Vijay Day

With the bookies offering a multitude of betting angles for the first Major of the golfing year there’s an art to picking the right market, not just the best player. A good example of this is the ‘top former winner bracket.’ With the two favourites for the US Masters having triumphed seven times between them already, it is no surprise to see Mickelson and Woods dominating this sector as well. However, there is a feeling out there that both these leading contenders are underpriced which means that there must be value elsewhere. I think it can be found in former world number one, Vijay Singh.

The first thing we notice when looking at the roll call of former winners playing this week is that very few look like repeating the trick. A telling statistic is that Woods and Mickelson are the only players currently ranked in the world’s top 20 who have ever donned the Green Jacket. Another man who has tasted Augusta glory is Singh, the 2000 winner. Those who assume that his best days are well and truly behind him may be surprised to learn that the Fijian has already finished second and third in two PGA Tour events in 2011 and made seven out nine cuts. At 48-years-old he is enjoying something of a renaissance and Fred Couples proved only last year that the ‘oldies’ can still flourish at Augusta. Experience is key.

Singh’s Masters victory merely began a fine run of form at Augusta that ran all the way up to a year ago. His record between 2000-09 reads 1, T18, 7, T6, T6, T5, T8, T13, T14, T30. Impressive stuff to say the least. At 18/1 with SkyBet to be top former winner, the Big Fijian offers an intriguing alternative, and terrific value, especially if the big two falter.