miss (+275)</td>
<td>Missouri (+200)</td>
<td>Illinois (+120)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>7</td>
<td>Saint Mary's (+300)</td>
<td>Marquette (+300)</td>
<td>Kansas (+185)</td>
<td>UCLA (+300)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>8</td>
<td>Mississippi St. (+900)</td>
<td>Louisville (+525)</td>
<td>UConn (+650)</td>
<td>Gonzaga (+275)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>9</td>
<td>Baylor (+1000)</td>
<td>Creighton (+825)</td>
<td>Oklahoma (+1500)</td>
<td>Georgia (+1500)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>10</td>
<td>Vanderbilt (+825)</td>
<td>New Mexico (+650)</td>
<td>Arkansas (+750)</td>
<td>Utah St. (+900)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>11</td>
<td>VCU (+350)</td>
<td>North Carolina (+650)</td>
<td>Drake (+1200)</td>
<td>Texas (+1300)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>12</td>
<td>Liberty (+1400)</td>
<td>UC San Diego (+400)</td>
<td>Colorado St. (+350)</td>
<td>McNeese St. (+1200)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Getting your picks to the Sweet 16 is important and keeps your bracket alive heading into the tournament's second week. The table above shows the top 12 seeds from each region and their odds of making it to the third round. A few teams stand out.</p><p>St. John's is a 2-seed but has an implied probability of advancing to the Sweet 16 of only 60.8%. Memphis is +500 (16.7% implied probability) to win its first two games, the worst odds by far of any 4-, 5-, 6-, or 7-seed. VCU, UC San Diego, and Colorado State seem to be held in higher regard by the betting market than their seed would indicate.</p><p>Moral of the story? Let betting odds help make your decisions rather than a team's seed, as they will do a much better job of telling you which teams are the class of each region.</p><h3>Use KenPom rankings</h3><p><a href="https://kenpom.com/">KenPom</a> rankings are the perfect resource to give you an edge in your pool, as they're largely unknown to general sports fans.</p><p>KenPom ranks every college basketball team using advanced analytics. Most teams align with their Associated Press rankings, but you can take advantage of some discrepancies.</p><p>For example, UConn was No. 1 in the KenPom rankings in 2023, but it wasn't the betting favorite to win the tournament and was only a 4-seed in its region. Analytics suggested the Huskies were the best team in the country, but tournament seeding allowed them to fly under the radar because they weren't a 1- or 2-seed. As a result, they weren't the most popular pick to win the tournament. Selecting UConn in 2023 provided a ton of leverage over the majority of people building brackets, and people who dug into the analytics were rewarded.</p><p>KenPom rankings also serve as a great tiebreaker between two teams, either in a first-round matchup or when deciding who to pick in the Sweet 16 or Elite Eight.</p><p>This year, the four No. 1 seeds are the top four in the KenPom rankings, so there doesn't seem to be a 2023 UConn lurking. However, Gonzaga is an 8-seed but is ninth in the rankings; don't be shocked if the Bulldogs get past Houston in the second round.</p><p>Here are schools whose seeds don't align with their KenPom ranking:</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Team</th>
<th>Seed</th>
<th>KenPom ranking</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Gonzaga</td>
<td>8</td>
<td>9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Missouri</td>
<td>6</td>
<td>15</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VCU</td>
<td>11</td>
<td>30</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Oregon</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>31</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>UC San Diego</td>
<td>12</td>
<td>36</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Memphis</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>51</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Gonzaga, Missouri, VCU, and UC San Diego are better teams per KenPom than their seeding indicates, whereas Oregon and Memphis are overrated as 5-seeds. </p><h3>Use Round 1 spreads</h3><p>Round 1 games are the best part of the tournament because everyone's bracket - for the most part - is still alive. Instead of making picks based on seeds and guessing where the upsets will occur, use first-round spreads to guide you in the right direction.</p><p>For example, you might think you're being sneaky by picking 12-seed Colorado State over 5-seed Memphis, but the Rams are actually 2.5-point favorites over the Tigers and could be a chalky opening-round upset selection.</p><p>Although attempting to predict upsets is fun, it's also very difficult. You may believe NC Wilmington can take down Texas Tech, but the odds suggest there's only a 9.1% chance of that happening. Is making that call worth the risk? Probably not.</p><p>Round 1 isn't the time to try and differentiate your bracket. Save that for the later rounds and use the spreads to guide you through the chaotic first two days.</p><h3>Avoid information overload</h3><p>There's a tsunami of March Madness content to consume in the days leading up to the first tipoff. If you try to digest it all, you'll be more confused than you were when you started picking your bracket.</p><p>Listen to every expert talking about the NCAA Tournament and you'll wind up convinced there are 20 contenders for the title - and you'll hear a case against all 20 of those teams too.</p><p>Find a small number of reliable information sources and only use those to help guide your decisions. Our very own <a href="https://www.thescore.com/author/sam-oshtry">Sam Oshtry</a> will be delivering the goods all week.</p>

