Masters Tournament 2021
The 2021 Masters Tournament gets underway from Augusta National Golf Club in the more usual time of year, April, once again. Whatever the outcome, this is a historic 85th edition of the prestigious tournament, as it will be the first time in PGA Tour history in which they will play the same major back-to-back.
Below you will find our full preview for the first PGA major of the year, including previews on the course, the player field, top players and the betting odds heading into this tournament. Be sure to check out more content on the Mark Jarvis Betting Blog here.
Masters Tournament 2021 Schedule
Round 1 // Thursday 8th April 2021
Round 2 // Friday 9th April 2021
Round 3 // Saturday 10th April 2021
Round 4 // Sunday 11th April 2021
What is the 2021 Masters Tournament?
The Masters Tournament is one of the four major golf championships played in a PGA season alongside the PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open Championship. Also known as the US Masters, the Masters Tournament is usually the first major of the year, hosted in April.
When is the 2021 Masters Tournament?
The 2021 Masters Tournament gets underway on Thursday, April 8th 2021.
The entire event is one-week long, starting Monday April 5th 2021, but official play of the opening round begins on the Thursday. The last round of the tournament will conclude on the Sunday.
Where is the Masters Tournament held?
The Masters Tournament is held at the famous Augusta National Golf Club in the city of Augusta, Georgia, USA.
The City is synonymous with the golf course, which hosts what is the most prestigious tournament in golf, the Masters Tournament.
What time does the 2021 Masters Tournament start?
Play of the first round of the Masters Tournament has not been reveal at the time of writing.
The tournament usually tees off in the early morning, and there is a four-hour difference between UK and Eastern Time, meaning action usually starts around midday UK time on the Thursday.
What channel is the 2021 Masters Tournament on?
Skys Sports Golf will be the main channel of the 2021 Masters Tournament in the UK, however, like previous years, Sky will rename the channel Sky Sports The Masters for the week of the tournament.
The event will also be available to watch on Sky Sports Main Event.
How much of the 2021 Masters Tournament will be broadcasted?
Sky broadcasts a lot of hours of play throughout each day of the Masters Tournament, and will continue to do so in 2021. Like always, there is an emphasis on broadcasting play of all the top players in ‘Featured Groups’ battling it out on the iconic course against each other.
For a reference point, the featured groups in the 2020 Masters Tournament were broadcasted from 12:30pm UK time with main coverage broadcasted from 6pm UK time, so expect similar broadcast times.
How many golfers are competing at the 2021 Masters Tournament?
The size of the 2021 Masters Tournament playing field usually ranges from 90 to 100 players, making it the major with the smallest player field.
As an invitational event, the top 50 players are invited to play. At the time of writing, 89 players have been confirmed to play in the tournament.
What is the 2021 Masters Tournament prize pot?
The prize pot for the 2021 Masters Tournament is a sweet $11.5m.
The player who is crowned champion will take home around $2m whilst a second place finish will secure over $1m.
The minimum guaranteed pot for all players entering is $10,000 for those players who miss the cut ahead of Round 3.
Will there be spectators at the 2021 Masters Tournament?
It’s great new for spectators, who once again will attend the tournament having missed out on the chance to last year.
They confirmed the news of allowing a limited number of spectators to attend Augusta back in January 2021.
The capacity has been reduced to an undisclosed figure, and unsurprisingly, tickets have sold out.
This comes after the PGA have allowed fans into events in Florida and most recently at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Championships in Texas.
What happened in the 2020 Masters Tournament?
Last year, because of the coronavirus pandemic, the tournament was rescheduled and played in November 2020. It was the first time in Masters Tournament history in which the tournament was not played in April.
Spectators missed out on the chance to witness history as American and current number one ranked golf star Dustin Johnson set a tournament score record of 268 across his sensational four-day display on the iconic course.
It was his first ever Masters win, earning the green jacket and coming back as one of the favourites to win at Augusta and retain his title.
On the flip side, however, the rescheduling and unusual circumstances that meant that fans have had to wait just five months from last year’s Masters Tournament to this year’s Masters Tournament. In doing so, the Masters Tournament becomes the first and potentially only ever major to be played back-to-back as it was the last major of 2020 and is the first major of 2021.
