2020 Masters First Round Leader Odds and Picks

• The 84th Masters Tournament tees off Thursday, November 12th, 2020
• Bryson DeChambeau is the favorite over Jon Rahm to be the first-round leader
• See the best bets and odds to grab the first-round lead in the article below 

The Masters is finally upon us after it was postponed in April due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a lot of big names are playing some spectacular golf heading into the event. The odds have shifted quite a bit since the start of 2020, when Bryson DeChambeau had +3300 odds to slip into a green jacket.

DeChambeau is now the slight favorite to win back-to-back major championships, having taken the US Open back in September. Dustin Johnson, who has two wins and three runner-up finishes along with a T-6 in his last six starts at Augusta, is second behind DeChambeau.

In this article, we’ll explore which players have the best chance of being the leader after Round 1. Last year, DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka emerged as first round co-leaders after each shooting a 6-under, 66.

2020 Masters Tournament First Round Leader Odds

*Denotes start on 10th tee. All odds taken Nov. 10 at FanDuel.

The forecast calls for rain on Thursday, with the morning groups likely getting the worst of it as the afternoon groups will only face a chance of a shower. Temperatures will be in the low 70’s in the early morning and getting as high as the low 80’s for the afternoon. In both waves of players, they won’t be faced with much wind at all.

A benefit for those playing in the morning is the exact same as it is every week – less bumpy greens with fewer players chewing them up.

Can Spieth Regain Form at Augusta?

If you go by Jordan Spieth’s recent track record, him leading the Masters after 18 holes would seem like a pipe dream – the 2015 champ hasn’t posted a top-10 finish in his last 13 events.

Simply remarkable, @JordanSpieth. pic.twitter.com/MZJexIaHsk

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 10, 2020

However, a light switch goes off whenever he strolls down Magnolia Lane. In six career appearances, he has one victory, two runner-ups, a third, a T-11th and a T-21st finish.

More importantly, for the purposes of a FRL wager, he led outright after 18 holes in 2015, 2016 and 2018.

His game is clearly not at the previous levels of those years, but in a limited field at a track he’s been dynamite at, a lead after just one round doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility.

Pick: Jordan Spieth (+3400)

Hideki Matsuyama Playing Strong Golf

Mastsuyama comes into this year’s Masters on a roll, shooting 66-63 over the weekend at the Vivint Houston Open to wind up in a tie for second.

That’s been a part of top-30 finishes in eleven of his last 13 tournaments. In that stretch, he has just one opening round score worse than 71.

Hideki Matsuyama put on a masterclass around the greens in Round 3 @HouOpenGolf. 📝 pic.twitter.com/gG3lEEX1mO

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 7, 2020

Included in that was an outright lead after day one at the BMW Championship, where he would end up T-3rd.

He’s gained shots on the field tee-to-green in nine of his last ten events, and in his last five Masters, Matsuyama has gone 5th, T-7th, T-11th, 19th, and T-32nd, so he’s been solid at this venue and that might lead to him grabbing a hold of the Masters in the early going.

Pick: Hideki Matsuyama (+3700)

Zach Johnson Has Returned to Form

One golfer who has recovered from an uncharacteristic 2019 is the 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson. After posting no top ten’s last year, Johnson has recovered to post top-25’s in four of the last six times teeing it up.

This putt from Zach Johnson is INSANITY😦 https://t.co/i55fdENvgo

— BroBible (@BroBible) September 17, 2020

At this year’s PGA Championship, Johnson nearly shared the first round lead, finishing one shot shy. Then in the US Open, Johnson had a solid T-8th finish where he gained nearly ten strokes on the field on the greens.

He’s gained strokes on the field in eight of his last ten tournaments, signifying a return to his former self. He’s also made nine of his last ten cuts – the PGA was  the lone miss in that span.

When considering long shot bets that could hit for the lead after 18 holes, Johnson is an intriguing veteran who’s played in 15 Masters tournaments.

Pick: Zach Johnson (+8000)