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The 2025 Formula 1 season begins Sunday with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, kicking off ...

<p>The 2025 Formula 1 season begins Sunday with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, kicking off what's expected to be one of the most competitive championship races in recent years.</p><p>Max Verstappen claimed his fourth straight world championship last season but only won three of the schedule's final 15 races. The once-dominant Red Bull car is no longer considered the fastest on the grid, as McLaren will look to defend the constructors' championship as the betting favorite.</p><p>McLaren's rise positions Lando Norris as the preseason favorite to win the drivers' championship, priced at +160 (38.5% implied probability) at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet. </p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Norris earned his first career Grand Prix victory last year in Miami, then added three more to his resume by season's end to finish second behind Verstappen. Norris' odds to win at least seven races in 2025 are +130 (43.5% implied probability).</p><p>Verstappen is the second favorite to win the drivers' championship at +325 (23.5% implied probability), a massive drop from last year when he entered the season as the -400 favorite (80% implied probability).</p><h3>Drivers' championship</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Driver</th>
<th>Team</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Lando Norris</td>
<td>McLaren</td>
<td>+160</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Max Verstappen</td>
<td>Red Bull</td>
<td>+325</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Charles Leclerc</td>
<td>Ferrari</td>
<td>+475</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Lewis Hamilton</td>
<td>Ferrari</td>
<td>+550</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Oscar Piastri</td>
<td>McLaren</td>
<td>+750</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>George Russell</td>
<td>Mercedes</td>
<td>+1400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Liam Lawson</td>
<td>Red Bull</td>
<td>+6500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Fernando Alonso</td>
<td>Aston Martin</td>
<td>+8000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Kimi Antonelli</td>
<td>Mercedes</td>
<td>+8000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alex Albon</td>
<td>Williams</td>
<td>+10000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Carlos Sainz</td>
<td>Williams</td>
<td>+10000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Pierre Gasly</td>
<td>Alpine</td>
<td>+15000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Esteban Ocon</td>
<td>Haas</td>
<td>+40000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Lance Stroll</td>
<td>Aston Martin</td>
<td>+50000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Yuki Tsunoda</td>
<td>Racing Bulls</td>
<td>+50000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Gabriel Bortoleto</td>
<td>Kick Sauber</td>
<td>+100000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Isack Hadjar</td>
<td>Racing Bulls</td>
<td>+100000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jack Doohan</td>
<td>Alpine</td>
<td>+100000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nico Hulkenberg</td>
<td>Kick Sauber</td>
<td>+100000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Oliver Bearman</td>
<td>Haas</td>
<td>+100000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>The oddsboard indicates that five drivers - Norris, Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, and Oscar Piastri - have at least an 11% chance of winning the drivers' championship, a level of parity rarely seen in Formula 1. </p><p>It remains unclear who Ferrari will prioritize - if any - between Leclerc and Hamilton, which is why they're neck-and-neck on the oddsboard. Ferrari is expected to compete for the constructors' championship, and one of these men should have a stronger chance of winning the drivers' title than their odds suggest – it's just a matter of who.</p><p>It's hard to envision Leclerc taking a back seat to Hamilton after being Ferrari's No. 1 driver for the past four seasons. At the same time, Ferrari wouldn't make the splashy Hamilton signing to have him second in the pecking order.</p><p>Leclerc is -215 in a head-to-head against Hamilton for the season, meaning oddsmakers think there's roughly a 68% chance the Monegasque driver remains Ferrari's top option. </p><p>If you believe McLaren has the best car for 2025, Piastri may be the best value on the board at +750. He could outperform Norris early in the season, forcing McLaren to switch its focus to the Australian, whom it signed to a multi-year extension earlier this week.</p><p>The betting market doesn't love George Russell's chances of contending in his first year as Mercedes' top driver. Russell is +1400 to win the drivers' championship, which would be surprising based on where Mercedes is expected to finish in the constructors' standings.</p><h3>Constructors' championship</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Team</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>McLaren</td>
<td>+100</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ferrari</td>
<td>+125</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Red Bull Racing</td>
<td>+550</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mercedes</td>
<td>+1400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Aston Martin</td>
<td>+10000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Williams</td>
<td>+15000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alpine</td>
<td>+25000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Haas</td>
<td>+50000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Racing Bulls</td>
<td>+50000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Kick Sauber</td>
<td>+75000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>The constructors' crown appears to be a two-horse race between McLaren (+100) and Ferrari (+125). Both teams have two drivers who can win races and compete for a podium position whenever they get behind the wheel.</p><p>Red Bull is at +550, but given that its second driver is Liam Lawson, this could be a repeat of last year, when Verstappen continually battled for a podium while the No. 2 Red Bull driver struggled to score points.</p><p>Even if Red Bull isn't in the mix for the constructors' championship, Verstappen will be in the hunt for a fifth world championship alongside the two McLaren and two Ferrari drivers. That should set the stage for an incredible season.</p>

