The Masters: Steve Palmer's final-round predictions and golf betting tips

Steve Palmer was on the money in round three of the Masters, advising five correct selections in a twoball Super Yankee which would've returned £106 from a £26 total stake. Read on for his best bets for the final round at Augusta National.

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Where to watch the Masters

Sky Sports Golf, 3pm Sunday

Best bets

Adam Scott to win 5.25pm twoball (4-6) and Cameron Smith to win 6.55pm twoball (5-6)
5pts double Betfair, Power

Scottie Scheffler to beat Bryson DeChambeau straight forecast
1pt 14-1 bet365

Scottie Scheffler to beat Max Homa straight forecast
1pt 5-1 bet365

Already advised on April 13

Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau dual forecast
2pts 11-4 bet365

Story so far

Scottie Scheffler has slowly but surely gone odds-on for the Masters over the last three days – the world number one draining a birdie putt at the 18th hole on Saturday to take a lead into the final round at Augusta National.

Scheffler, available at 5-1 on tournament eve, has shortened to a general 10-11 after covering the first 54 holes in seven under par. The 2022 champion endured a wobble at the start of his back nine in round three – a double-bogey at the tenth hole followed by a bogey at the 11th – but an eagle at the 13th got the Texas-based superstar back on the front foot.

Scheffler leads Collin Morikawa by a shot with 18 holes to play at the iconic Georgia venue. Victory for Morikawa would put him only a US Open title away from a career Grand Slam of Majors. He is a general 7-2 for the Green Jacket.

Max Homa is a shot further behind in third spot, seeking a first Major title, while Ludvig Aberg is alone in fourth, enjoying a magnificent Major debut. Bryson DeChambeau carried a cold putter throughout Saturday – and found water en route to a cardbusting seven at the 15th hole – but a brilliant holed third shot to the 18th hole meant a last-gasp birdie which kept him in the title hunt.

The Masters resumes at 2.15pm, with backmarkers Adam Hadwin and Vijay Singh teeing off. The final twoball of Scheffler and Morikawa is scheduled on the tee at 7.35pm.

Glorious weather is forecast for the denouement – sunny throughout, with temperatures peaking at 29C, and wind speeds struggling to get to double-digits.

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Join Jack Reeve, Steve Palmer and special guests for the Sweet Spot Live in association with AK Bets, as they cover the final round of the 2024 Masters.

You can tune into our live Masters watchalong by clicking this link to access the Racing Post's YouTube channel from 7.30pm on Sunday evening.

The Masters leaderboard

-7 Scottie Scheffler
-6 Collin Morikawa
-5 Max Homa
-4 Ludvig Aberg
-3 Bryson DeChambeau
-2 Xander Schauffele, Cameron Davis, Nicolai Hojgaard
-1 Byeong Hun An, Cameron Smith, Cameron Young, Tommy Fleetwood

Selected others
Par Patrick Cantlay
+1 Matt Fitzpatrick
+2 Sepp Straka
+3 Rory McIlroy, Joaquin Niemann, Will Zalatoris, Tyrrell Hatton
+5 Hideki Matsuyama, Jon Rahm
+6 Shane Lowry, Brooks Koepka'
+11 Tiger Woods

Missed cut
+7 Justin Thomas, Wyndham Clark
+8 Viktor Hovland
+9 Jordan Spieth
+13 Dustin Johnson

Best odds for the Masters

10-11 S Scheffler, 7-2 C Morikawa, 8 M Homa, 17-2 L Aberg, 20 B DeChambeau, 30 X Schauffele, 80 C Smith, 90 T Fleetwood, 100 bar.

The Masters final-round predictions.

Scottie Scheffler had a three-shot lead going into the final round of the 2022 Masters and went on to win the tournament by the same margin. He was five shots ahead with one hole to play, but four-putted the 18th to close with a double-bogey.

Scheffler's victory of two years ago sounds like a cakewalk – and it was a relatively cosy success – but it is important to remember how much pressure he was put under after the first two holes of round four. Cameron Smith, his nearest pursuer, birdied the first and second holes, meaning Scheffler's lead was reduced to just one with 16 holes to play.

Scheffler, who had spent some time that morning weeping due to the intensity of the situation, responded manfully to the Smith birdies. A chip-in for birdie at the third hole regained control of the tournament for Scheffler.

Given he held himself together so well when bidding for his first Green Jacket and his first Major title, it is reasonable to expect Scheffler to approach today's final round with relative serenity.

Many great champions have won their second Masters two years after their first – Horton Smith, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson – and Scheffler seems set to do likewise.

Scheffler was a PGA Tour maiden just two months before slipping on the Green Jacket in 2022. A whirlwind burst of form saw him go from world number 15 to world number one in a flash. Two years later, he is an eight-time PGA Tour champion who has cemented himself as the best of the best. He was not sure if he was ready to win a Masters two years ago, but he can be certain today.

Collin Morikawa has not been at his best this year, with less consistent approach-play, but he is a two-time Major champion who must be respected. It may be on the greens that his Jacket bid falters. He switched putters between rounds one and two this week, and missed some key putts down the stretch on Saturday.

It must be noted that both of Morikawa's Major wins came when attendances were reduced due to Covid. Nobody was allowed to watch the 2020 US PGA he won, while only 32,000 fans a day were permitted at Royal St George's for his Open success. This will be the most intense Major atmosphere Morikawa has overcome if he prevails. His 2024 campaign suggests he will not have the confidence to finish the job.

Augusta bigwigs typically set up the course for birdies on Sunday. Some morning watering and generous pin positions can be anticipated. The easier scoring conditions make Homa, who is by far the best putter in the top eight on the leaderboard, a huge threat. He has not made a birdie since the fourth hole of round two, but seems likely to produce a finishing flourish.

Ludvig Aberg is astonishingly gifted, attempting to defy history by winning his first Major at the first attempt, but he made some understandable course-management errors on Saturday and probably needs this run before he starts winning Majors.

Bryson DeChambeau wanted some intensive practice on his putting between rounds three and four. He will probably feel galvanised by his hole-out birdie at the 54th hole and an improvement in his flat-stick work on Sunday would give the LIV player a chance of threatening Scheffler.

The first five on the leaderboard are probably the only realistic title challengers. Giving the best player in the world a five-shot advantage or more with 18 holes to play is surely too much. Scheffler, Racing Post Sport's pre-tournament 5-1 headline recommendation, can be fancied to win his second Major title.

With Homa and DeChambeau expected to be the main threats, straight-forecast options with Scheffler finishing first appeal at 5-1 and 14-1.

Final-round twoballs punters are pointed towards two Australians – Adam Scott and Cameron Smith. This has been a remarkable Masters for Danny Willett, competing for the first time since the BMW PGA Championship in September last year, but he has carded rounds of 75 and 76 over the last two days. Body and mind must be starting to ache for Willett and Scott, 2013 Masters champion and in ultra-consistent form in recent months, looks the best bet on the twoballs card.

Smith will appreciate the easier Sunday set-up and this masterful putter can build on his excellent Augusta record. The fifth top-ten finish of his Masters career appears to be coming. Byeong Hun An's short-game weaknesses probably means he struggles to keep pace with Smith today.

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