Opinion & Analysis

Should Augusta National lengthen the 13th hole, or leave it alone?

Published

6 years ago

Apr 4, 2018

It’s perhaps the most iconic par 5 in all of championship golf. It’s short and deceptively simple by professional standards, yet it remains the epitome of “risk/reward” golf due to the sharp dogleg to the left around Rae’s Creek (Jeff Maggert once made a 2, Tommy Nakajima once made a 13). Even casual Masters viewers know we’re talking about Azalea, the 13th hole at Augusta National. It is the first of two “must-birdie” holes on the back nine at the Masters. It is perhaps the most beautiful hole in golf, and one that has caused as much heartache as joy over the years as any.

But as mentioned, at only 510 yards, it is short… very short by modern professional standards; even shorter than some championship par 4s. Bubba hit a wedge in there a few years ago, and every player in the field can reach it easy in two with their average drive. Or, if you’re Phil, you can hit a 6 iron from the pine straw and knock it stiff en route to victory. But if you miss, the infamous “tributary” of Rae’s Creek awaits your slightest error.

The problem now is it seems that after even marginal drives and from not-the-best-lies can reach the green in two. So the Augusta National is thinking about making the hole longer. At Augusta, that is like saying they are GOING TO make the hole longer. Recently purchased property adjacent to that part of the course allows them to do it, too.

So our question for GolfWRX viewers is this: Good idea or bad idea?

On the good side: “it needs to be longer to keep up with the modern equipment and golf ball.”
On the bad side: “why mess with perfection and history? It is fine (exciting) the way it is.”

Before you weigh in, a point to consider: forget any bifurcation arguments, the Augusta National is just not going to butt heads with the USGA in creating a “Masters” ball. So let’s assume the equipment stays as is. In my opinion, here are a few possibilities:

Make the penalty for going over the trees (the Bubba Route, but who knows how many more might soon consider it) more severe; perhaps OB?
Add a little length to force them to use driver. Many of them now use three woods to turn it easier like they do on No. 10.
Leave it alone. It’s the best short par-5 in major championship golf!

Do you think Augusta should lengthen the par-5 13th, or leave it alone? And why?

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Dennis Clark

Dennis Clark is a PGA Master Professional. Clark has taught the game of golf for more than 30 years to golfers all across the country, and is recognized as one of the leading teachers in the country by all the major golf publications. He is also is a seven-time PGA award winner who has earned the following distinctions: -- Teacher of the Year, Philadelphia Section PGA -- Teacher of the Year, Golfers Journal -- Top Teacher in Pennsylvania, Golf Magazine -- Top Teacher in Mid Atlantic Region, Golf Digest -- Earned PGA Advanced Specialty certification in Teaching/Coaching Golf -- Achieved Master Professional Status (held by less than 2 percent of PGA members) -- PGA Merchandiser of the Year, Tri State Section PGA -- Golf Professional of the Year, Tri State Section PGA -- Presidents Plaque Award for Promotion and Growth of the Game of Golf -- Junior Golf Leader, Tri State section PGA -- Served on Tri State PGA Board of Directors. Clark is also former Director of Golf and Instruction at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. Dennis now teaches at Bobby Clampett's Impact Zone Golf Indoor Performance Center in Naples, FL. .

43 Comments

Mat

Apr 6, 2018 at 8:04 am

It’s just “par”. Last I checked, these guys aren’t counting Stableford off of 14 caps. If you must, just call it a Par 4 and move on.

Reply Report comment
kourt

Apr 5, 2018 at 6:35 pm

I say leave it alone. Its not like one hole is ruining the tournament. Who cares if people are making birdies there. The rest of the course is punishing enough. The trees you got to carry will continue to grow which will make cutting the corner even more difficult. After battling amen corner Its nice to have a few holes where the guys can play aggressive and make a big push for birdie and eagle. I mean 15 is fairly easy, sergio eagled it last year in the final round, and this year made 13!

Reply Report comment
Don O

Apr 5, 2018 at 12:41 am

The “point” of lengthening the hole is to make it harder for the bombers. Well, it will just separate the shorter players even more. If DJ is using a GW and KJ is using a 8I, but then DJ is using a 9I and now KJ is now using a 6I. How hard is it to control a 6I onto a tight spot? It’s not how far but how accurate should make a difference. Set up the courses tighter, put more penalty on drivers over 3 hundred. Move bunkers to match the length. Bunkers at 285 are a joke. DJ will fly, the average pro will be hurt more. This time, Jack is wrong. Look at Erin Hills at 7800. It just took the shorter guys out of the equation. Put deep bunkers where they cut the corner. or add a stand of trees on 13. How well did Tiger-proofing the course work out? He did and can still win because he is still longer than Charlie Hoffman and Pat Perez.

Reply Report comment
BD57

Apr 4, 2018 at 9:36 pm

Rather than simply “Lengthen it,” why not move the tee 10 -15 yards further to the let of where it is now (and, perhaps, add 10-15 yards)?