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The first couple days of NFL free agency got off to a hot start, with big-name signings and trade...

<p>The first couple days of NFL free agency got off to a hot start, with big-name signings and trades throughout the league.</p><p>Offseason additions that fix immediate needs bolster a roster for a team's upcoming season, but how many of those additions truly impact a team's chances of winning? Based on betting odds, only a few teams have improved their chances enough to warrant a shift in the market.</p><p><span style="margin:0px; padding:0px; text-align:left">The <a target="_blank" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/teams/11">Pittsburgh Steelers</a> are perceived to be the biggest winners so far, but that may be partly due to speculation at the quarterback position. <a target="_blank" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/players/161671">Justin Fields</a> signed with the <a target="_blank" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/teams/4">New York Jets</a>, and the Steelers don't appear likely to run it back with <a target="_blank" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/players/12258">Russell Wilson.</a> This leaves the door open for a potential signing of <a target="_blank" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/players/747">Aaron Rodgers</a>, who showed life toward the end of last season. </span></p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Pittsburgh traded for <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/players/111570" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/players/111570">DK Metcalf</a> to create a dangerous wide receiver duo with <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/players/174055" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/players/174055">George Pickens</a>, and the team seems to always have a strong defense centered around <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/players/74678" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/players/74678">T.J. Watt</a>. Perhaps Rodgers - in one last hurrah - is the missing piece.</p><p>The Steelers moved from +6000 to win the Super Bowl at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet down to +5000. It's not the most significant shift, but it was the largest of any team. They also shortened from +3000 to +2000 to win the AFC and +750 to +550 to win the AFC North. Pittsburgh's odds could shorten further if Rodgers - or another veteran quarterback who's perceived to be better than Wilson - ends up in black and yellow.</p><p><span style="margin:0px; padding:0px; text-align:left">The <a href="https://thescore.com/nfl/teams/25" target="_blank">Chicago Bears</a>' odds also shortened due to their offseason spending spree. Chicago added pieces to strengthen both the offensive and defensive lines. The acquisitions of guards <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/players/52828" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/players/52828">Joe Thuney</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/players/99866" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/players/99866">Jonah Jackson</a> and center Drew Dalman can only help <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/players/199760" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/players/199760">Caleb Williams</a>' chances of succeeding in his second year. </span></p><p>The Bears went from +4000 to +3500 to win the Super Bowl, shifted slightly from +2000 to +1800 to win the NFC, and from +600 to +400 to dethrone the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/teams/26" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/teams/26">Detroit Lions</a> for NFC North supremacy. </p><h3>Super Bowl odds</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Team</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Chiefs</td>
<td>+600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Eagles</td>
<td>+600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ravens</td>
<td>+650</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bills</td>
<td>+700</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Lions</td>
<td>+850</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>49ers</td>
<td>+1300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bengals</td>
<td>+1600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Commanders</td>
<td>+1600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Packers</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rams</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Chargers</td>
<td>+2200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Texans</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Buccaneers</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bears</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Vikings</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Broncos</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cardinals</td>
<td>+5000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cowboys</td>
<td>+5000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dolphins</td>
<td>+5000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Steelers</td>
<td>+5000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Falcons</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Seahawks</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Patriots</td>
<td>+7500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Panthers</td>
<td>+10000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Browns</td>
<td>+10000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Colts</td>
<td>+10000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Raiders</td>
<td>+10000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Saints</td>
<td>+10000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jaguars</td>
<td>+15000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jets</td>
<td>+15000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Giants</td>
<td>+20000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Titans</td>
<td>+20000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>The <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/teams/7" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/teams/7">Las Vegas Raiders</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/teams/24" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/teams/24">Seattle Seahawks</a>, and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/teams/28" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/teams/28">Minnesota Vikings</a> were involved in the quarterback shuffling that occurred.</p><p>The Seahawks sent <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/players/13368" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/players/13368">Geno Smith</a> to the Raiders and then signed <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/players/98048" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/players/98048">Sam Darnold</a>, leaving the Vikings with a vacancy at starting quarterback that <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/players/199765" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/players/199765">J.J. McCarthy</a> is expected to fill. </p><p>Seattle's odds to win the Super Bowl lengthened from +5000 to +6000, while Las Vegas' odds improved slightly from +15000 to +10000. The Raiders' shift may look large, but their implied probability only increased by 0.3% with the addition of Smith.</p><p>The Vikings' odds of winning the championship moved slightly from +3000 to +3500. Their odds of winning the division and conference also got worse, going from +475 to +550 to win the NFC North and moving from +1300 to +2000 to claim the NFC with the betting market hesitant to back McCarthy, who missed his entire rookie season with an injury.</p><p>There's still plenty of time for more odds changes between now and Week 1 of the 2025 season, with the NFL draft the next big event that can stir the pot. But for now, there aren't many teams that have made many additions the betting market has respected outside of the Bears and Steelers.</p>

