The Masters is a truly special tournament. It is the only one of the golf majors to be played at the same venue each year- Augusta National- and has some of the most wonderful golfing holes in history.
The 2014 edition promises to be to one of the most open in recent years. With Tiger Woods out injured and Phil Mickelson struggling with injury too, then it is an extremely tough one to call. Rory McIlroy has been installed as favourite, though last years winner Adam Scott is also the man backed to win by some bookmakers.
Here are four men who I think could win you some money this week.
Main Bet: Matt Kuchar (Best Odds 25/1)
I tipped the American last year as one of my bets and he looked good for a while before never getting going on the final day to slip down to a tie for eighth.
However, I believe Kuchar is now primed to win a long overdue first major championship. Tied for eighth is not to be sniffed at and in 2012 at the Masters, he enjoyed a tremendous result in tied third.
He should have won the Shell Houston Open on Sunday to collect his seventh PGA Tour victory, but he was edged out by Matt Jones in a play-off. Kuchar would have obviously been disappointed, but I breathed a sigh of relief. Players who win the week before Augusta notoriously struggle to continue that form (Mickelson was a rare exception in 2006) so now I'm tipping Kuchar to slip into the green jacket this week.
He's a man in form with five top 10's in his last nine starts including consecutive top five's in the last two weeks in Texas. Blessed with great iron play, he's now got the mental toughness to get over the line.
Worth Some of Your Hard Earned Cash
Dustin Johnson (Best Odds 28/1)
The big hitting American might have pulled out of the Shell Houston Open last week after shooting a first round 80 citing back pain, but he should have had enough time to prepare for the Masters and there is an old cliche in golf- beware the injured golfer.
Like Kuchar, Johnson is long overdue a first Major win. He led the US Open in 2010 by three shots going into the final round at Pebble Beach before blowing up with an 82 to finish tied 8th. He was then desperately unlucky not to make it into the play-off at the PGA Championship that same year when he was given a two shot penalty for appearing to ground his club in a bunker.
And he remained in contention at the 2011 Open Championship until a drive went out of bounds at the 14th but he clung on to finish in a tie for second. His record at Augusta doesn't exactly jump out (his 13th placed finish last year is his best to date) but there are a lot of things in Johnson's favour.
He is currently 2nd in the driving distance stats on the PGA Tour for 2014 averaging 310 yards, is 3rd in greens in regulation stats hitting 72% of them and is first in scoring averages at par fives. Hitting it long round Augusta is a huge advantage and when Johnson goes on a hot streak with the putter, he can be very difficult to stop.
Zach Johnson (Best Odds: 35/1)
The 2007 champion is well worth an each way bet at this years edition. He had a superb start to the season winning the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in January and he has enjoyed three top ten finishes since, including at last weeks Texas Open.
Since winning seven years ago, he has only finished in the top twenty once but with a good amount of rainfall having landed on the fairways of Augusta, he should fancy his chances this week.
He is in the top dozen of the PGA Tour stats when it comes to driving accuracy, greens in regulation and scrambling and is also averaging 69 this season every time he tees it up.
If he can summon the spirit of 2007, he will contend come Sunday.
Outside Bet
Angel Cabrera (Best Odds 66/1)
Forget the fact that the Argentinian is missing cut after cut this season. This is Cabrera and Augusta. There's something about the course in Georgia that the 44 year old just loves.
He won it in 2009 and was only denied last year in a play-off by Adam Scott. Add in a seventh place in 2011 and further top tens in 2001, 2002 and 2006 then he represents incredible value this week.
Experience is also vital round Augusta and Cabrera first played in the tournament way back in 2000. Add in his 2007 US Open win and you begin to realise that he has what it takes to get over the line in a Major.
And whilst he might be completely out of form, he's still averaging a whopping 305 yards off the tee.
As always, I'll be glued to the television from Thursday onwards as the world's best golfers battle it out for the first Major of the year. I hope my luck is in!
*All odds supplied at Oddschecker.com and are correct at the time of writing*
