Officialsportsbetting.com Golf Betting Remembering the final round of the 2019 Masters

Remembering the final round of the 2019 Masters

It's hard to forget who won the 2019 Masters. Tiger Woods produced a storyline for the ages by claiming a fifth Masters title and 15th major championship. The triumph was incredible for many reasons, including the fact that it came after a major drought that lasted more than a decade. The win was not far removed from a fourth back surgery, either. There was a time that Woods thought he may never play golf again, let alone win a major. It was the ultimate fairytale. The iconic image of his two arms raised in celebration, and the emotional embrace he shared with his kids afterward, were enough to make even the most cynical get misty-eyed. "I never thought we'd see anything that could rival the hug with his father in 1997, but we just did," Nantz said. "That hug with his children. If that doesn't bring a tear to your eye, and you're a parent... you're not human." Three-time Masters champion Nick Faldo called it "the greatest scene in golf forever." It's easy to remember the final result. But, after 19 months, some of the details from that final round may have faded from memory. That's why, as we finally get ready for Woods to defend the title, we've had another look at the entire final round to see what we may have forgotten. 1. Weather concerns meant for the first time ever groups of three went from both tees in the very early A.M. on Sunday. The threat of weekend storms had been touted for days in advance and on Saturday huge storms hit states to the west of Georgia. Tournament organizers took the unprecedented step of deciding to institute final-round threesomes off the first and 10th tees. The final group of Woods, Francesco Molinari and Tony Finau teed off at 9:20 a.m. Considering that was some five hours earlier than a final group would normally head out, it was a significant change. Speculation suggested it would be a change that would not help Woods in his quest for victory. An earlier start meant colder weather and an early wake-up call so he could warm up his ailing back. And, it meant less time for his challengers to sit around and think about winning a first Masters. As it turned out, the storm held off until not long after Woods finished off his return to glory. It was a first major since 2008 and first Masters since 2005, as well as his 81st PGA TOUR win. It also was the first major win for Woods when starting behind in the final round. 2. Francesco Molinari was a few holes away from continuing an incredible 10-month run. The Italian took a two-shot lead into the final round. He'd won his first major just a few months earlier at The Open Championship and was just a few weeks removed from a win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard that had vaulted him to seventh in the world ranking. Early on, Molinari appeared pretty stoic even with a few wayward swings. While the patrons were willing on Woods, they couldn't help but be impressed by Molinari. Until the par-4 seventh on Sunday, he'd made just one bogey for the week. Molinari had been on a hot streak since winning the European Tour's BMW PGA Championship in May 2018. He also won his first PGA TOUR title, at the Quicken Loans National, before hoisting the Claret Jug at Carnoustie. He was T6 in the following major, the PGA Championship, then became the first European player to go 5-0 in a Ryder Cup. "Molinari fended off Tiger at Carnoustie in Scotland. But this is America. The support for Tiger is monumental, the noise will be monumental. I’ll be interested to see if he can be oblivious to all of that and just play his own game." Faldo said as the final group prepared to start Sunday. Impressive par-saving putts on Nos. 1, 5, 6 and 9 helped Molinari preserve a lead into the back nine. Woods had halved the deficit at the turn, but as the Italian walked off the 11th green he was once again ahead by two. Surely someone was going to have to do something special to catch him. Turns out, the man who had played