(SNH) — The 88th edition of the Masters Tournament is set to tee off at Augusta National Thursday morning, begging the question of whether an odd trend will continue.

For the first time in the tournament’s history, three consecutive Masters Tournaments were won by golfers under the age of 30.

Last year, Jon Rahm became the fourth Spaniard to win the event and did so by four shots, finishing at 12 under with Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka tied for second at 8 under.

Scottie Scheffler won the tournament in 2022, at the age of 25, and Hideki Matsuyama was 29 years old when he won the tournament in 2021.

The total purse of this year’s tournament is $18 million, with $3.24 million going to the winner and the rest of the purse distributed in increments depending on placement.

Is Tiger Woods Playing in the Masters?

Tiger Woods – the five-time Masters champion – confirmed Saturday that he will participate in his 27th Masters.

Woods reportedly played a round on the course March 30, likely to test his body and see if he is healthy enough to complete the rigors of walking 18 holes four days in a row.

The 48-year-old golfer underwent a subtalar fusion procedure in April 2023 – after last year’s Masters – to “address post-traumatic arthritis from his previous talus fracture.”

It is the latest surgery to address the lingering effects of the injuries he suffered in a 2021 car wreck that nearly cost him his right leg. This latest procedure should allow him to walk the course without pain.

Woods competed at the Genesis Invitational in February, his first event of the year, but withdrew during the second round due to flu-like symptoms. He was two-over in the tournament through his first six holes of the second round.

The golf icon is +20000 to win the tournament and -118 to make the cut, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. If he wins his sixth green jacket, he would tie Jack Nicklaus’ for the most Masters victories all-time.

Scottie Scheffler Masters Odds

Scheffler is the betting favorite for this year’s tournament at +450, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. He finished tied for 10th at last year’s Masters after winning the 2022 tournament by three shots over Rory McIlroy.

His worst finish came in 2020, when he ended the tournament tied for 19th.

Scheffler enters the Masters tournament as the hottest golfer in the field, finishing top two in the last three tournaments he has played. He won the Arnold Palmer Invitational on March 10, won the Players Championship on March 17 and finished tied for second in the Texas Children’s Houston Open at the end of March.

Rory McIlroy Masters Odds

The 34-year-old Irish golfer is +1000 to win the tournament, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

He had his best finish on this season’s PGA Tour last weekend at the Valero Texas Open, shooting an 11 under and finishing in third place – although he was nine shots off the winner.

Last year at the Masters, McIlroy missed the cut after posting a 5-over 77 in the second round.

If he wins this year’s tournament, he will complete the Grand Slam as a winner of men’s golf’s four majors, joining Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

Jon Rahm Masters Odds

Jon Rahm, the 29-year-old Spaniard, has the third best odds to capture a Masters title at +1100.

Rahm recently finished tied for fourth at -8 during the LIV Golf Miami tournament from April 5 to 7. He finished tied for eighth place at 10 under during the LIV Golf Hong Kong tournament held from March 8 through 10.

If he wins the tournament again this year, he would be the first repeat champion since Woods in 2002.

How Many Players Are in the Tournament Field?

The current total is 89 golfers, with Akshay Bhatia winning the recent Valero Texas Open to claim the last available invite to the tournament.

Past champions not playing in the tournament include: Tommy Aaron, Angel Cabrera, Charles Coody, Ben Crenshaw, Sir Nick Faldo, Raymond Floyd, Trevor Immelman, Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle, Larry Mize, Jack Nicklaus, Mark O’Meara, Gary Player, Craig Stadler, Tom Watson, Ian Woosnam and Fuzzy Zoeller.

Jacob Sisneros is a writer for Sports News Highlights.

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