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It's Players Championship week - the PGA TOUR's flagship event from the iconic TPC Sawgrass in Po...

<p>It's Players Championship week - the PGA TOUR's flagship event from the iconic TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. </p><p>One of the strongest fields of the season will take on Pete Dye's masterpiece. The course is highlighted by the brilliant set of finishing holes, which includes the island green at No. 17.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1540" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1540">Scottie Scheffler</a> is looking to become the first player to win three straight Players Championships. He's also the deserved +460 betting favorite at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet, but a handful of other contenders are primed to dethrone Scheffler's reign at Sawgrass.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><h3>The course</h3><ul>
<li>Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida</li>
<li>7,275 yards, par 72</li>
<li>Designed by Pete Dye</li>
<li>Water in play on 17 holes</li>
<li>Poa Trivialis overseed greens</li>
<li>Three of four par 5s are reachable in two by most</li>
<li>Finishing holes Nos. 16, 17, and 18 are some of the most exciting in golf</li>
</ul><h3>Previous winners</h3><p>2024: Scottie Scheffler (-20)<br>2023: Scottie Scheffler (-17)<br>2022: Cam Smith (-13)<br>2021: Justin Thomas (-14)<br>2020: Canceled<br>2019: Rory McIlroy (-16)<br>2018: Webb Simpson (-18)<br>2017: Si Woo Kim (-10)<br>2016: Jason Day (-15)</p><h3>The favorites</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Scottie Scheffler</td>
<td>+460</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rory McIlroy</td>
<td>+900</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Collin Morikawa</td>
<td>+1600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ludvig Aberg</td>
<td>+1700</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Justin Thomas</td>
<td>+2200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Xander Schauffele</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Scheffler has an implied win probability of 17.9%. There's a good chance he wins his third straight Players Championship as TPC Sawgrass appears to be the perfect layout for his game. He gained 17.2 and 15.9 strokes tee to green (two of his three career-best performances) en route to his two victories.</p><p>However, there's a red flag in Scheffler's performance at Bay Hill. He only gained 0.6 strokes through approach shots, the third-worst week with his irons since the start of 2024. We're nitpicking, obviously, but any sign that something may be slightly off is enough to avoid Scheffler at +460.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/3135" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/3135">Collin Morikawa</a> (+1600) and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1747" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1747">Justin Thomas</a> (+2200) are solid options among the favorites as well. Morikawa nearly won last week, and Thomas is hitting his irons very well this season. Both players are perfectly set up for TPC Sawgrass.</p><h3>The next tier</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Hideki Matsuyama</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tommy Fleetwood</td>
<td>+3300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Patrick Cantlay</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell Henley</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Shane Lowry</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sepp Straka</td>
<td>+4500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Corey Conners</td>
<td>+5500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Keegan Bradley</td>
<td>+5500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sam Burns</td>
