Can Tiger Woods Win in Augusta?

I remember a time around six years ago where you could not get odds against for any bet on Tiger Woods winning a tournament and you usually had a “without Woods” outright betting market for Golf tournaments. How times have changed for sports betting, and how times have changed for Tiger Woods. For so long Woods was the perfect sportsman. He was talented, a good role model, rich and a pioneer of sport in general. That was until recently, when everything unravelled for him in spectacular circumstances.

So are we to be disappointed or relieved that it turns out he is as flawed as the rest of us? Are we to be disappointed that this multi-millionaire so many times over used his position in the world of sport to have affairs with lots of beautiful woman whilst married? Nothing has changed regarding Tiger Wood’s golf, but certainly the view of the man from the world as a person has changed.

Tiger is still as talented as he was remaining the biggest star of Golf and some would argue a more convincing man as his flaws have been laid bare. Carrying these secrets around with him in his life could not have been easy and perhaps this was why his exterior was so hard, there was just so much emotional turmoil going on that any kind of emotional release was impossible. Perhaps letting everything go in such a traumatic way will be the catalyst to simply playing golf without distractions and letting his devastating talent do the talking, starting with Augusta and the US Masters this week. That is a scary proposition for the rest of the players.

Can he win it? The golf odds from bwin place him as 4/1 favourite for the tournament. Tiger Woods’ odds for winning a golf tournament, particularly a major one, are always skewed because of the amazing interest in him and bookmakers like bwin cannot afford to offer long odds or they are over-exposed by a deluge of bets. It is a testament to the betting public’s belief in his game that even with a potential marriage breakdown, public and private life humiliation on a global scale and an extended break from competitive golf he is still the favourite to win the tournament in most people’s eyes.

Tiger Woods was criticised by fellow professionals for making this major tournament where he makes his comeback but winning a major is probably all that drives him now in Golfing terms. Why would he make his comeback on a tour event that means nothing to him? He knows it would be impossible to slip back into playing without anyone noticing. He wanted to meet the publicity furore head-on and it is a big statement to make a high profile return. That said I would not back him to win this week. He always plays to win but he will want to rediscover his form rather and see what happens. I think a better bet is to back the breakthrough tournament for Rory McIlroy at 40/1 or the ever reliable Padraig Harrington at 16/1.

It is great that Tiger is back playing golf and great that rival Phil Mickleson is also playing after caring for his wife who has cancer. You can never write Tiger Woods off and it would be just like him to win this event despite everything that he has gone through in the last few months. Regardless of your feelings towards him and whoever you bet on you must concede that millions of fans are tuning into the tournament simply because he is playing in it.

Enjoy the golf betting action.

By Malcolm Clarke