I looked on Google Earth – it looks like they have the land available to make it work, separate from the land purchased from Augusta Country Club (with the ACC land, they should have land to go left & add length).

Going left would put more stress on the tee shot, especially if they add 10-15 yards to the carry distance required to go over the top, without completely changing the nature of the hole.

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John Kerry

Apr 4, 2018 at 6:39 pm

Do what some including Augusta is thinking/suggesting and that is change rhe ball. Get over your male ego and 400 yrd drives. You will make several golf courses because they can’t afford length. This prime example of the 13th hole of Augusta, was meant to have a drive and a 2nd shot the player had to decide…go or lay up…..NOT a wedge onto the green. You can’t keep lengthening courses…it has to stop and now is as good a time as any.

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David Owen

Apr 4, 2018 at 6:30 pm

Leave it alone….lengthening it only makes it harder for the shorter hitters…the bombers won’t care

Reply Report comment
Tom54

Apr 4, 2018 at 5:42 pm

I believe if they have purchased land for a new tee then it is a done deal. If they do make a new tee hopefully it can be adjusted to see how it plays. If 15-20 yds longer makes it still reachable then fine. As long as they have it where a well placed drive affords the chance to go for it in too then please always let it play that way. The back nine roars for eagles at 13&15 are what makes the Masters exciting. As long as they still keep them that way then the Masters will have not messed with perfection

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Dennis Clark

Apr 4, 2018 at 4:32 pm

When we talk about longer, we are actually doing it because of the athlete, not the equipment, right? The ball and club have not changed in a while now as Greg said. What has improved is the athlete and optimized launch conditions. In that case if they add 30/40 yards, should we change the hoop in b-ball to 11 feet?

Reply Report comment
- Greg V
  
  Apr 5, 2018 at 9:12 am
  
  The problem with the distance and its effect on this hole goes back to the change in equipment from 1993 to 2003. It has taken from 2003 to now to recognize that there is a problem.
  
  I am happy that Fred Ridley has addressed the issue.
  
  They do one of two things – address the equipment or length of the holes to address the problem, or agree to play on what have become “executive length” courses.
  
  Reply Report comment
Man

Apr 4, 2018 at 4:18 pm

Just narrow the angle on the right by raising the rough and make it almost a hack-out,
and then shave the left side completely and slick it up by cutting away the rough completely so that any any errant balls to the left will spill the ball into the creek.
Everybody knows there’s hardly any rough on the whole course.

Reply Report comment
Sean

Apr 4, 2018 at 3:56 pm

Make it OB and longer – but get Ben Crenshaw to shape it in such a way that it retains its flavor.

Reply Report comment
Greg V

Apr 4, 2018 at 3:55 pm

Fred Ridley quoted Bobby Jones today. Jones said that the decision to go for the green in two on 13 should be a “momentous decision.” Ridley added that the decision these days is hardly momentous.

You can expect a lengthening of 13 to start in about 2 weeks.

Reply Report comment
Gumbo

Apr 4, 2018 at 3:27 pm

Don’t touch it

Reply Report comment
mark

Apr 4, 2018 at 2:42 pm

Shorten it a little, and turn it into a Par 4, it’s the approach shot, and location of the pin, that will create the birdies. With today’s technology, and the strength (swing speed) of most players, it really is not a Par 5 hole. If you shorten the tee box, everyone can still get to the corner, and hit the green it 2. On most courses, to make a Par 5 difficult for everyone, you need to place hazards at the 310-340 yd landing area, then it becomes position, shot making, risk-reward, for all players, long and short.

Reply Report comment
- Jeff
  
  Apr 4, 2018 at 3:05 pm
  
  Does Par matter? It’s a number, whoever shots the lowest number wins
  
  Reply Report comment
  - golfbum
    
    Apr 4, 2018 at 3:37 pm
    
    I agree with this! Worse thing in golf is to compare your game to a arbitrary number on a scorecard. I play a course in the SF Bay Area that is a Robert Trent Jones design and is par 63. From the tips you use every club in your bag.
    
    At 13 it is not whether you make EAGLE or BIRDIE that wins the Masters, but whether you can make 3 or 4….but EAGLE or BIRDIE sounds better or perhaps in this case sounds worse.
    
    Now, if you wan to make longer? Then stretch it out so that no player can hit the green in two shots. Therefore, making the strategy for a third shot a more important decision. With that the 4th shot is where the crowd will really roar!
    
    Low score wins the Masters. Leave the course alone. Everything about the Masters is elegant: no player has ever said that Augusta National is too easy.
    
    Reply Report comment
Greg

Apr 4, 2018 at 2:15 pm

On the good side: “it needs to be longer to keep up with the modern equipment and golf ball.”

You guys have been telling me for weeks there is no issues with the modern ball and equipment, but you just put it in print! That’s funny

Reply Report comment
dr. freud

Apr 4, 2018 at 2:01 pm

Azalea, she has a short hole… (ø)

Reply Report comment
Hawkeye77

Apr 4, 2018 at 1:33 pm

Of course, lengthen it and I’m sure they can figure out how to do that and preserve the integrity of the hole and still have reasonable risk/reward.