<td>+5500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sungjae Im +5500</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><h3>Picks</h3><p><strong>Xander Schauffele - To win (+2500)</strong></p><p>We're bypassing five names to get to <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1213" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1213">Xander Schauffele</a>.</p><p>Usually, Xander is the second or third favorite behind Scheffler and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/599" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/599">Rory McIlroy</a>, but we're getting a discount on the two-time major winner because of his unideal start to the 2025 season. He has no top-25 finishes across two starts and missed nearly two months with a rib injury.</p><p>However, there are positives to take away from Schauffele's start at Bay Hill last week. He gained 2.4 strokes ball-striking (off the tee plus approach), roughly the same as <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/5384" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/5384">Ludvig Aberg</a>. Schauffele also gained strokes in all four stat categories in his final-round 69. Plus, he lost five strokes around the green for the tournament, a career-worst performance and a complete anomaly.</p><p>Schauffele also is a two-time runner-up at Sawgrass, which removes any course-fit concerns.</p><p>He showed no signs of a lingering injury last week, and his sluggish start can be chalked up to a bit of rust after a long layoff. This is the perfect opportunity for Schauffele to peak at a big-time event for a discounted price.</p><p><strong>Sepp Straka - To win (+4500), Top-20 finish (+250)</strong></p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/534" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/534">Sepp Straka</a> is playing exceptional golf, and +4500 is a great number for what he brings to the table. </p><p>The big Austrian is fresh off a T5 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational after battling back from an opening-round 77. The result marks his fifth top-15 finish in his last six starts, a stretch that includes a win at The American Express. </p><p>He's an accurate driver of the ball and is hitting his irons as well as anyone in the field. Straka has made three straight cuts at The Players, including a T6 in 2022 and a T16 last year. </p><p><strong>Justin Thomas - Top-10 finish (+230)</strong></p><p>Thomas is trending toward becoming a top-five player again. The former Players champion has three top-10 finishes in six starts this year, showing the elite iron play that helped lift him to No. 1 in the world in 2018.</p><p>It wouldn't be a surprise to see Thomas hoist the golden trophy Sunday, but we'll take another option in the hopes he contends at +230.</p><p><strong>Will Zalatoris - Top-20 finish (+275)</strong></p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1622" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1622">Will Zalatoris</a> struck the ball beautifully last week at Bay Hill, where he was fifth in strokes gained: off the tee and sixth in strokes gained: approach. If he can make a few putts (always a question with Zalatoris) and continue to gain strokes tee to green, a top-20 finish shouldn't be an issue.</p><p><strong>Doug Ghim - Top-20 finish (+330)</strong></p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/4905" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/4905">Doug Ghim</a> finished T11 at the Cognizant Classic in his last start, gaining 10.8 strokes tee to green to rank second in the field. Ghim's a terrible putter, but he should be able to record his third top-20 showing in his fifth start if he can hit the ball as well as he has been since last year's Players Championship.</p><p><strong>Nick Taylor - Top-20 finish (+450)</strong></p><p>A +450 price on a top-20 finish is more evidence that <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1122" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1122">Nick Taylor</a> is perpetually underrated. He's played very well in 2025, winning the Sony Open and finishing T9 at the Genesis Invitational - a signature event with a stacked field.</p><p>Taylor's gained strokes through approach shots in every tournament this year, including 3.9 last week at Bay Hill. Backing him is more than worth the risk at these odds.</p>

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The Players betting preview: Can Schauffele end Scheffler's reign?