with machine-like precision and little emotion would prove human after all. His title push was sunk by water balls and double bogeys on the par-3 12th and the par-5 15th holes. The first wasn't the killer - he still shared the lead with four to play and had just missed a great chance to take back the outright lead on the 14th. The second double was fatal though. From the left intermediate rough, Molinari tried to chip his way on to the 15th green only to see his ball clip a tree branch and fall into the water. From there, he became a close spectator to Woods' glory. And as a sidenote, he hasn't been the same since. His T5 finish remains the last top-10 he's had anywhere in the world. 3. The iconic par-3 12th saw four water balls from the last five players. Molinari wasn't the only contender to find Raes Creek on the infamous 12th. While the expected big storms hadn't arrived, there was a small squall right at this critical juncture. Winds whipped up to around 20 mph, making a swirling mess of uncertainty on Amen Corner. "Amen Corner, where we have no earthly idea what's going to happen," were the prophetic words of announcer Frank Nobilo just moments before. Little did he know how right he was. Not since Jordan Spieth's meltdown in 2016 at the same hole had we seen something this dramatic. In the group ahead, Brooks Koepka took a swipe with his 9-iron, only to see it drift right, find the bank and roll back into the water. He was just two back before the swing. Ian Poulter then stepped up and followed his playing partner. His 8-iron didn't have the legs to stay dry. Both made double bogey. Molinari was aware of the carnage yet somehow made the same mistake. "That was just so weak. Just that ball didn’t even look like it was flying," Faldo would say of the Italian's shot. "That door is flown open now, not just for Woods. ... For everybody," Nobilo added. Woods played it safely into the middle of the green while Finau followed by incredibly also finding the water. Four water balls. Four double bogeys. Yet only Poulter would be without the chance to contend over the last six holes. It was the first time Woods found himself part of the lead when he converted a two-putt par. 4. There were 10 players who either had a piece of the lead or were within one of the lead at some point on Sunday. The drama on the 12th helped open up the chance of victory to a raft of hopefuls. Prior to it, Molinari had led outright throughout Sunday. Jon Rahm birdied the par-3 16th to pull within one of the lead at 10 under, but he failed to get any deeper. Bubba Watson, chasing a third Masters title, went birdie-birdie-eagle on 13-15 to also hit 10 under and be one back. But bogeys on 17 and 18 sent him packing. Rickie Fowler birdied the 13th, 14th and 15th holes and lipped out another close chance on the 16th. When he birdied the 17th he was just one back at 11 under, knowing he likely needed at least one more birdie to have a chance. Instead, he dropped a shot on the last. Jason Day, who was a 36-hole co-leader, but was the only contender to shoot over par in the third round, tried to fight back. He missed a short birdie chance on the 16th but birdied the last to take the clubhouse lead at 11 under, one off the lead at the time. Patrick Cantlay made the cut on the number at two over. He shot 64 on Saturday and then went lights out on Sunday again. As the carnage happened back on 12, Cantlay eagled the 15th hole and catapulted to the lead at 12 under. As he walked to the par-3 16th, he saw his position on the leaderboard. It seemingly spooked the former amateur standout. Much like Day had done in 2013 when leading on the same tee, Cantlay nervously bogeyed the 16th and 17th to drop back out of the running. Dustin Johnson rarely goes unnoticed but he had on this Sunday. After four holes, he was six back so it wasn't until he birdied the 16th hole that he was featured on the coverage. That moved him within one. Birdie on the 17th saw him join the lead at 12 under. Facing a mid-range birdie putt up the hill on 18, Johnson left it short. He didn't know