Reply Report comment
Art Williams

Apr 4, 2018 at 1:15 pm

They bought the land so go ahead and lengthen it. This should bring it back to shot values of years ago for most of the field.

Reply Report comment
Soonerslim

Apr 4, 2018 at 1:11 pm

Leave it alone. It’s time that these club designers stop lengthening golf holes because of the inflated ball and technology. The 13th is an iconic risk/reward hole. Lengthening it will cause a lot more golfers to lay up and not take that risk for a potential eagle. This hole has always been very pivot-able in the Master’s winner outcome. This hole has wound up penalizing a lot more golfers than it has ever rewarded. Leave it alone!
J

Reply Report comment
Dennis clark

Apr 4, 2018 at 1:08 pm

Just don’t make it a par 3…I Don’t want to see so much length added that it takes the exciting risk out of it.

Reply Report comment
Bob Sarvis

Apr 4, 2018 at 1:05 pm

Add 15-20 yards and lower the tee box which will make the trees on the left “play” taller. Adding length to the tee box will allow the hole to be lengthened or shortened daily depending on the conditions.

Reply Report comment
Ronald Montesano

Apr 4, 2018 at 1:02 pm

Lengthen it. The sharp dogleg was part of the original design, and it should come into play. The landing area for the distance freaks is conducive to taking the risk. Get the drives back into the layUP/go? area for more drama.

Reply Report comment
Artie

Apr 4, 2018 at 12:52 pm

Add 20-30 yards so a longer, more adventuresome 2nd shot by adding 2 clubs off the uneven lie. But still make it play that most to go for it vs just a boring layup.

Reply Report comment
Deacon Blues

Apr 4, 2018 at 12:50 pm

Now that they’ve bought the adjoining land from the Augusta Country Club, I think it’s obvious that they will move the tee back and make the 13th hole longer. They can also make the green smaller (while maintaining the difficulty of its contours), making it a more challenging target.

Reply Report comment
AB

Apr 4, 2018 at 12:44 pm

lower the tee box

Reply Report comment
tom Horonzy

Apr 4, 2018 at 12:37 pm

Is everyone missing the most obvious change should be to make it a Par 4?
Or a novel idea would be to play the tees as they are as a Par 5 Thursday and Friday but once the cut is determined slash it to a Par 4. Now that would show who has the donuts to play it for the championship under pressure.

Reply Report comment
- Mike
  
  Apr 4, 2018 at 12:55 pm
  
  You don’t play a hole differently due to the par posted on the card….
  
  Reply Report comment
- Buzz
  
  Apr 4, 2018 at 2:04 pm
  
  EXACTLY!! Wouldnt be the only 500 yard par 4 on tour. Leave the damn ball and hole alone. Nicklaus was hitting his driver 300+ and could hit it high/low/left or right. So lets also assume he could FLY his 4-5 iron 200 and get it to stop. OR drastic idea… Make every hole a par 3 on the card and who ever shoots the lowest score after 4 rounds wins. Relation to par has always and will always be irrelevant in tournaments.
  
  Reply Report comment
Duke Keiser

Apr 4, 2018 at 12:35 pm

As even the shorter hitters still have only a 5 iron or less to reach the green, Azalea is no longer the challenging hole it has been in the past. The purchase of the property from ACC should be seen as a clear indication that the decision has been made to lengthen the hole. I must say that I would not have been surprised to see #13 played as a 4 par this year, but perhaps tradition made that consideration a non-starter.

Reply Report comment
Rob

Apr 4, 2018 at 12:26 pm

Penalties for going over the trees?!? This is Golf right? Not some drone? They bought the land so, it will be lengthened. When people are hitting 9, pw into that green it’s time to move the tee box back.

Reply Report comment
Wayne

Apr 4, 2018 at 12:23 pm

With the amount of power the Masters have this is my suggestion? They should make a deflighted ball to be used only at Augusta? This means everyone will use the same ball with the masters logo on it and this will let this coarse survive for years to come? With technology today the great golf coarses of the past are becoming obsolete due to this issue? The cost of golf keeps excalating due to the cost of property to build and the amount of money it cost to maintain our great golf courses? It’s time to make the game enjoyable and realistic to all who want to play the game.? This isn’t the first time this has been brought up but here’s another thought. With all factions of golf getting more expensive and jobs being lost, the only people who will be able to play this game will be the rich. So it’s time the golf industry make this drastic decision to keep this game alive and well into the future!!!

Reply Report comment
- Mike
  
  Apr 4, 2018 at 12:54 pm
  
  Dude, what’s with all the question marks??? lol…. very well spoken but it’s “course” btw…
  
  Reply Report comment
Robert Mummery

Apr 4, 2018 at 12:21 pm

When I took up golf, bunkers were raked with a hay rake which left surfaces corrugated, why are bunker rakes now designed to leave a flat surface?
Secondly, why rather than increase length of holes, create deeper rough, so driving accuracy becomes a consideration?

