Bookies Pick Woods for Masters Title

Rory McIlroy, a man who became the youngest golfer in history to claim the lead on the opening day of the Masters Tournament, earlier this year, has had his position as favourite for the 2012 instalment of the competition snatched from his grasp by resurgent golfer, Tiger Woods.

On the back of his recent run of form, which saw him help the United States team to victory in the Presidents Cup, Tiger Woods has witnessed his popularity with the bookmakers soar. The fourteen-time Majors winner currently stands at 7/1 in the best Masters golf odds , compared to McIlroy on 9/1, and the States’ Phil Mickelson on 14/1.

Creeping down the odds chart, England’s Luke Donald is tied on 18/1 with his compatriot, Lee Westwood, while Australia’s Adam Scott stands on 33/1. Rounding off the bookies’ top ten are Nick Watney (US), Sergio Garcia (ESP), and Jason Day (AUS), also at 33/1, and Germany’s Martin Kaymer, on 40/1.

It is interesting to note that South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel, who won the Masters in 2011, is ranked at 40/1, making the golfer something of an outsider for next year’s event in Augusta, Georgia. Of course, with the Masters Tournament still five months away, the odds remain in the realm of conjecture.

Rory McIlroy’s position as second-favourite stands in defiance of his record in major tournaments. With the exception of his win at the US Open, earlier this year, McIlroy has only won one other event in 2011, the Shanghai Masters. He tied for fifteenth in the Masters, 25th in the Open Championship, and 64th in the PGA Championship.

Whether the youngster has the chops to defeat a field consisting of Mickelson, who has three Masters titles under his belt; Tiger Woods, with four, and Schwartzel, with one, remains to be seen. However, it would be difficult to deny that McIlroy is one golf’s most exciting prospects, given his age.