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SPORTS BETTING
Golf

Masters: PGA Head-to-Head Golfer Best Picks and Bets

Joe Williams
Sportsbook Wire

The first major of the 2019 PGA Tour season is upon us, and it's a fan (and bettor) favorite at Augusta National with the Masters Tournament.

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook and Bet365.com; for a full-set of today's sport odds, access them at USA TODAY Sports.

Bet365.com: Head-to-Head Golfer Matchups (full tournament)

Rickie Fowler (-143) over Jordan Spieth (+115)

Apr 7, 2019; San Antonio, TX, USA; Rickie Fowler watches his drive on on the second hole during the final round of the Valero Texas Open golf tournament at TPC San Antonio - AT & T Oaks Course. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Spieth was fitted for a green jacket in 2015, and he was a runner-up both in 2014 and 2016. However, he just hasn't been himself lately. He has missed three cuts in his past eight events, and he hasn't finished higher than 30th this season. Fowler is humming along with four top-5 finishes, including a win at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, and he is 9-for-9 on cuts in 2019. The fan favorite was also all-so-close as a runner-up at Augusta National last spring.

Phil Mickelson (-110) over Marc Leishman (-110)

Stephen Spillman-USA TODAY Sports

In an even-money bet, you have to love FIGJAM over the Aussie Leishman at Augusta National. Both are coming off missed cuts at THE PLAYERS Championship, the unofficial fifth major, so there are concerns with each. However, Lefty seems to step up when the spotlight is brightest, and he does have a win at Pebble Beach in his pocket already this season, while finishing runner-up at the Desert Classic. In addition, Mickelson has three green jackets (2004, 2006 and 2010) hanging in his closet, and he was runner-up in a bid for a fourth in 2015.

Xander Schauffele (-110) over Tony Finau (-110)

I love Finau on courses which require a big bomber off the tee. But the Masters calls for good length, as well as accuracy and finesse. That's definitely not Finau's game. Schauffele is terribly underrated, and many casual fans might have missed his wins at the WGC-HSBC Champions at Sheshan Int'l in late October, as well as his win on the Plantation Course at Sentry TOC in Hawai'i. Prior to his missed cut at THE PLAYERS at TPC Sawgrass, he had six finishes of 15th or better in seven events.

ALSO SEE

FanDuel Sportsbook: 3-Ball Matchups (first round)

Perhaps 3-Ball is your jam, and we have Round 1 winners for you. You need to select the golfer with the lowest first-round score in a trio.

Tyrrell Hatton (+260) over Francesco Molinari (-115), Rafa Cabrera Bello (+260)

Get away from the chalk here, as Molinari is a closer, and a slow starter. The same applies to Bello. Molinari ranks 195th in Round 1 Scoring Average (72.20), while Bello is 137th on TOUR (71.11). Hatton is a very impressive 45th (70.00), as his problems usually come in Round 2, where he averages a dismal 213th (73.63).

Keith Mitchell (-150) over Kevin Tway (+160), Ian Woosnam (+1200)

It's basically a two-horse race between Mitchell and the heavy-hitter Tway, as the Champions Tour full-timer Woosnam shouldn't be a threat. Mitchell has a pair of top-10 showings in his past three events, including a win at The Honda Classic. He is also averaging 69.8 over his past five first rounds.

Follow Joe on Twitter @ JoeWilliamsVI

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