Reply Report comment
Tiemco

Apr 4, 2018 at 12:17 pm

I would like to see the tee moved back and pushed to the left so that righties will have to hit a draw with the driver and lefty’s will not be able to fade it over the corner. The definition of a par five in my opinion is a hole that requires a long iron or higher into the green. With the length the pros have today this hole plays more like a par four.

Reply Report comment
- Michael
  
  Apr 4, 2018 at 12:33 pm
  
  So my answer to this question in general would be, where are they going to move the tee box? If you have ever been there, you can see that there is nowhere else to go back. I’d say currently players to have to hit a draw especially if they want that good rollout, but there is not much of a penalty for missing one right. Pitch out and then have an easy wedge into the green.
  
  Reply Report comment
Greg V

Apr 4, 2018 at 12:13 pm

Why did ANGC buy the 10th hole at Augusta Country Club?

Obviously, because they want to lengthen 13. It’s a done deal, all $20M of it.

Should they? OF course they should. At about 540 or 550 it will restore the risk/reward of this iconic par 4.5.

Reply Report comment
David Bloom

Apr 4, 2018 at 12:11 pm

Add the length as they have have some of the other holes in the past.

Reply Report comment
sj

Apr 4, 2018 at 12:10 pm

Make the banks slick again. Anything that spins or rolls off the green is always in the water. I’ve seen plenty of balls held up lately.

Reply Report comment
kevin

Apr 4, 2018 at 11:37 am

Maybe leave the length alone and instead add some subtle “whoop-de whoops” or mounds where they are landing their drivers. That way if they choose to go over trees to a short iron 2nd shot they run high risk of a very awkward stance into green. I cant imagine an awkward stance would be very reassuring into that green. Or have rae’s creek feed a pond where they are landing driver in middle of fairway making it one of those split fairways that wont allow going over trees

Reply Report comment
ogo

Apr 4, 2018 at 11:11 am

Azalea she is quite the short hole… 😮

Reply Report comment
- Scott Freeman
  
  Apr 4, 2018 at 1:24 pm
  
  Option 4: Go back to counting strokes rather than scoring in relation to par.
  
  Reply Report comment

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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 RBC Heritage betting preview: Patrick Cantlay ready to get back inside winner’s circle

Published

22 hours ago

Apr 15, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

Just a two-hour drive from Augusta National, the PGA TOUR heads to Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C. Hilton Head Island is a golfer’s paradise and Harbour Town is one of the most beautiful and scenic courses on the PGA TOUR.

Harbour Town Golf Links is a par-71 that measures 7,121 yards and features Bermuda grass greens. A Pete Dye design, the course is heavily tree lined and features small greens and many dog legs, protecting it from “bomb-and-gauge” type golfers.

The field is loaded this week with 69 golfers with no cut. Last year was quite possibly the best field in RBC Heritage history and the event this week is yet another designated event, meaning there is a $20 million prize pool.

Most of the big names on the PGA Tour will be in attendance this week with the exceptions of Hideki Matsuyama and Viktor Hovland. Additionally, Webb Simpson, Shane Lowry, Gary Woodland and Kevin Kisner have been granted sponsors exemptions.

Past Winners at Harbour Town

2023: Matt Fitzpatrick (-17)
2022: Jordan Spieth (-13)
2021: Stewart Cink (-19)
2020: Webb Simpson (-22)
2019: CT Pan (-12)
2018: Sotoshi Kodaira (-12)
2017: Wesley Bryan (-13)
2016: Branden Grace (-9)
2015: Jim Furyk (-18)

In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value).

Key Stats For Harbour Town

Let’s take a look at key metrics for Harbour Town Golf Links to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their past 24 rounds.

Strokes Gained: Approach

Strokes Gained: Approach is exceedingly important this week. The greens at Harbour Town are about half the size of PGA TOUR average and feature the second-smallest greens on the tour. Typical of a Pete Dye design, golfers will pay the price for missed greens.

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds

Scottie Scheffler (+1.27)
Tom Hoge (+1.27)
Corey Conners (+1.16)
Austin Eckroat (+0.95)
Cameron Young (+0.93)

Good Drive %

The fairways at Harbour Town are tree lined and feature many dog legs. Bombers tend to struggle at the course because it forces layups and doesn’t allow long drivers to overpower it. Accuracy is far more important than power.

Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds

Brice Garnett (88.8%)
Shane Lowry (+87.2%)
Akshay Bhatia (+86.0%)
Si Woo Kim (+85.8%)
Sepp Straka (+85.1%)

Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs

Pete Dye specialists tend to play very well at Harbour Town. Si Woo Kim, Matt Kuchar, Jim Furyk and Webb Simpson are all Pete Dye specialists who have had great success here. It is likely we see some more specialists near the top of the leaderboard this week.