Augusta National Golf Club
Club Type
The Augusta National Golf Club is a private golf club established in 1933. This means that players can only play upon invitation as club members, and the iconic club is not open to the public to play on the course.
Ahead of the Masters Tournament, players receive the famous white-letter invitation.
Club Founders
Bobby Jones and Clifton Roberts are the co-founders of the course. However, it was Jones and Alister MacKenzie who designed the first course in 1932.
Course Length
The length of the Masters Course at Augusta National Golf Club is currently 7,768 yards. It is currently the longest that the course has ever been in its history. Over the years, the length of the course has altered, increasing and decreasing around the 7,000 yard range.
The Masters Course is far longer than the length of the course for Members Course. At 6,365 yards, there is a difference of over 1,400 yards, which is mostly made up by the differences in the lengths of the par 4 and par 5 holes.
The biggest difference between the length of a hole on the Masters Course and the Members Course is on Hole 11, known as the White Dogwood and part of Amen’s Corner. On the Members Course, the par 4 is 400 yards whereas on the Masters Course, the length to the pin is 505 yards, a 105 yards difference between them.
Course and Slope Ratings
The Augusta National Golf Club does not have an official course rating or slope rating. As a members only golf club, the United States Golf Association (USGA) does not have these ratings for the iconic course.
However, the course has received an unofficial course rating of 78.1 and an unofficial slope rating of 137. These ratings put the course in the company of some of the toughest courses in the US, alongside the likes of the Kiawah Island Ocean Course in South Carolina and the lengthy The International Pines Course in Bolton, Massachusetts.
Greens and Fairway Surfaces
Augusta National Golf Club uses bentgrass for its greens. Bentgrass is a very popular type of grass for golf greens because of its durability, ability to be moved very short and its low requirements of water to keep its natural colour.
Augusta National Golf Club uses ryegrass for its roughs and fairways. Ryegrass is has a smooth texture and can be mowed fairly short as well.
Par Score
The par score on the Masters Course at Augusta National Golf Club for the Masters Tournament is 72.
Each hole has a par score assigned, from a par three (three strokes) to a par five (five strokes), and players must attempt to hole out each hole in the fewest shots possible.
Players who hole out all 18 holes on the course in less than 72 strokes get an under par score. Players who require over 72 strokes to hole out the course get an over par score.
Featured Holes
Each hole at the Augusta National Golf Club is very special, all named after flowers. However, the most iconic holes of all are part of Amen’s Corner, the 11th, 12th and 13th holes on the course.
Many consider the three holes the toughest on the course, and it has produced some sensational moments for players looking to either gain some momentum on the back nine or hold their nerve.
Below is a list of the names of each hole, the yardage on the Masters Course and par score.
Tea Olive (Par 4 – 445 yards)
Pink Dogwood (Par 5 – 575 yards)
Flowering Peach (Par 4 – 350 yards)
Flowering Crab Apple (Par 3 – 240 yards)
Magnolia (Par 4 – 495 yards)
Juniper (Par 3 – 180 yards)
Pampas (Par 4 – 450 yards)
Yellow Jasmine (Par 5 – 570 yards)
Carolina Cherry (Par 4 – 460 yards)
Camellia (Par 4 – 495 yards)
White Dogwood (Par 4 – 505 yards)
Golden Bell (Par 3 – 155 yards)
Azalea (Par 5 – 510 yards)
Chinese Fir (Par 4 – 440 yards)
Firethorn (Par 5 – 530 yards)
Redbud (Par 3 – 170 yards)
Nandina (Par 4 – 440 yards)
Holly (Par 4 – 465 yards)
Hosting Other Tournaments
The course is synonymously known as the home of the Masters, however, between 1937 and 1938, was also the inaugural setting of the PGA Seniors Championship. Since then, they have played the senior tournament at multiple different golf clubs across the United States.
In 2019, the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur took place and is set to return for 2021 after it was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.
History, Qualification and Records
Inaugural Tournament
The first ever Masters Tournament took place in 1934. The winner of the tournament was Horton Smith, with a tournament score of 284. The player field was just 72 strong.
Qualification
Here are the methods of securing qualification for the 2021 Masters Tournament, according to Augusta National Golf Club.
