Betting Bites: Player quotes to help guide your Masters market choices

If you’re looking for a last-minute nugget before making your final bets for the Masters make sure you’ve covered all the angles.

Here’s what those speaking to the media at Augusta National this week have had to say that may or may not influence your betting choices, with the start of the year’s first major just one day away.

Jordan Spieth (+2200)

Since bursting on the Augusta National scene in 2014, Spieth has shown an affinity for the place with a win (2015) and five other top fives. But is riding the rollercoaster a risk given his temperamental left wrist?

“Constant TLC,” Spieth said when speaking of how he tends to his wrist issue that flared up at the Valero Texas Open last week.

“I had it reoccur in January after Hawaii and I had it Monday of the PLAYERS Championship and then Monday of last week. When it happens, I can't do anything that day. Typically, as the week goes on, it gets better and better, using it more and more, and I'm recovering more and more than, say, my days off at home. I'm getting treatment daily here. That's included with everything else that I didn't used to do.

“It's an ECU tendon issue that unfortunately I've not fixed, but when it flares up, it flares up for like 24 hours, and then it just slowly gets better, versus last May when I couldn't play the Byron and then in October it was another week and a half or so. And since then, since I've gotten more on top of it by December, I at least know what it is and how to get it quickly better.

“It's something that I don't think there's really anything I can do other than rest. And I'm not resting it anytime soon. So, I'll probably take quite a bit of time when the season's over and see if it kind of sets it back in place and doesn't flare up as much.”

Min Woo Lee (+6600)

The firebrand Aussie revealed Tuesday he’s playing with a broken finger suffered in the gym.

“I dropped a dumbbell on my hand… Broke it. But I have it bandaged up right now. I hit my first shot for the last week on Friday, so hit my first full driver. Honestly, it's actually amazing how fast the recovery was. It was bruised, still swollen, but not actually that painful which is really strange,” Lee revealed.

“I went to the doctor and I thought it was OK because I could move it. It was just red. I thought it would be fine. Then they came in and said, you've broken it. So, yeah, a lot of anxiety.

“Somehow recovering very good, so icing and elevating as much as I can. Yeah, I guess it wasn't the best prep, and I got the flu two days ago.”

Scottie Scheffler (+400)

The shortest-priced favorite at the Masters since Tiger Woods in 2013, Scheffler is looking to return to the summit reached in 2022. Comes in with wins at THE PLAYERS and Arnold Palmer Invitational and in rare ball-striking form.

“I'm excited about how I've been playing to begin this year. I had two nice wins, which was obviously a bunch of fun. Then I was close in my last start as well,” Scheffler says.

“I think it's just one of those deals where all I'm trying to do is put myself in contention in the tournament and hopefully finish it off. I really am not looking much past tomorrow. I'm focused on my preparation right now. And those things don't really occupy many of my thoughts day-to-day.”

Wyndham Clark (+3000)

The first reigning U.S. Open champion to be a Masters rookie since 1970 really likes his chances. Recent runner-up results to Scheffler at Bay Hill and TPC Sawgrass have Clark in a confident mood as he chases becoming the first rookie to win the Masters since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.

“Stats like that are meant to be broken. I know it's a tall task. It's a challenging golf course. There's a bunch of good golfers. With that said, you have to still bring your game. So it's not like you can just flip a switch and win it,” Clark says.

“But that would be an amazing accomplishment. And I like my chances. I really like myself on this golf course. I feel good on a lot of tee shots and approaches, and there's so much creativity. So I feel good coming into the week.”

Rory McIlroy (+1100)

The chase for the career Grand Slam continues for McIlroy who comes in after a steady third-place finish at the Valero Texas Open last week. The world No. 2 added the event to change up his preparation for Augusta.

“I think it's been beneficial to play a little bit more this year leading into not just this tournament but the spring and the summer. I'm a little more in tune with where my game is and where my misses are and once you play a lot, you learn just how to manage your game a little bit better instead of, if you haven't played that much, and you're a little rusty,” he said.

“I just think that patterns emerge the more that you play. I feel like I've got a big enough sort of data set of rounds to sort of know how to manage what I'm doing right now. So I think that's been a good thing.”

Jon Rahm (+1200)

The defending champion is looking to be the first repeat winner since Tiger Woods in 2001 and 2002.