SG: TOT Pete Dye per round over past 36 rounds:

Xander Schauffele (+2.27)
Scottie Scheffler (+2.24)
Ludvig Aberg (+2.11)
Brian Harman (+1.89)
Sungjae Im (+1.58)

4. Strokes Gained: Short Game (Bermuda)

Strokes Gained: Short Game factors in both around the green and putting. With many green-side bunkers and tricky green complexes, both statistics will be important. Past winners — such as Jim Furyk, Wes Bryan and Webb Simpson — highlight how crucial the short game skill set is around Harbour Town.

SG: SG Over Past 24 Rounds

Jordan Spieth (+1.11)
Taylor Moore (+1.02)
Wyndham Clark (+0.98)
Mackenzie Hughes (+0.86)
Andrew Putnam (+0.83)

5. Greens in Regulation %

The recipe for success at Harbour Town Golf Links is hitting fairways and greens. Missing either will prove to be consequential — golfers must be in total control of the ball to win.

Greens in Regulation % over past 24 rounds:

Brice Garnett (+75.0%)
Scottie Scheffler (+69.9%)
Corey Conners (+69.0%)
Shane Lowry (+68.3%)
Patrick Rodgers (+67.6%)

6. Course History

Harbour Town is a course where players who have strong past results at the course always tend to pop up.

Course History over past 24 rounds:

Patrick Cantlay (+2.34)
Cam Davis (+2.05)
J.T. Poston (+1.69)
Justin Rose (+1.68)
Tommy Fleetwood (+1.59)

The RBC Heritage Model Rankings

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (24%), Good Drives (20%), SG: SG (14%), SG: Pete Dye (14%), GIR (14%), and Course History (14%)

Shane Lowry
Russell Henley
Scottie Scheffler
Xander Schauffele
Corey Conners
Wyndham Clark
Christiaan Bezuidenhout
Matt Fitzpatrick
Cameron Young
Ludvig Aberg

2024 RBC Heritage Picks

Patrick Cantlay +2000 (FanDuel)

With the exception of Scottie Scheffler, the PGA Tour has yet to have any of their star players show peak form during the 2024 season. Last week, Patrick Cantlay, who I believe is a top-5 players on the PGA Tour, took one step closer to regaining the form that’s helped him win eight events on Tour since 2017.

Cantlay limped into the Masters in poor form, but figured it out at Augusta National, finishing in a tie for 20th and ranking 17th for the week in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. The former FedEx Cup champion will now head to one of his favorite golf courses in Harbour Town, where he’s had immaculate results over the years. In his six trips to the course, he’s only finished worse than 7th one time. The other finishes include three third places (2017, 2019, 2023) and one runner-up finish (2022). In his past 36 rounds at Harbour Town, Cantlay ranks 1st in Strokes Gained: Total per round at the course by a wide margin (+2.36).

Cantlay is winless since the 2022 BMW Championship, which is far too long for a player of his caliber. With signs pointing to the 32-year-old returning to form, a “signature event” at Harbour Town is just what he needs to get back on the winning track.

Tommy Fleetwood +3000 (FanDuel)

I truly believe Tommy Fleetwood will figure out a way to win on American soil in 2024. It’s certainly been a bugaboo for him throughout his career, but he is simply too talented to go another season without winning a PGA Tour event.

At last week’s Masters Tournament, Fleetwood made a Sunday charge and ended up finishing T3 in the event, which was his best ever finish at The Masters. For the week, the Englishman ranked 8th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 10th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking and 16th in Strokes Gained: Putting.

Harbour Town is a perfect layout for Fleetwood, and he’s had relative success at this Pete Dye design in the past. In his four trips to the course, he’s finished inside of the top 25 three times, with his best finish, T10, coming in 2022. The course is pretty short and can’t be overpowered, which gives an advantage to more accurate players such as Fleetwood. Tommy ranks 8th in the field in Good Drive % and should be able to plot his way along this golf course.

The win is coming for Tommy lad. I believe there’s a chance this treasure of a golf course may be the perfect one for him to finally break through on Tour.

Cameron Young +3300 (FanDuel)

Cameron Young had a solid Masters Tournament last week, which is exactly what I’m looking for in players who I anticipate playing well this week at the RBC Heritage. He finished in a tie for 9th, but never felt the pressure of contending in the event. For the week, Young ranked 6th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 6th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.

Despite being one of the longest players off the tee on the PGA Tour, Young has actually played some really good golf on shorter tracks. He finished T3 at Harbour Town in 2023 and ranks 20th in the field in Good Drive% and 16th in Greens in Regulation in his past 24 rounds. He also has strong finishes at other shorter courses that can take driver out of a players hand such as Copperhead and PGA National.

Young is simply one of the best players on the PGA Tour in 2024, and I strongly believe has what it takes to win a PGA Tour event in the very near future.

Corey Conners +5500 (FanDuel)

Corey Conners has had a disappointing year thus far on the PGA Tour, but absolutely loves Harbour Town.

