Masters 2016: Day 3 odds check
Jordan Spieth is hanging on for dear life at the top of the Masters markets as we get ready for day 3.
It seemed the bookmakers, early on during his second round at Augusta National, were ready to give a second green jacket to the Texan as he established a five shot lead.
But the defending champion’s struggles on the back nine saw Rory McIlroy close to a shot behind – and there’s barely anything to split them now with the oddsmakers.
Spieth is a best priced 9/4 across the major firms, while McIlroy can be backed at best odds of 5/2 as we await tonight’s showdown between the pair.
The oddsmakers can’t see past the duo for the title’s destination, even though Spieth’s second effort of 74 sees 14 players within four shots of his lead.
Jason Day, sitting in tied-15th place at +1, is third favourite at 12/1 while Dustin Johnson and Brandt Snedeker, who have both been under the radar but enjoyed two solid days, can be backed at 16/1 and 25/1 respectively.
The latter is the player who is causing much head scratching across the bookmakers.
While the odds for much of the top half dozen in the market are fairly static, the prices on Snedeker vary wildly – with the American as short as 16s with some.
Mcilroy and Spieth’s domination of the money mean there are some huge prices further down the list of competitors.
Sergio Garcia, still very much in the frame at even par, is as big as 50/1, while Irishman Shane Lowry touches 80s in places.
Bryson DeChambeau, who was pressing for the lead until a triple bogey 7 at the final hole, is 100/1 to bounce back in style and win the Masters as an amateur.
Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; TaylorMade Stealth 2 irons; TaylorMade Hi-Toe, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.