at the time but had he made the putt he would have posted 13 under, the same final score for Woods. Xander Schauffele had birdies on 13 and 14 to reach 12 under and the lead. He stayed there when he was unable to birdie 15 or 16. By the time he made par on 17 he'd dropped from the top to two back as Woods surged. On 18, he drove it into a bunker from which he produced a fat approach shot and ultimately a T2 finish. Brooks Koepka, who had won two of the previous three majors, was within one on the front nine after a birdie on the eighth hole but seemed to end his chances with his water-ball double on the 12th. Instead, he bounced back immediately with an eagle on 13 to be one back, and his birdie on 15 saw him join the lead. While Woods fired his shots and earned roars behind him, Koepka pressed ahead. He had a 12-foot birdie look on 17 that stayed high and after a huge drive down 18 he hit his approach to 6 feet. Incredibly, having been beyond clutch in major moments to that point, Koepka pulled the putt left and had to settle for par and T2. Woods first got within one of the lead with a birdie on the third hole but followed that with two bogeys. He pulled within one again at the seventh before finally getting a piece of the lead at the 12th. Birdie on 13 kept him up top but another on 15 gave him the top spot alone. His next swing turned out to be the clincher though. Which brings us to our final point... 5. The par-3 16th produced more excitement and another iconic Tiger moment. Not a Masters goes by without multiple replays of Woods chipping in for birdie on the 16th in 2005 as he fought towards victory over Chris DiMarco. It's a sensational highlight but we almost had one better. Using his decades of experience Woods struck a sublime 8-iron to the peak of the slope just right and beyond the traditional Sunday pin. The ball reached the crest, turned and started its move back down the slope with eyes for the cup. With a huge gallery willing it on, the ball threatened to dive in for an ace before dribbling past the edge and stopping at kick-in distance. The subsequent birdie set up a two-shot lead that would only halve when he played the 18th conservatively to secure a famous win. It was clear Woods sensed the moment, having just wrestled the lead for himself on the 15th. He knew he could go a long way towards securing the title with one more good swing and he executed it with near perfection, much to the delight of Olympic legend Michael Phelps who stood out in the background behind the tee box. "The Tiger has hunted them down and now he's going for the kill," Faldo said. While Woods missed out on his hole-in-one, Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas proved it was possible as both had earlier sent roars through the pines with aces. When DeChambeau's ball disappeared, some of the pain of falling out of contention after taking the first-round lead drifted away as it was his first career ace. In the excitement he spun around and bear hugged a bemused Takumi Kanaya, the up-and-coming Japanese star who was an amateur in the field. "Swelling with pride," Verne Lundquist said as DeChambeau retrieved the ball. Now as he returns, DeChambeau is swollen in muscle. Thomas watched Rahm come within a couple of ball turns of an ace in his group before showing the Spaniard that the best way is not to come in from the front as Rahm had done, but to bring the ball back off the slope above the hole. His 8-iron never looked like missing once it started its roll. Both aces brought loud roars, but the Tiger near ace, and the birdie conversion, were deafening. The type reserved for the greatest champions. The type of thing we should never forget.

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1st Round Match-Ups - E. Cole v M. Schmid
Type: 1st Round Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Eric Cole-115
Matti Schmid-105
1st Round 3 Ball - K. Kisner / E. Cole / D. Lipsky
Type: 1st Round 3 Ball - Status: OPEN
Eric Cole-135
David Lipsky+230
Kevin Kisner+350
1st Round 3 Ball - A. Baddeley / H. Higgs / M. Schmid