At last week’s Masters Tournament, the Canadian finished T30 but ranked 20th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach. In his past 24 rounds, Conners ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 3rd in Greens in Regulation % and 24th in Good Drive %.

In Conners’ last four trips to Harbour Town, his worst finish was T31, last season. He finished T4 in 2021, T12 in 2022 and ranks 8th in Strokes Gained: Total at the course over his past 36 rounds.

Conners hasn’t been contending, but his recent finishes have been encouraging as he has finished in the top-25 in each of his past three starts prior to The Masters, including an impressive T13 at The PLAYERS. His recent improvement in ball striking as well as his suitability for Harbour Town makes Conners a high upside bet this week.

Shane Lowry (+7500) (FanDuel)

When these odds were posted after Lowry was announced in the field, I have to admit I was pretty stunned. Despite not offering much win equity on the PGA Tour over the last handful of years, Shane Lowry is still a top caliber player who has the ability to rise to the top of a signature event.

Lowry struggled to score at The Masters last week, but he actually hit the ball really well. The Irishman ranked 1st for Strokes Gained: Approach on the week and 7th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. As usual, it was the putter that let him down, as he ranked 60th in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting.

Harbour Town is most definitely one of Lowry’s favorite courses on the PGA Tour. In his six starts there, he’s finished in the top 10 three times, including third twice. Lowry is sensational at Pete Dye designs and ranks 7th in Strokes Gained: Total in his past 36 rounds on Dye tracks.

Lowry is perfect for Harbour Town. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 5th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 2nd in Good Drive% and 5th in Green in Regulation %. If he figures it out on the greens, Shane could have his first win in America since 2015.

Lucas Glover +12000 (FanDuel)

This is one of my weekly “bet the number” plays as I strongly believe the odds are just too long for a player of Glover’s caliber. The odds have been too long on Glover for a few weeks now, but this is the first event that I can get behind the veteran being able to actually contend at.

Glover is quietly playing good golf and returning to the form he had after the understandable regression after his two massive victories at the end of 2023. He finished T20 at The Masters, which was his best ever finish at Augusta National. For the week, Lucas ranked 18th for Strokes Gained: Approach and 20th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.

Over his past 24 rounds, Glover ranks 9th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th in Good Drive %. Harbour Town is a short course that the 44-year-old will be able to keep up with the top players on Tour off the tee. He’s played the course more than 20 times, with mixed results. His best finishes at Harbour Town include a T7 in 2008, but recently has a finish of T21 in 2020.

Glover has proven he can contend with the stars of the Tour on any given week, and this number is flat out disrespectful.

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19th Hole

Vincenzi: The 6 biggest takeaways from the 2024 Masters

Published

1 day ago

Apr 15, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

The 2024 Masters offered up plenty of excitement throughout the week with Scottie Scheffler delivering when it mattered to live up to his pre-tournament favorite tag. With the year’s opening major now in the books, here are my six biggest takeaways from the 2024 Masters.

Scheffler In a League of His Own

In the most impressive way possible, Scottie Scheffler won the Masters without having his absolute best stuff. For the week, Scottie ranked 19th in Strokes Gained: Approach, which is a category the number player in the world typically dusts the rest of the field in. After a strong approach day on Thursday, the 27-year-old lost strokes to the field on approach on Friday and Saturday, before gaining on Sunday. The iron performance was more than solid, but it was an all-around game that helped Scheffler get it done around Augusta National.

For a year or more, the narrative around Scheffler has been, “With his ball striking, if he can just putt to field average, he’ll be unbeatable.” At Augusta, his ball striking came back down to earth, but his touch around the greens and ability to manage the golf course demonstrated why he is the best player on the planet right now. For the week, Scheffler ranked 1st in the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Green and 24th in Strokes Gained: Putting.

For the time being, there is a major gap between Scottie Scheffler and the second-best player in the world, whoever that may be.

The Future is Now

Ludvig Aberg went into his first back-nine at the Masters with a legitimate shot to win the tournament. When he teed it up on the treacherous 11th hole, he was one behind Scottie Scheffler, who had just stuck one to a few feet on the 9th. By the time he approached his tee shot, which was perfectly striped down the left side of the fairway, he was two behind. Unfortunately, the 24-year-old got too aggressive with his approach at the 11th and found the water, making double bogey. Ludvig rebounded nicely and finished the event in solo second place.

With the Masters now in the rearview, it’s never been more evident that Ludvig Aberg is no longer an “up-and-comer” — he has arrived. The Swede has been an integral part of a winning European Ryder Cup team and has now contended at Augusta National. With a calm demeanor, a picture-perfect swing, and a build and stature that appears as if it was built in a lab, Ludvig Aberg is already amongst the world’s best. I’d be extremely surprised if he wasn’t in the mix at next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla.