There hasn't been a player like Travis Hunter to enter the NFL in a long time. The dynamic two-wa...

<p>There hasn't been a player like <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaaf/players/179519" href="https://thescore.com/ncaaf/players/179519">Travis Hunter</a> to enter the NFL in a long time. The dynamic two-way player dominated on both sides of the ball under head coach Deion Sanders in Colorado, earning him the Heisman Trophy and buzz for first overall pick heading into the 2025 draft.</p><p>However, that hype has somewhat died off. Hunter's odds of going No. 1 sit at +1600 (5.9% implied probability) at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet behind quarterback <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaaf/players/152938" href="https://thescore.com/ncaaf/players/152938">Cam Ward</a> (-300) and defensive end <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaaf/players/171484" href="https://thescore.com/ncaaf/players/171484">Abdul Carter</a> (+180). </p><p>There's still a chance Hunter hears his name called first, but it remains unclear whether he'll play wide receiver or cornerback in the NFL, which may affect his draft stock. He'd be a no-doubter to go first if he could play both full time, but that seems unlikely. Either way, Hunter is a game-changer regardless of where he's drafted.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><h3>Team to draft Travis Hunter</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Team (R1 Pick)</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Patriots (4th)</td>
<td>+225</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Giants (3rd)</td>
<td>+275</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Titans (1st)</td>
<td>+425</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Browns (2nd)</td>
<td>+500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jaguars (5th)</td>
<td>+550</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Raiders (6th)</td>
<td>+1200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jets (7th)</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Panthers (8th)</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Saints (9th)</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bears (10th)</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>49ers (11th)</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cowboys (12th)</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Falcons (15th)</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cardinals (16th)</td>
<td>+5000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bengals (17th)</td>
<td>+5000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Colts (14th)</td>
<td>+5000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dolphins (13th)</td>
<td>+5000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Buccaneers (19th)</td>
<td>+5000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>The <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/teams/3" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/teams/3">New England Patriots</a> are the +225 (30.8% implied probability) favorites to draft Hunter. They own the fourth selection with two quarterback-needy teams - the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/teams/10" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/teams/10">Cleveland Browns</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/teams/18" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/teams/18">New York Giants</a> - picking ahead of them. The Patriots desperately need a top-tier wide receiver to help second-year starter <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/players/199741" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/players/199741">Drake Maye</a>, and Hunter would more than satisfy that need.</p><p>The <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/teams/14" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/teams/14">Tennessee Titans</a> hold the first overall pick, but that could change come draft night. The Titans are <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3193019" href="https://thescore.com/news/3193019">reportedly</a> open to offers for the top selection, and moving back without a clear-cut No. 1 choice would help address needs all over the field. It'd also give Hunter a great chance at ending up in Nashville.</p><p>The <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/teams/18" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/teams/18">New York Giants</a> have the second-best odds to draft Hunter at +275. They could look to add Hunter to create a lethal one-two punch with <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/players/199759" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/players/199759">Malik Nabers</a> if they can't move up or one of Ward or <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaaf/players/160938" href="https://thescore.com/ncaaf/players/160938">Shedeur Sanders</a> doesn't fall to them at No. 3.</p><p>Hunter could fall into the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/teams/16" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/teams/16">Jacksonville Jaguars</a>' lap at No. 5 or to the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/teams/7" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/teams/7">Las Vegas Raiders</a> at No. 6. These two teams have a combined implied probability of 23.1% to draft Hunter, but him slipping past the top four picks is not out of the question.</p><p>There's also a chance a team falls in love with Hunter during the pre-draft process and trades up to select him. He's the type of player that would make fan bases around the league very excited.</p><p>However, given the needs of the teams picking near the top of the board, in addition to Hunter's skill set, it's hard to imagine him ending up on a long-shot team.</p>

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NFL draft betting: Which team is most likely to take Travis Hunter?

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Eric Patterson

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