Type: 1st Round 3 Ball - Status: OPEN
Matti Schmid-115
Harry Higgs+175
Aaron Baddeley+400
1st Round Six Shooter - A. Noren / C. Conners / R. MacIntyre / R. Fox / S. Lowry / T. Olesen
Type: 1st Round Six Shooter - Status: OPEN
Corey Conners +320
Shane Lowry+350
Robert MacIntyre+375
Ryan Fox+500
Alex Noren+550
Thorbjorn Olesen+550
1st Round Six Shooter - C. Gotterup / Cam. Young / J. Rose / M. Wallace / R. Hojgaard / W. Clark
Type: 1st Round Six Shooter - Status: OPEN
Cameron Young+400
Rasmus Hojgaard +400
Wyndham Clark+400
Chris Gotterup+425
Justin Rose+450
Matt Wallace+450
1st Round Match-Ups - Cam. Young vs R. Hojgaard
Type: 1st Round Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Cameron Young-110
Rasmus Hojgaard-110
1st Round Match-Ups - A. Noren vs S. Lowry
Type: 1st Round Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Shane Lowry-155
Alex Noren+130
1st Round 3 Ball - C. Champ / A. Noren / R. Hojgaard
Type: 1st Round 3 Ball - Status: OPEN
Alex Noren+130
Rasmus Hojgaard+145
Cameron Champ+300
1st Round 3 Ball - C. Hoffman / D. Willett / D. Walker
Type: 1st Round 3 Ball - Status: OPEN
Danny Walker+150
Charley Hoffman+160
Danny Willett+220
1st Round Match-Ups - C. Conners vs T. Olesen
Type: 1st Round Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Corey Conners-150
Thorbjorn Olesen+125
1st Round 3 Ball - V. Whaley / W. Gordon / B. Kohles
Type: 1st Round 3 Ball - Status: OPEN
Vince Whaley+120
Will Gordon+200
Ben Kohles+225
1st Round 3 Ball - L. Griffin / R. Palmer / T. Olesen
Type: 1st Round 3 Ball - Status: OPEN
Thorbjorn Olesen-130
Lanto Griffin+210
Ryan Palmer+375
1st Round Match-Ups - R. MacIntyre vs R. Fox
Type: 1st Round Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Robert MacIntyre-150
Ryan Fox+125
Tournament Match-Ups - M. Wallace vs R. Fox
Type: Tournament Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Ryan Fox-130
Matt Wallace+100
1st Round Match-Ups - J. Rose v R. Fox
Type: Requests - Status: OPEN
Ryan Fox-130
Justin Rose+110
1st Round 3 Ball - R. Fox / T. Kim / C. Young
Type: 1st Round 3 Ball - Status: OPEN
Ryan Fox+160
Cameron Young+165
Tom Kim+200
1st Round 3 Ball - N. Dunlap / B. Snedeker / A. Schenk
Type: 1st Round 3 Ball - Status: OPEN
Brandt Snedeker+165
Adam Schenk+170
Nick Dunlap+185
1st Round Match-Ups - M. Wallace vs W. Clark
Type: 1st Round Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Wyndham Clark-120
Matt Wallace+100
1st Round Match-Ups - C. Gotterup vs J. Rose
Type: 1st Round Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Chris Gotterup-120
Justin Rose+100
1st Round Match-Ups - A. Hadwin / J. Knapp
Type: 1st Round Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Jake Knapp-120
Adam Hadwin+100
1st Round 3 Ball - W. Clark / J. Rose / A. Hadwin
Type: 1st Round 3 Ball - Status: OPEN
Wyndham Clark+150
Justin Rose+160
Adam Hadwin+220
1st Round 3 Ball - B. Garnett / J. Knapp / L. List
Type: 1st Round 3 Ball - Status: OPEN
Jake Knapp+120
Brice Garnett+210
Luke List+210
Tournament Match-Ups - C. Conners vs S. Lowry
Type: Tournament Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Corey Conners-120
Shane Lowry-110
1st Round 3 Ball - R. MacIntyre / S. Lowry / C. Conners
Type: 1st Round 3 Ball - Status: OPEN
Corey Conners+160
Shane Lowry+170
Robert MacIntyre+190
1st Round 3 Ball - C. Gotterup / E. Van Rooyen / M. Wallace
Type: 1st Round 3 Ball - Status: OPEN
Chris Gotterup+170
Matt Wallace+175
Erik Van Rooyen+180
1st Round Match-Ups - S. Power v R. Hisatsune
Type: 1st Round Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Ryo Hisatsune-135
Seamus Power+115
1st Round 3 Ball - R. Campos / P. Malnati / S. Power
Type: 1st Round 3 Ball - Status: OPEN
Seamus Power-110
Rafael Campos+240
Peter Malnati+260
1st Round 3 Ball - K. Vilips / M. McCarty / K. Yu
Type: Outright - Status: OPEN
Kevin Yu+160
Matt McCarty+170
Karl Vilips+190
1st Round Match-Ups - P. Fishburn v J. Svensson
Type: 1st Round Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Jesper Svensson-125
Patrick Fishburn+105
1st Round 3 Ball - T. Mullinax / J. Bramlett / R. Hisatsune