Nostalgia Wins

I try to avoid as many cliches as possible, but there’s something about the Masters that brings out the sentimentality in me. Tiger Woods strategically making his way around Augusta National without all of the physical tools that made him arguably the most dominant athlete in the history of sports will always be riveting, regardless of what score he shoots. Woods made it interesting until a tough stretch of holes on Saturday, but he ultimately wore down, shooting 16 over for the week in difficult conditions. It’s remarkable that the 15-time major champion was able to put together a few solid rounds of golf despite barely playing any competitive golf in 2024. As long as Woods tees it up at Augusta, we will all continue to be mesmerized by it.

Verne Lundquist’s 40th and final Masters Tournament was also a must-watch aspect of the event. The iconic voice of Lundquist and his calls throughout the years still give me chills each time I hear them. Verne is an icon of the game and will be missed in future renditions of the Masters.

The Masters also brings another element that is unique to the tournament. Former champions turn back the clock to battle with the golf course again which creates some amazing stories. There are a few that stick out this year and were an absolute pleasure to witness. 61-year-old Vijay Singh made the cut for the first time since 2018 and shot a pretty incredible even-par, 72 on Sunday. 58-year-old José María Olazábal made the cut as well, reminding us why fellow Spaniard Jon Rahm sought his valuable advice prior to his Masters victory in 2022.

Regardless of who wins, the Masters always delivers.

Bryson Moves the Needle

Plenty will disagree with me on this point, but outside of Tiger Woods, and potentially Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, no one moves the needle in golf as much as Bryson DeChambeau. The uniqueness in which Bryson approaches the game has always been fascinating, and if he gets near the top of the leaderboard at any major championship, whether it’s to root for him or against him, people are interested.

It began on Monday with a pretty bizarre story of DeChambeau using 3D-printed irons that got just got cleared for use by the USGA when the week began. It once again felt like a storyline that would only be possible with a character as eccentric as Bryson. He then raced off to a first-round lead in tough conditions, reminding the world of what made him such a great golfer to begin with. He made some mistakes on the weekend, but still finished a career best T6 at The Masters.

Bryson is more than just quirky; he is a former U.S. Amateur Champion and U.S. Open who I believe will contend for more majors in the future. I will continue to root for DeChambeau, but I’m perfectly content with the fact that plenty will root against him, and I encourage those people to do so. That’s what makes it fun.

LIV Walks Away Empty-Handed

Last year, there were a multitude of questions about LIV players coming into the year’s first major. They had played very limited tournament golf, and critics of LIV questioned whether the 54-hole events were enough to sharpen the players enough to compete against the best in the world on the biggest stage.

The results were fascinating, with LIV players all over the leaderboard. Brooks Koepka held the 36- and 54-hole lead, with Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed finishing T2 and T4, giving LIV three golfers in the top-4 of the leaderboard.

This season, with even more time removed and with some more massive additions to the roster, the intrigue surrounding LIV players at Augusta was once again palpable. While some players, including Bryson DeChambeau, exceeded expectations, I can’t help but walk away from the Masters feeling underwhelmed by the performance of the LIV players.

Brooks Koepka finished runner-up last season and is a certified major championship killer. The 5-time major champ was never involved and simply didn’t have it at Augusta. Dustin Johnson put together a putrid performance, shooting 13 over for his two rounds, making it fair to wonder if his days of contending at major championships are over as he rapidly approaches his 40th birthday.

Jon Rahm and Joaquin Niemann were both players who were amongst the favorites this week, but Rahm was faced with the daunting duties of defending champion and Niemann proved he was still not quite ready to master the quirks of Augusta National, bleeding strokes both around and on the greens.

To be fair, when all was said and done, LIV had four players in the top twelve at The Masters. Tyrrell Hatton stormed the leaderboard early on Sunday, finishing T9 and earning himself an invite back to Augusta next season. Cam Smith and Patrick Reed put together gritty performances, which isn’t too surprising considering the fact that they both absolutely love Augusta National, but neither ever felt a real threat to win. There’s no doubt the players on LIV are good, and that’s why some encouraging leaderboard positions aren’t enough. They needed to contend.

With no players part of the storyline on Sunday, I view the first major of the year as a disappointment for LIV. The players will head into next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla with a lot to prove.

Rory’s Struggles Continues

Rory struggling at Augusta National is no surprise at this point. The four-time major champion has now had 10 attempts to complete the career grand slam and has never had a chance to win. His T2 in 2022 was deceiving, the Northern Irishman stormed the leaderboard on Sunday, but was never in contention, and never got within three shots of the winner, Scottie Scheffler.

I didn’t expect Rory to win, but I have to admit that this year felt a bit different. McIlroy played the week prior to the Masters, which he typically doesn’t do, and finished third at the Valero Texas Open. He gained 7.56 strokes on approach and 2.0 strokes off the tee, which told me that his visit with world-renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, after the Players Championship paid dividends.

McIlroy also approached the media quite differently. He cut his pre-tournament press conference short after only 10 minutes and seemed to be laser-focused on just playing golf.

