The Loop

Jordan Spieth is the clear favorite to win the Masters -- but not to win a major in 2017

February 14, 2017
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Harry How

Jordan Spieth began his week at Pebble Beach as the odds-on choice to win the Masters. He left with his 9th PGA Tour trophy and as the overwhelming favorite to win at Augusta National in a couple months.

Spieth's Official World Golf Ranking didn't change following his four-shot victory at the AT&T, but Westgate Las Vegas Superbook slashed the World No. 6's odds of winning 2017's first major to 6/1 from 8/1. Meanwhile, the odds for the next four players -- Jason Day (10/1), Rory McIlroy (10/1), Dustin Johnson (12/1) and Hideki Matsuyama (12/1) stayed the same.

Spieth couldn't finish off a second consecutive Masters win last year, but he has a win and two runner-ups in three career appearances at Augusta National. He's also held the lead there for seven of the last eight rounds and shares the tournament's 72-hole scoring record with Tiger Woods.

What's interesting, though, is that Spieth is not the favorite to win any of golf's four major championships in 2017. That honor (for now) is shared by World No. 1 Jason Day and four-time major champ Rory McIlroy at 8/5 odds. Dustin Johnson (7/4) comes next, followed by Spieth at 2/1.

The red-hot Hideki Matsuyama and Justin Thomas, who have combined to win five PGA Tour titles already this season, are 5/2 and 6/1, respectively.

Tiger Woods is still 10/1 to win a major this year despite his plummeting Masters odds. Woods began 2017 at 20/1 to win a fifth green jacket, but fell to 50/1 following his WD in Dubai last week. Upon his announcement that he was also pulling out of this week's Genesis Open and next week's Honda Classic, Woods is now a 100-to-1 long shot.