Type: 1st Round 3 Ball - Status: OPEN
Ryo Hisatsune+130
Joseph Bramlett+200
Trey Mullinax+210
1st Round 3 Ball - P. Fishburn / C. Phillips / D. Skinns
Type: 1st Round 3 Ball - Status: OPEN
Chandler Phillips+145
Patrick Fishburn+150
David Skinns+250
1st Round 3 Ball - D. Hearn / A. Tosti / S. Fisk
Type: 1st Round 3 Ball - Status: OPEN
Steven Fisk+105
Alejandro Tosti+130
David Hearn+475
1st Round 3 Ball - F. Capan / C. Del Solar / T. Mawhinney
Type: 1st Round 3 Ball - Status: OPEN
Frankie Capan III+130
Cristobal Del Solar+160
Tyler Mawhinney+275
1st Round 3 Ball - T. Montgomery / M. Riedel / J. Matthews
Type: 1st Round 3 Ball - Status: OPEN
Taylor Montgomery+110
Matthew Riedel+180
Justin Matthews+275
1st Round 3 Ball - K. Roy / J. Svensson / R. Lee
Type: 1st Round 3 Ball - Status: OPEN
Jesper Svensson+125
Kevin Roy+185
Richard T Lee+230
1st Round 3 Ball - W. Mouw / J. Pak / D. Ford
Type: 1st Round 3 Ball - Status: OPEN
David Ford+150
William Mouw+175
John Pak+200
ShopRite LPGA Classic
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Nelly Korda+550
Jeeno Thitikul+700
Jin Young Ko+1100
Rio Takeda+1200
Miyu Yamashita+1400
Ayaka Furue+1600
Chisato Iwai+1600
Mao Saigo+1600
Somi Lee+2200
Jin Hee Im+2500
Click here for more...
American Family Insurance Championship
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Alker/Langer+550
Cejka/Kjeldsen+750
Kelly/Leonard+1000
Bjorn/Clarke+1100
Cabrera/Gonzalez+1100
Cink/Toms+1400
Stricker/Tiziani+1400
Allan/Chalmers+1600
Green/Hensby+1800
Wi/Yang+1800
Click here for more...
Virginia
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Bryson DeChambeau+450
Jon Rahm+550
Joaquin Niemann+700
Tyrrell Hatton+1200
Patrick Reed+1800
Carlos Ortiz+2200
Lucas Herbert+2200
Cameron Smith+2500
David Puig+2500
Sergio Garcia+2500
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1st Round Six-Shooter - Group A - B. DeChambeau / T. Hatton / J. Rahm / P. Reed / J. Niemann / C. Ortiz
Type: 1st Round Six-Shooter - Status: OPEN
Bryson DeChambeau+280
Jon Rahm+320
Joaquin Niemann+375
Tyrrell Hatton+500
Patrick Reed+600
Carlos Ortiz+700
1st Round Six-Shooter - Group B - C. Smith / S. Garcia / L. Herbert / D. Burmester / S. Munoz / B. Koepka
Type: 1st Round Six-Shooter - Status: OPEN
Cameron Smith+375
Lucas Herbert+375
Sebastian Munoz+425
Brooks Koepka+450
Dean Burmester+450
Sergio Garcia+450
1st Round Six-Shooter - Group C - T. Gooch / P. Casey / C. Tringale / M. Leishman / D. Johnson / R. Bland
Type: 1st Round Six-Shooter - Status: OPEN
Talor Gooch+350
Cameron Tringale+400
Dustin Johnson+400
Marc Leishman+450
Paul Casey+450
Richard Bland+475
1st Round Six-Shooter - Group D - T. McKibbin / B. Watson / C. Schwartzel / L. Oosthuizen / T. Pieters / H. Varner
Type: 1st Round Six-Shooter - Status: OPEN
Tom McKibbin+400
Bubba Watson+425
Charl Schwartzel+425
Thomas Pieters+425
Harold Varner III+450
Louis Oosthuizen+450
Bryson DeChambeau
Type: Bryson DeChambeau - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish-135
Top 10 Finish-350
Top 20 Finish-1200
Jon Rahm
Type: Jon Rahm - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish-115
Top 10 Finish-300
Top 20 Finish-1200
Joaquin Niemann
Type: Joaquin Niemann - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+100
Top 10 Finish-250
Top 20 Finish-900
Tyrrell Hatton
Type: Tyrrell Hatton - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+180
Top 10 Finish-150
Top 20 Finish-600
Patrick Reed
Type: Patrick Reed - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+290
Top 10 Finish+105
Top 20 Finish-400
Carlos Ortiz
Type: Carlos Ortiz - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+310
Top 10 Finish+115
Top 20 Finish-400
Lucas Herbert
Type: Lucas Herbert - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+310
Top 10 Finish+115
Top 20 Finish-400
Cameron Smith
Type: Cameron Smith - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+350
Top 10 Finish+125
Top 20 Finish-350
David Puig
Type: David Puig - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+350
Top 10 Finish+125
Top 20 Finish-350
Sergio Garcia
Type: Sergio Garcia - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+350
