Niall Lyons provides ante-post tips for each of the golf majors in 2023, starting with LIV champion Dustin Johnson for the Masters.
The Masters
Dustin Johnson at 25/1 for The Masters (Six Places)
The Masters is always a tough assignment punting wise and tackling it months in advance is potentially the best way to play it with various golfers capable of big moves between now and April.
LIV golfers have been granted permission to play at Augusta and with that impending cloud dealt with early we could see some of that crop fair better this year as some of the dust settles on the upheaval. One whose game didn't suffer throughout that period was Dustin Johnson and he looks interesting in the market around the 25/1 mark.
We backed him on the week of the Open last year at 33/1 and he finished 6th there at St Andrews. Along with his LIV win and two runner ups that performance in Scotland was a sign that his game hasn't suffered a great deal for the drop in competition. Johnson has finished inside the top 12 on six of his last seven appearances at Augusta with a win and runner up within that sequence.
He hits the important trend of a good finish in the previous major and no matter what golf he plays between now and April, his pedigree at Augusta would suggest he can't go off any bigger than the 25/1 out there right now. He of course has the potential to go off closer to half that and that's the attractive upside of this wager.
US PGA Championship
Webb Simpson at 100/1 for the US PGA (Six Places)
Oakhill in Pittsford, New York is the scene of the second major of the year and this on paper looks an exciting one. I remember Jason Dufner's win fondly having backed at 40/1 that week and with the likes of Furyk, Stenson, Toms and Stricker tucked in behind we had cast iron evidence of what was needed to win.
Excellent ball striking with the ability to hit plenty of fairways was the recipe that week and if that plays out 10 years later in the US PGA Championship then we'll have a few interesting bets.
The one that catches my eye at 100/1 is Webb Simpson. Simpson has struggled with injuries for a while and having chased a bit of length in recent years has gone back to basics with a new coach in Cameron McCormick.
McCormick is well versed in bringing golfers back from difficulties with Spieth being his star man. Simpson was 25th at Oakhill in 2013 and shot a second round 64 that week that was only beaten by Dufner's 63 on the same day.
If similar playing conditions play out Simpson is the archetypal golfer to capitalise on them and should he hit some form between now and then the 100/1 will be a distant memory.
US Open
Adam Scott at 100/1 for the US Open (Six Places)
A Gil Hanse redesign of Los Angeles Country Club should make for a cracking US Open with his work on any major courses being a huge success. The latest of those was last year’s PGA at Southern Hills where a fascinating tee to green shootout took place with Thomas beating Zalatoris in a playoff having finished on 5 under par for the week.
Just how tough this will play is anyone's guess at this stage but once again I expect a brutal test with big hitting and precision approach play being the pre requisite to contend here. With two wins and a host of other good golf just down the road at Riviera, Adam Scott may be worth the risk at 100/1.
He finished inside the top 15 in both the US Open and Open Championship last year and shows little signs of slowing down. The Aussie finished 2022 off in style by finishing 2nd in his home Open behind the talented Adrian Meronk and another fine effort in California could be on the cards.
The Open
Collin Morikawa at 25/1 for The Open (Six Places)
The Open at Royal Liverpool will no doubt all depend on the weather and despite this being an event where DPWT players can sometimes compete in the latter stages, if the weather is kind it'll be dominated by the best in the business.
We saw that a few years ago with Morikawa in the sunshine at St George’s and conditions were fine also when McIlroy landed his only Open Championship to date here back in 2014.
Morikawa looks the pick of the market leaders at 25/1 and his precision long game should go a long way to giving him a big chance on the week. He had a disappointing 2022 but a return to previous form we'd expect of him should see him go off a little shorter than this.
