The Masters predictions: Top five alternative bets
Recommended bets:
- Top Australian - Jason Day
- Tournament Matchup - Thomas v Morikawa - Morikawa to win
- Tiger Woods Birdies in Round 1 - Over 3.5
- Will There Be a Playoff? - Yes
- Rory McIlroy to make an eagle in Round 1
Ahead of The Masters starting on Thursday, we have come up with five selections from LiveScore Bet's alternative markets for the eagerly-anticipated Major at Augusta.
Among the players fancied to impress are Jason Day, Collin Morikawa, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy as golf gears up for one of the biggest weeks on the calendar.
Top Australian - Jason Day
It seems a while since Jason Day contended for one of the 'Big Four' tournaments, but the man from Queensland looks to be getting back to his best.
The 2015 PGA Championship winner missed the cut in the last two Masters and has just one top-10 finish in his last seven Majors.
Day, though, has shown this year that he has rediscovered the type of form that secured him four T10 finishes at Augusta between 2011 and 2019.
His last seven PGA Tour stroke-play events have seen Day finish T10-T18-T7-5-T9-T10-T19, and he currently sits inside the top-20 of the FedEx Cup standings.
Cameron Smith would have ordinarily topped this market, but the Open champion has seen his form dip since his move to the LIV Tour and he has also been hampered by a wrist problem in recent weeks.
Therefore, backing Day at 6/4 to be the top Aussie at Augusta may well pay off.
Tournament Matchup - Thomas v Morikawa - Morikawa to win
Two of the big names on the PGA Tour are pitted against each other in LiveScore Bet's tournament matchup market, with Collin Morikawa tipped to come out on top over Justin Thomas.
Both players finished in the top 10 in 2022 and it would not be a surprise if the same happened again 12 months later.
Morikawa had the slight edge over Thomas last year — finishing fifth compared with an eventual T8 spot for his compatriot - and the former heads to Augusta in decent form.
The two-time Major winner has four top-15 finishes on the PGA Tour since the turn of the year and currently sits second in the Approach to Green stats so the 21/20 with LiveScore Bet for Morikawa to win this particular battle appeals.
Tiger Woods Birdies in Round 1 - Over 3.5
Despite his fitness problems and having reached the age of 47, there are still some who think Tiger Woods can win The Masters, such is his liking for Augusta.
Claiming a sixth Green Jacket may be beyond him, but making the cut is certainly not and Woods will look to make a quick start on Thursday while he feels fresh.
The 2019 champion made the weekend last year and started the tournament with a one-under-par 71, in which he carded three birdies, so it is not too much of a stretch to imagine him landing at least four on the first day, which is on offer at 21/20 with LiveScore Bet.
Will There Be a Playoff? - Yes
The calibre of this year's field would suggest that the 2023 Masters will be a closely fought affair and the 3/1 on offer with LiveScore Bet in the Specials section for a Playoff looks to be good value.
In the last six years there has been just one playoff, when Sergio Garcia needed extra holes to defeat Justin Rose in 2017.
But in three other editions — 2021, 2019 and 2018 — the margin of victory has been just one shot and it seems likely it will be close again at the top of the leaderboard.
Rory McIlroy to make an eagle in Round 1
There were four eagles made on day one in 2022 and three of those came at the par-five 13th, which will be reachable in two for much of the field.
One of the players plenty long enough to fire at the flag with his second shot is Rory McIlroy, who recorded one par, two birdies and one eagle on that hole 12 months ago.
The Northern Irishman will be determined to get off to a flying start and with light winds expected at Augusta on Thursday, the 13th will give him the perfect opportunity to pick up two shots.