Top 10 Finish+125
Top 20 Finish-350
Brooks Koepka
Type: Brooks Koepka - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+400
Top 10 Finish+140
Top 20 Finish-300
Major Specials 2025
Type: To Win A Major 2025 - Status: OPEN
Bryson DeChambeau+500
Jon Rahm+750
Collin Morikawa+900
Xander Schauffele+900
Ludvig Aberg+1000
Justin Thomas+1100
Joaquin Niemann+1400
Shane Lowry+1600
Tommy Fleetwood+1800
Tyrrell Hatton+1800
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US Open 2025
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Scottie Scheffler+275
Rory McIlroy+650
Bryson DeChambeau+800
Jon Rahm+1200
Xander Schauffele+2000
Collin Morikawa+2500
Ludvig Aberg+2500
Justin Thomas+3000
Brooks Koepka+4000
Hideki Matsuyama+4000
Click here for more...
The Open 2025
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Scottie Scheffler+400
Rory McIlroy+500
Xander Schauffele+1200
Ludvig Aberg+1400
Collin Morikawa+1600
Jon Rahm+1600
Bryson DeChambeau+2000
Shane Lowry+2500
Tommy Fleetwood+2500
Tyrrell Hatton+2500
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Ryder Cup 2025
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
USA-150
Europe+140
Tie+1200

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Sam Horsfield will take a one-shot lead into the final day of the Hero Open despite leading by six strokes at one stage in the third round of the European Tour’s latest stop in England. ”My caddie just said to me coming off the 18th green, ‘If someone would have said to you on Thursday you can have a one shot lead going into Sunday, you would take it,”’ Horsfield told europeantour.com. Like Horsfield, Farr is also searching for a first European Tour win and he was hopeful his three victories on the second-tier Challenge Tour would hold him in good stead after a 5-under 67.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. — Tiger Woods walked off the 18th green Friday with a big smile, and who can blame him? A 4-under 68 moved him into weekend contention at the Masters, as he flashed the fiery Tiger of old during a back-nine run. He’ll enter the weekend tied for sixth and in terrific shape to make a run at his fifth green jacket. A look below at his hole-by-hole on Friday. MORE MASTERS Leaderboard | Tales of Tiger’s equipment | Rd. 1 recap: Is 70 a magical number? Tiger hole-by-hole ROUND 2 STATS: 7 of 14 fairways hit, 16 of 18 greens in regulation, 30 putts (1 3-putt) 18 (par 4, 465 yards): His 297-yard tee shot is properly placed, and his approach from 160 yards finishes 14 feet from the pin. But his birdie attempt loses steam drifts to the right, as he finishes with a par and a second-round score of 4-under 68 that leaves him tied for sixth. (Overall: 6 under) 17 (par 4, 440 yards): A 288-yard drive finds the fairway, leaving 163 yards to the pin. 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The approach from 174 yards away finds the green, but unlike the previous hole, he can’t get his 33-foot birdie putt to drop and settles for a tap-in par. (Overall: 3 under) FRONT 9 STATS: 3 of 7 fairways hit, 7 of 9 greens in regulation, 15 putts (1 3-putt) 9 (par 4, 460 yards): His 305-yard drive splits the fairway, leaving him 165 yards to the pin. From there, he finds the middle of the green, with the pin tucked back left. He reads the 37-foot putt perfectly and gives it plenty of speed, the ball falling into the bottom of the cup. It’s the second consecutive day he’s finished off his front nine with a birdie. (Overall: 3 under) 8 (par 5, 570 yards): For the second time in three swings of the driver, Tiger finds the fairway bunker. Just like it did at the fifth hole, it forced him to just hit out ono the fairway, leaving him a third shot of 151 yards. He found the green, 38 feet from the pin, but from there, he three-putted, missing a par putt from 8 feet. The bogey is the 10th he has suffered at the eighth in 84 career rounds at the Masters. (Overall: 2 under) 7 (par 4, 450 yards): Tiger’s 312-yard drive settles along the right edge of the fairway. His approach from 135 yards