Despite the different approach to the Masters, the results were the same. McIlroy struggled over the course of the week, finishing T22 (+4) and never sniffed a decent weekend position on the leaderboard. It’s back to the drawing board for McIlroy, and I have doubts that he will ever figure it out at Augusta.

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19th Hole

Vincenzi: The 8 best prop bets for the 2024 Masters

Published

7 days ago

Apr 9, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

We’ve finally reached The Masters and excitement is at an all-time high. The world of golf has been fractured for the better part of two years, but for a week at Augusta National, all of the outside noise will disappear. All of the best players in the world will be together seeking to make history.

RELATED: Vincenzi’s 2024 Masters betting preview: Niemann to play star role at Augusta National

In addition to betting on The Masters champion. This is one of the few weeks of the year where there are so many more markets to explore, with value to be had in plenty of different categories.

Throughout this article, I’ll discuss all of my favorite props and players for the 2024 Masters.

Placement Bets:

Tony Finau Top 5 +750 (DraftKings):

I badly wanted to include Tony Finau in my outright betting selections, but I simply ran out of room on my card. Additionally, it’s slightly difficult to see him hitting the putts necessary to win the Masters on back nine on Sunday. However, I do strongly believe he will play great golf this week at Augusta National.

In his past 24 rounds, Finau ranks 4th in Strokes Gained: Approach is always amongst the best drivers of the golf ball in the game. Back in 2019, Finau had a great chance to win The Masters. I expect him to be hanging around over the weekend once again in 2024.

Gary Woodland Top 20 +550 (DraftKings), Gary Woodland to make the cut -110 (DraftKings):

Last season, Gary Woodland had his best ever finish at The Masters in his eleven tries. The 39-year-old finished T14 and played incredibly steady across all four rounds.

In Woodland’s most recent start at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, he struck the ball incredibly well. He led the field in Strokes Gained: Approach (+8.8) and Strokes Gained: Ball Striking (+10.0).

Gary has been working with Butch Harmon and absolutely flushing the ball both in tournaments and during practice.

Woodland appears to be healthy once again and in a great place physically and mentally. If he can build off his impressive performance at Augusta last year, he can place inside the top ten in 2024.

Additionally, the make the cut number on Woodland seems generous considering the number of players who miss the cut will be relatively small this week. Woodland is striking it well enough to make the cut even if he’s hindered by a balky putter once again.

Thorbjorn Olesen Top 20 +400 (FanDuel):

The Thunder Bear, Thorbjorn Olesen, made his Masters debut in 2013 and finished an incredibly impressive T6 for the week. In the two additional starts he’s made at Augusta National since then, the Dane has continued to be incredibly solid, finishing T44 and T21.

This week, Olesen heads into the week playing some good golf. He gained 3.8 strokes on approach and 5.52 strokes around the green at last week’s Valero Texas Open on his way to a strong T14 finish. Back in January, he won the Ras Al Khaimah Championship on the DP World Tour.

Olesen has the skill set to be successful at Augusta and seems primed for a good performance this week.

Top Nationalities:

Sergio Garcia Top Spanish Player +280 (DraftKings):

I believe Sergio Garcia can get into contention this week with the way he’s striking the ball in addition to his good vibes with a refurbished version of the Scotty Cameron that he used at the 1999 PGA Championship at Medinah.

I am slightly concerned about the emotional letdown he may face after losing in a playoff at LIV Miami, but I believe a veteran and former Masters champion should be able to regroup and focus on an event far more meaningful.

This is essentially a tournament head-to-head with Jon Rahm at +280. While Rahm deserves to be respected this week, the history of the lack of success of defending champions at The Masters is difficult to ignore.

Joaquin Niemann Top South American Player -230 (FanDuel):

While I hate paying this much juice, I don’t see a world in which Joaquin Niemann isn’t the top South American this week at The Masters. Joaco comes in playing better golf than anyone in the world not named Scottie Scheffler and has a serious chance to win the green jacket.

He only needs to beat two players: Emiliano Grillo and Camilo Villegas.

Tournament Head-to-Heads:

Justin Thomas -110 over Collin Morikawa

JT isn’t having his best season but is playing a lot better than he is getting credit for at the moment. In the past three months, there are only six players on the PGA Tour who have averaged 1.7 Strokes Gained: Tee to Green or better. Justin Thomas (+1.7) is one of the six and is currently tied with Rory McIlroy (+1.7).

Morikawa, on the other hand, has been extremely poor with his irons, which is incredibly uncharacteristic for him. I can’t help but feel like something is completely off with the two-time major champion.

Tony Finau -110 over Wyndham Clark

I explained in the placement section why I’m so high on Tony Finau this week. With how well he’s striking the ball, it seems as if his floor is extremely high. I’m not sure if he can make the putts to win a green jacket but I believe he will be in the mix similarly to 2019 when Tiger Woods emerged from a crowded pack of contenders.

Clark is a debutant, and while some debutants have had success at The Masters, it certainly poses a challenge. I also don’t believe Augusta National suits Clark as well as some of the other major championship venues.

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