The Masters by numbers: 14 Masters trends

The Masters by numbers: 14 Masters trends

By Michael Gales Apr 7, 2014

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Bettors aiming to make a profit at the 2014 Masters should read these 14 Masters golf betting trends to give you an insight into the numbers for the previous 77 tournaments.

1 – Anchor Putter

Last year Adam Scott became the first player to win the Masters using a belly or broom-handle putter. Interestingly, four of the last nine major champions have used a belly putter – Keegan Bradley 45.800*, Webb Simpson 85.500* and Ernie Els 154.810*.

1 – Don’t expect a rookie to win

Only one rookie has ever won the Masters – Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979. The American beat the odds in 1979, and despite Australian Jason Day finishing 2nd in 2011, it appears that course knowledge has a pivotal bearing on performance at Augusta. Pinnacle Sports’ odds suggest the likes of Stephen Gallacher 243.850*, Victor Dubuisson 112.220* and Joost Luiten 267.260* will struggle to break the trend on their debuts.

3 – Tough to defend title

Only Jack Nicklaus (1965, 1966), Tiger Woods (2001, 2002) and Nick Faldo (1989,1990) have defended their Masters title the following year since 1934. This highlights the difficulty Adam Scott 12.020* will face when he begins his defence.

4 – Tough task from the front

Just four champions – Craig Wood (1941), Arnold Palmer (1960), Jack Nicklaus (1972) and Ray Floyd (1976) – have led for all four rounds of the Masters.

5 – Beware the watery graves

Five holes – 11, 12, 13, 15 & 16 – on Augusta’s back nine have water waiting to trap an errant shot. Many Masters hopefuls have met a watery end during the 77 years of action at Augusta. (13) was the score carded by Tom Weiskopf on the par-3 12th hole in the 1980 Masters.

7 – Consider the Left-handers

Left-handers have won only eight major tournaments. However, they have won five of the last 11 green jackets. Could Phil Mickelson 14.380* or Bubba Watson 26.630* claim another major win?

12 – Biggest winning margin

Twelve was the biggest winning margin set by Tiger Woods when he won his first Masters back in 1997. Woods’ four-day score is also a record at 270. With Woods not competing this year, could anyone dominate like Tiger in 1997?

14 – Make the cut 12 months earlier

Every Masters winner since 2000 has made the cut in the year immediately preceding their victory – while 78% of winners have been inside the top 30 12 months earlier. 2011 winner Charl Schwartzel 36.020*, 2013 US Open winner Justin Rose and Matt Kuchar 21.870* were all inside the top 30 at the 2013 Masters.

15 – Settled by a playoff

The Masters has gone to a playoff on 15 occasions. The last two Masters have been decide by a playoff – Scott beating Angel Cabrera 61.500* last year, while Bubba Watson beat Louis Oosthuizen 57.300* in 2012.

16 – Can a European break the duck

No European has won the Masters since Jose-Maria Olazabal 15 years ago. Will it be 16 years without a European green jacket winner? Rory McIlroy goes in as the 9.360* favourite, while an in-form Sergio Garcia is at 23.930*.

24 – Hole in one

There have been 24 hole-in-ones recorded at the Masters. Interestingly 15 of these have come at hole 16, a par 3 of 170 yards. Last year Jamie Donaldson 144.360* became only the fifth player to achieve the feat on hole six in the event’s 77-year history.

Interested in how bettors and bookmakers underweight rare events? Click here to read about the infamous Hole In One Gang who in 1991 made a tidy profit from taking advantage of ill informed bookmakers on the probability of a hole in one at a tournament.

25-39 – Age trend

Every Masters winner this century was aged between 25 and 39, with those in their 30′s enjoying the most success – Adam Scott was 32 last year. That range covers most of the leading candidates, but notably not Rory McIlroy or Mickelson.

46 – Over the hill at 40

At the tender age of 46, Jack Nicklaus became the oldest winner of the Masters in 1986 – no one this century has won the masters in their 40′s.

63 & 75 – One round doesn’t win or ruin your chances

63 is the joint Augusta course round record set by Nick Price in 1986 and Greg Norman in 1996 – but neither man went on to win. 75 is the highest first-round score of an eventual winner, when Craig Stadler carded it in 1982. Read here how golfers can be affected by luck and regression during golf tournaments.

Click here for the latest 2014 Masters Outrights odds.

*Odds subject to change

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