Masters Tournament Champions (Lifetime)
US Open Champions (Honorary, non-competing after five years)
British Open Champions (Honorary, non-competing after five years)
PGA Champions (Honorary, non-competing after five years)
Winners of The Players Championship (Three years)
Current Olympic Gold Medalist (One year)
Current US Amateur Champion (Honorary, non-competing after one year) and the runner-up to the current US Amateur Champion
Current British Amateur Champion (Honorary, non-competing after one year)
Current Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion
Current Latin America Amateur Champion
Current US Mid-Amateur Champion
First 12 players, including ties, in the previous year’s Masters Tournament
First four players, including ties, in the previous year’s US Open Championship
First four players, including ties, in the previous year’s British Open Championship
First four players, including ties, in the previous year’s PGA Championship
Winners of PGA Tour events that award a full-point allocation for the season-ending Tour Championship
Those qualifying for the previous year’s season-ending Tour Championship
The 50 leaders on the Final Official World Golf Ranking for the previous calendar year
The 50 leaders on the Official World Golf Ranking published during the week prior to the current Masters Tournament
Record Masters Round Score
Nick Price and Greg Norman tie the record for a round set in the Masters Tournament at 63.
Zimbabwean Price set the record in 1986 after shooting 63 in his third round, impressively climbing his way into a T2 position after a disappointing first round score of 79. His 71 score in the last round was not enough as he had to settle for fifth, with Jack Nicklaus crowned champion that year.
A decade later, in 1996, Norman matched the tournament’s round score record in his first round, but like Price, it still was not enough to secure that title that year. The Australian got off to a flying start, backing up that 63 first round score with solid 69 and 71 in rounds two and three to give him a six-shot lead heading into the final day. However, Nick Faldo took advantage of a disastrous final round for Norman, who shot 78 in what is one of the biggest meltdowns and collapses in the tournament’s history. Faldo won the tournament by a remarkable five shots, and Norman finished second at Augusta for the third time in his career.
Record Masters Tournament Score
Last year’s sensational performance from Dustin Johnson meant the American become the latest holder of the record for the lowest total score set at a Masters Tournament. Across his four rounds, he shot a tournament-low 268, earning the green jacket in style with a -20 score and a five-stroke victory over joint-second place finishers Im Sung-jae and Cameron Smith.
It was his first ever win at the Masters Tournament, having gone close in 2019 finishing second behind Tiger Woods, and he second win in a major after winning the U.S. Open in 2016. He is currently the world number one and a favourite to win the Masters Tournament in 2021 and retain his title.
Golfer With Most Masters Tournament Titles
The golfer with the most wins in Masters Tournament history is Jack Nicklaus, with six wins between 1963 and 1986. After his incredible win in 2019, Tiger Woods has five tournament wins to his name, with another golfing legend Arnold Palmer with four titles to his name.
Golfers and Betting
2021 Masters Tournament Player Field
89 golfers have been confirmed to play in the 2021 Masters Tournament at the time of writing. A lot of the huge stars in the sport are set to play, including defending champion Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, and Brooks Koepka.
Missing out on the tournament this year are names like Tiger Woods and Angel Cabrera. Woods broke his leg in a car accident earlier this year, whilst Brazil extradited Cabrera back to Argentina with criminal charges.
Here is a list of players set to play at the 2021 Masters Tournament in Augusta.
Abraham Ancer
Adam Scott
Bernd Wiesberger
Bernhard Langer
Billy Horschel
Brendon Todd
Brian Gay
Brian Harman
Brooks Koepka
Bryson DeChambeau
Bubba Watson
C.T. Pan
Cameron Champ
Cameron Smith
Carlos Ortiz
Charl Schwartzel
Christiaan Bezuidenhout
Collin Morikawa
Corey Conners
Daniel Berger
Danny Willett
Dustin Johnson
Dylan Frittelli
Francesco Molinari
Fred Couples
Gary Woodland
Harris English
Henrik Stenson
Hideki Matsuyama
Hudson Swafford
Ian Poulter
Ian Woosnam
Jason Day
Jason Kokrak
Jim Herman
Jimmy Walker
Joaquin Niemann
Joe Long
Jon Rahm
Jordan Spieth
Jose Maria Olazabal
Justin Rose
Justin Thomas
Kevin Kisner
Kevin Na
Lanto Griffin
Larry Mize
Lee Westwood
Louis Oosthuizen
Mackenzie Hughes
Marc Leishman
Martin Laird
Matt Fitzpatrick
Matthew Wolff
Matt Jones
Matt Kuchar
Matt Wallace
Max Homa
Michael Thompson
Mike Weir
Ollie Osborne
Patrick Cantlay
Patrick Reed
Paul Casey
Phil Mickelson
Robert MacIntyre
Robert Streb
Rory McIlroy
Ryan Palmer
Sandy Lyle
Scottie Scheffler
Sebastian Munoz
Sergio Garcia
Shane Lowry
Si Woo Kim
Stewart Cink
Sungjae Im
Tommy Fleetwood
Tony Finau
Trevor Immelman
Tyler Strafaci
Tyrrell Hatton
Victor Perez
Vijay Singh
Viktor Hovland
Webb Simpson
Will Zalatoris
Xander Schauffele
Zach Johnson
Previous Champions Competing at 2021 Masters Tournament
The 2021 Masters Tournament is set to welcome back 19 former champions to Augusta, including the reigning champion, Dustin Johnson.