finds the green, pin-high, about 21 feet away. Two putts for par. (Overall: 3 under) 6 (par 3, 180 yards): His 8-iron finds back middle of the green and tries to move toward the pin. He’ll have a 20-foot birdie putt. With a perfect read — at least 4 feet of break — he drains his second birdie putt at a par 3 in this round and is now tied for 13th. (Overall: 3 under) 5 (par 4, 495 yards): His 296-yard tee shot does the one thing you want to avoid doing at the fifth — find the fairway bunker. His ball is in the first of the two deep bunkers, and forces him to lay up, 76 yards from the pin and near the crosswalk. His third travels past the pin, finishing 16 feet away. His par putt just misses left and he taps in for a bogey that was set up by the poor drive. (Overall: 2 under) 4 (par 3, 240 yards): His tee shot tracks the pin the entire way, finding the top slope where the pin is located, leaving him a 7-foot birdie putt. It falls in for his first birdie of the day and moves him into a tie for 10th. (Overall: 3 under) 3 (par 4, 350 yards): Terrific 308-yard drive leaves him just 34 yards to the pin. His pitch shot to the front right pin starts rolling away from the hole, leaving him 16 feet away. His birdie attempts dies to the right, and he taps in for par. (Overall: 2 under) 2 (par 5, 575 yards): Stays in the fairway this time, his 324-yard drive leaving him 249 yards from the pin and on a flat part of the fairway. Takes a step forward after his follow through on his second shot, as his ball finishes in the right greenside bunker. He blasts out 17 feet beyond the pin — about 1 foot too far to catch the slope and slide back to the hole. Had to be careful with his downhill birdie attempt, and he does well to leave himself a 5-footer to save par. (Overall: 2 under) 1 (par 4, 445 yards): Not a great start, as Tiger’s 292-yard tee shot drifts left into the trees, settling in the pine needles. He found an opening with his approach from 152 yards and it trickles just next to the green. His uphill putt comes up 8 feet short, bu)t he buries the par saver. Should be a confidence booster after he missed a few short putts on Thursday. (Overall: 2 under) Pre-round notes BACKING UP 70. Tiger Woods has opened with a 2-under 70 on five previous occasions at the Masters. The first three times, he followed with a round in the 60s — and eventually went on to win (1997, 2001, 2002). In 2009, he followed his 70 with a 72 en route to a T-6 result, while in 2013, he shot 73 after his opening 70 and finished T-4. LATE TEE TIME. There are 29 threesomes teeing off Friday, and Woods is in the 28th group with Jon Rahm and HaoTong Li at 1:49 p.m. ET. In Thursday’s first round, 18-hole leaders Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka both played late and had favorable scoring conditions along the back nine. Woods is hoping to have a similar advantage Friday provided the wind dies.  “Sometimes what happens is you get that lull in the evening, the guys that go off real late, winds start dying down and you get probably a good six, seven holes where the wind is pretty benign,” Woods said. GOLF CHANNEL REVIEWS. Here’s what the experts were saying after Tiger’s opening 70: “I saw a golf swing that was patient. It was rhythmic. When he gets that extra length and time for transition, he seems to swing and play better.â€� — David Duval “The rhythm never changed from 1 to 18. Which is something he’s worked extremely hard on. He was in control of his round.â€� — Frank Nobilo “The guys at the top are hitting on all cylinders. He’s fully confident with his golf swing. It’s just a matter of whether or not he can capitalize on the greens. Because whoever is going to win this tournament is going to have the week of their life on the greens. And thus far he struggled quite a bit today.â€� — Brandel Chamblee

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Sleeper Picks: Butterfield Bermuda ChampionshipSleeper Picks: Butterfield Bermuda Championship

