Woods a heavy favorite to win Masters Tournament – April 7, 2009
Tiger Woods is back where he left off – as a heavy favorite in one of PGA Golf’s Major tournaments.
The 2009 Masters Tournament gets underway at Augusta National Golf Club Thursday with the World’s No. 1-ranked golfer as a +150 favorite in betED.com PGA Golf Betting Odds.
Woods’ nemesis, Phil Mickelson, is the next closest – and he’s way back at +650 odds.
Rounding out the top five are Geoff Ogilvy at +1200, Padraig Harrington at +1300, and Retief Goosen at +1500.
Golf betting fans can also wager on matchups at betED.com. Woods is a -280 favorite against Mickelson (+200).
Four-time Masters champion Woods will be in the next-to-last group in the first round of the 73rd Masters.
Woods was the runner-up last year to winner Trevor Immelman and hasn’t captured the coveted Green Jacket since 2005. Mickelson has won the Masters twice, the last time in 2006.
Playing with Woods for the first two rounds of this year’s first major championship will be Stewart Cink and Jeev Milka Singh. The trio will tee it up at 1:52 pm ET Thursday and will start Friday’s second round at 10:45 am ET.
Mickelson has the 10:45 am ET tee time on Thursday and the 1:52 pm ET start time on Friday. He will play with Camilo Villegas and Jim Furyk.
This year’s field is comprised of 96 players with 32 threesomes.
Immelman, who beat Woods by three shots last year for his first major title, will play in the group prior to Woods on Thursday and Friday. He will play with Adam Scott and U.S. Amateur champion Danny Lee.
Gary Player, a three-time Masters champ in his 52nd and final competitive appearance at Augusta, is in a threesome with Luke Donald and Stephen Ames.
Harrington, who will be trying for his third consecutive major title on the heels of last year’s British Open and PGA Championship victories, opens play on Thursday at 10:34 am ET with 2003 Masters champ Mike Weir and Ryuji Imada.