The oldest champion set to compete at this year’s edition of the major is German golfer and two-time Masters Champion Bernhard Langer, who won his first Masters all the way back in 1985. He beat Seve Ballesteros, Raymond Floyd and Curtis Strange by two shots, shooting six under for the tournament. His other Masters victory came in 1993.
Other senior players set to compete this year include Scotland’s Sandy Lyle, who won in 1988, Americans Larry Mize (1987) and Fred Couples (1992) as well as Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal, another two-time winner (1994 and 1999) set to play this year.
Here is the full list below…
Dustin Johnson (2020)
Patrick Reed (2018)
Sergio Garcia (2017)
Danny Willett (2016)
Jordan Spieth (2015)
Bubba Watson (2014 and 2012)
Adam Scott (2013)
Charl Schwartzel (2011)
Phil Mickelson (2010, 2006, 2004)
Trevor Immelman (2008)
Zach Johnson (2007)
Mike Weir (2003)
Vijay Singh (2000)
Jose Maria Olazabal (1999 and 1994)
Bernhard Langer (1993 and 1985)
Fred Couples (1992)
Ian Woosnam (1991)
Sandy Lyle (1988)
Larry Mize (1987)
Multiple Champions Competing at 2021 Masters Tournament
There are going to be four multiple champions golfers competing at this year’s Masters Tournament at Augusta.
Bernhard Langer (1993 and 1985 Champion)
Jose Maria Olazabal (1999 and 1994 Champion)
Phil Mickelson (2010, 2006, and 2004 Champion)
Bubba Watson (2014 and 2012 Champion)
Outright Betting Favourites
At 15/2*, defending champion Dustin Johnson is the early favourite for the tournament. He is the world number one and since securing his first ever green jacket in November, has recorded an eight place finish in the Genesis Invitational and a T11 in the Sentry Tournament of Championship at the start of 2021.
However, more recently the star golfer from South Carolina recorded a T48 at The Players Championship and a T54 in the World Golf Championships-Workday Championship at The Concession. He’s also withdrawn from the Valero Texas Open, the event that precedes the Masters a week prior, in order to focus on the Masters.
Below Johnson are a few of the shorter-priced favourites. Jon Rahm (10/1*), Bryson DeChambeau (10/1*), Justin Thomas (11/1*) and 2015 champion Jordan Spieth (12/1*) are all capable of putting together four amazing rounds of golf and finish high on the leaderboard. Aside from Spieth, the other three are all in the top three for finishes in events in the 2020/21 season so far, whilst the Augusta course will always suit a player like Thomas, who has arguably the best iron game of any player.
Historically, the bigger priced names rarely go all the way and surprise everyone by winning the whole tournament. In fact, the last seven winners of the Masters Tournament had also won another event in the 12 months prior and ranked very high in scoring averages in the PGA that season.
However, Sung jae Im, who played incredibly on his Masters debut as a rookie last year, is priced at 40/1*, and there are other in-form players from this season such as Daniel Berger (33/1*) and Webb Simpson (33/1*) which are hard to overlook at each-way terms.
*Prices as of March 31st 2021
2021 Masters Tournament Betting
You can see our full markets for the Masters Tournament here on the Mark Jarvis sportsbook.
We’re paying SEVEN places each way on the tournament winner (T&Cs apply)
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