Austin Cook (+10000 to win) … Golf. You just never, ever, ever, ever know. After enduring a dreadful 2021 that included 17 missed cuts, including 11 in a row at one point, he settled for 136th in the FedExCup. And even that was possible because a playoff loss at the Shriners last fall served as approximately 64 percent of his season total in points. A T15 at the Barracuda Championship in August was a glimmer, but it wasn’t until a seemingly pedestrian T32-MC-T11 in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals that translated into real success and fully exempt status on the PGA TOUR once again this season. Although splashing at 42nd in the pecking order of his category, he’s already on the board with a T11 at the Fortinet Championship and a solo 67th at the Sanderson Farms Championship, so he’s poised to climb into the top 10 when the first reorder occurs at the conclusion of The RSM Classic, which he won four years ago. Adam Svensson (+8000 to win) … When I signed off on my comment beside him at No. 137 in the full-membership fantasy ranking, I had revised “reinvented” to “refined” as a description of his evolution as a professional golfer. In his only previous spin on the PGA TOUR in 2018-19, the Canadian was among the top 25 in numerous measurements of ability from tee to green, but as it often is with fresh faces, poor putting relegated him to the Korn Ferry Tour. Suffice it to say that he doesn’t belong there, either. With two wins among eight top 10s, he’s back in the big leagues. To the message of what’s better, he slotted 36th on the KFT in putts per GIR during its two-year season, but he still checked in at sixth in accuracy off the tee and 11th in GIR. The ball-striking captured my attention for Port Royal, but the improved putting qualified him for this prop. Cameron Percy (+8000 to win) … This already is his second appearance as a Sleeper this season, and that’s OK. He lined up here for the Fortinet Championship and finished T64. He needed better to fulfill the terms of a Minor Medical Extension but the 47-year-old Aussie is set with conditional status for the remainder of this season. Sometimes, the absence of that hovering is addition by subtraction, but he’d look good in the vacuum of these variables, anyway. He’s cashed in eight consecutive PGA TOUR starts and he’s 2-for-2 at Port Royal where the wind likely connects with the muscle memory of his formative years Down Under. He also led the TOUR in 2020-21 in greens in regulation and finished T7 in proximity to the hole. Beau Hossler (+8000 to win) … After opening last season with five straight paydays in the fall, he went cold until June but four top 25s still left him on the outside looking into the FedExCup Playoffs and ultimately conditional status this season. Still just 26 years of age, he can get over on the learning curve as if he never sputtered. Perhaps a season-opening T16 at the Fortinet Championship served as a combination of a devil-may-care approach and relatively recent form, but it projects to continue at Port Royal where he’s finished a respective T24 and T26, the latter including a second-round 68 on a day when the field averaged 73.64. He split only four (of 14) fairways and hit nine greens in regulation that day, but this patented putter delivered as he needed it just 22 times on the greens. Mark Hubbard (+5000 to win) … Second appearance for the 32-year-old. He finished T41 in the inaugural edition but sat T20 entering the final round. After what was a career campaign in 2019-20, he backpedaled into more familiar territory well outside the top 125 in the FedExCup last season, but he ranked 19th in fairways hit, T52 in Strokes Gained: Putting and T4 in par-3 scoring. Of course, it now means that with conditional status, he has nothing to lose and everything to gain. He’s also picked up the pace in recent months with 13 cuts made in his last 16 starts on two tours. All four top 20s baked in that stretch were on the PGA TOUR, including a T16 at Silverado last month. Odds were sourced on Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. For live odds, visit betmgm.

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