“If I would go based on how I feel today on a Tuesday, I feel physically better than I did last year. But then once competition starts, it doesn't really matter. Once the gun goes off, whatever you feel is out the window; you got to go out there and post a score.”

Xander Schauffele (+1400)

With four top-17 finishes in the last five years, including a T2 and T3 at Augusta National many believe this is the year for Schauffele.

“A steady drip caves a stone is something I grew up with. People tell me good playing, and they're not wrong, I feel like it was some solid golf that I've been playing. It's not a false statement. Obviously, you just want it to be that much better,” he said.

“But at the end of the day, I think that's also the reason why I keep having these performances where I am close, just because it's bothering me and it's something that I really want. And if I clip one, it's not going to be enough for me to be satisfied. So I think it's definitely what motivates me as a golfer and as a competitor just to keep pushing.”

Tiger Woods (+15000)

The five-time champion still thinks he can make it six at 48 years old. But he’s candid about his physical limitations as he looks to break the all-time record for consecutive Masters cuts made.

“My practice sessions certainly aren't what they used to be. I used to live on the range or live on a short game facility and just be out there all day. That's no longer the case. So I just have to be more focused on when I do get a chance to go out there and practice and really grind out and make every shot count because I just really don't have the ball count in me anymore. So those adaptations… hopefully I've made them for this week.”

Viktor Hovland (+3300)

The current FedExCup champion was on everyone’s lips late last year but some coaching changes and far from great results to start this season have him outside the radar for most pundits. As he continues to work through some changes, he’s not the smiling assassin most are used to.

“Your confidence level is going to be a little bit different than when you don't have any conscious thoughts. That's obviously the end goal when you play this game, is that you show up and you go through your routine and there's almost, like, a blackout. You just react to what you're doing and you see the shots, and the ball flight translates into what you're seeing. That's the goal,” Hovland explained.

Will Zalatoris (+4000)

A former runner-up at the Masters, Zalatoris is happy to be in the field after having to eject pre-tournament a year ago to ultimately get back surgery. He’s posted up top-fives at Riviera and Bay Hill this season.

“My mom actually reminded me this is one year to the day from the surgery, so kind of a fun day to kind of come back and play and play nine holes with Tiger this morning (Monday), a guy who has really helped me a lot I guess with the rehab of coming back from my surgery,” Zalatoris said after a practice round with fellow sore back brother Tiger Woods.

“I feel great. This is the best I've felt… I think the best way to put it is I kept thinking I was at 100% as I've come back, and each month I've picked up a little more speed, had a little more endurance.”

Ludvig Åberg (+2800)

The lowest-priced major debutant ever on a betting board, Åberg is in the crazy position of having won a PGA TOUR and DP World Tour event and a Ryder Cup before even playing in a major! Can he become the first major rookie to win in nearly 50 years?

“I've had a lot of firsts over the last couple of months. Once again, I'm trying to embrace it. I'm not trying to push it away. I'm not trying to fight it. I think that's one of the key things.

And I remember back in last year when we played in Rome, that was a big first as well. And that was very nerve-wracking, but it was also very cool experience and something that taught me a lot that week,” Åberg said.

“I think a lot of those experiences that I'll have in the next couple of months will be very similar, and I think I'm just trying to learn from it, try to have fun. And whether you like it or not, it is going to be different. But it's also just golf, and it's just me and my 14 clubs, I guess.”

Jason Day (+6600)

A runner-up in his debut Masters with three further top-10s on top, Day was the first player to register for this year’s tournament. But the reason – he needed the practice.

“Essentially, I was battling a two-way miss with my shoulders getting a little bit too horizontal or parallel to the ground. Once I start to rotate, my shoulders kind of level to the ground, my arms kind of go away from my body and I kind of dump it in the turf and I get like a right and a left.

“When I try and hit a draw and I miss it right, I don't want to do that, then I get the pull hook left. Essentially, I'm just trying to stay better in the spine angle but get a little bit more pitch through my shoulders. That way my right arm can go under my body a little bit better.”

Rickie Fowler (+12500)

With five top-12 finishes at the Masters to his name, Fowler returns for the first time since 2020. While he held the 54-hole lead at the U.S. Open last year he was unable to close it out and knows his window to claim a major shrinks each year.

“(My game) hasn't been great as of late. I haven't been driving it well, and that's something when you're not driving it well, you're kind of starting from behind the eight-ball. I feel like we're starting to get that sorted, and excited to be back in a good spot,” Fowler said.

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