Tiger Woods is now 10/1 to win The Masters as he continues his return this week at Bay Hill - where he's won eight times.
Paul Casey may have claimed the Valspar Championship on Sunday but it was Tiger Woods who claimed all the headlines as he shot back into golfing relevance and was quickly installed as second favourite to win The Masters.
The 14-time major winner drained a 40-foot putt on the 17th to get within a shot of Casey but left a putt on 18 just short as he had to settle for second place.
His performance showed Woods is able to fight with the best on the PGA Tour once again and that familiar strut in the famous red Sunday shirt made for fantastic viewing for golf fans – who are now clamouring to back him to win at Augusta.
Woods hasn’t teed it up at Augusta since 2015, but he’s 10/1 With Sky Bet to win a fifth green jacket – with only Dustin Johnson ahead of him in the betting.
“The favourites are guys who’ve always done well there,” said four-time winner Woods, who tees it up again this week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Augusta has proved time and time again that course knowledge is key – something Tiger has in buckets with four wins and seven top fives in his 18 Masters as a pro.
Defending Masters champion Sergio Garcia is 28/1 to go back-to-back after his flying finish on Sunday to come fourth – one shot ahead of Justin Rose who is 16/1 to go one better than last year.
Patrick Reed’s fluff on the 18th cost him a shot at a play-off with Casey, but that hasn’t impressed the bookies as he’s still 60/1 to do the business at Augusta.
Before the Masters, Woods quickly turns his attention to Bay Hill this week – where he’s won an incredible eight times before but hasn’t appeared since 2013.
In a bizarre twist, Sunday at Bay Hill will mark 1687 days since Woods last won a tournament - his great rival Phil Mickelson won the recent WGC event 1687 days after his last success.
"I'm really looking forward to next week," Woods said. "I hadn't played there in a couple years because of my back, and I wanted to play there a couple years ago.
“I'm very excited. It's a golf course I like. I've played well there throughout the years and just haven't been back in a couple years.
“It's going to be good for me to get back. I've had some great memories there. I have won there a few times, but I used to live there, my kids were born there. Great town and atmosphere."
