Who to look out for in the Masters 2021

The year 2020 saw a bit of change for the US Masters: for the first time in its history, it took place in the month of November. With the 2021 tournament returning to its familiar dates in April, one positive is that we will have only been waiting for around five months since the last meeting of golfing greats.

The 2021 Masters will be the first major tournament of the year and after Dustin Johnson’s emphatic victory in 2020, he’ll be sure to be in the running for back to back Green Jackets.

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 15: Dustin Johnson of the United States reacts on the 18th green after winning the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on November 15, 2020 in Augusta, Georgia. Jamie Squire/Getty Images/AFP

With the full field yet to be confirmed, let’s have a look at the top 4 players that will likely be in the running in April 2021:

1) Dustin Johnson

Having set a new scoring record in the 2020 tournament, Dustin Johnson will clearly be one to watch come April 2021. Having recorded 2 rounds at 7 under and finishing on 20 under par, he left second-placed Cameron Smith languishing 5 strokes behind.

No sooner had he slipped on the famous Green Jacket, Johnson was already being tipped as the favourite for the 2021 visit to the Augusta National Golf Club. Although fresh from victory, we can be sure that there will be others hot on the heels of Johnson, looking to take the 2021 Green Jacket for themselves.

2) Rory McIlroy

Still with his eye on completing a career grand slam, the Masters is an event that keeps alluding McIlroy. In 2020 he was off to a poor start playing 9 less than ideal holes in the first round.

Despite a poor start, McIlroy went on to finish a respectable 5th place on 11 under. Currently ranked at number 5 in the world, and with a burning desire to complete the ever-elusive grand slam, McIlory will be one to watch in 2021

3) Justin Thomas

The former world number 1 started well at the 2020 masters: after 36 holes he was tied with the final victor, Johnson, on 9 under. The weekend though, was another story when Thomas saw any hopes of victory slip away.

Thomas is not someone that can be written off in 2021. He may well be entering his 4th season without a major championship, but you only have to look back to his performances in 2017 to realise that Thomas will always be a contender.

4) Tiger Woods

Okay, so coming in at a disappointing 39th place, at 1 under, in the 2020 Masters wouldn’t usually see someone being tipped for the Green Jacket in 2021. The difference here though is that we are referring to the legend that is Tiger Woods.

Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2020, it was only a year earlier that Woods was celebrating his 5th US Masters victory, with his first coming back in 1997. Woods has battled with his back which was surgically repaired and this is bound to have had an impact on his performance last time around.

Woods may not end up going into the 2021 Masters as a clear favourite based on his 2020 performance, but who would ever write off such a legend who has shown that his career is still far from over?

Golf outrights already on offer

We may still have a few months to go before the action begins, but you can already pick up some great odds betting on golf outrights at the Masters. There is, of course, still time for changes to the field, and who can say what injuries may throw a spanner in the works before we get to those key dates in April 2021?

What is known though is that 2021 promises to be a spectacle to behold: Johnson and the thought of back to back Green Jackets, and with Tiger Woods keen to redeem himself for his 2020 performance, we will be blessed to witness a battle of true greats.