The best golfers in the world will once again tee it up at Augusta National Golf Club from April 6-9 in the 87th Masters Tournament. Considered to be the most prestigious event in professional golf, The Masters first began in 1934 — but since then there has only been one Canadian to don the coveted green jacket.
That would be the pride of Sarnia, Ontario, Mike Weir.
Last year’s winner, Scottie Scheffler, will return to defend his title, with other top golfers Rory McIllroy and Jon Rahm also in the field. They surely will be among the favorites for Ontario sports betting action. It’s widely expected that five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods will tee off as well. With a win, Woods would tie Jack Nicklaus’ all-time record for Masters championships.
But which Canadians are in the field, and what chance do they have to win?
A Look At Canadians in Masters Field
With the 2023 Masters coming in just two weeks, OntarioBets.com decided to give an early look to the Canadians in the field and examine the likelihood of another Canuck claiming victory in Augusta, Georgia.
In addition to evaluating the odds at Ontario sportsbook apps for each Canadian golfer currently qualified, we’ve also calculated the odds of any Canadian-born golfer winning The Masters by creating a formula.
Unfortunately, it’s not looking good.
Our calculations factor in current BetMGM Ontario Sportsbook odds, along with past performance at Augusta National Golf Club.
The odds of any Canadian-born golfer winning The Masters is +5395, or an implied probability of 1.82%. Here are some individual players:
Corey Conners (+6600)
Conners only has a single win on his PGA resume — at the Valero Texas Open almost four years ago — but he had complied 30 top-20 finishes since 2021. More important, he has finished in the top 10 at the past three Masters.
The 31-year-old from Listowel, Ontario, is as pure of a ball striker as they come. He’s accurate off the tee, and one of the best in the world with an iron in his hand. His problem area is on the putting surface, but he has had plenty of experience on the green complexes of Augusta National by this point.
Conners looks like Canada’s best hope at The Masters in 2023 — but he has to roll the rock well to pay off for Ontario bettors.
Mackenzie Hughes (+20000)
After a red hot start to the 2022-23 season this past fall, culminating in his second PGA Tour victory at the Sanderson Farms Championship, Mackenzie Hughes has cooled off significantly. He only has made two cuts in this calendar year, with his best finish a tie for 50th.
Hailing from Hamilton, Ontario, the 32-year-old Hughes could be seen as a reverse-Corey Conners. That is, he’s a short-game specialist. Sure, Mack is capable of barrelling a 350-yard drive down the centre of the fairway – but make no mistake, Mackenzie Hughes keeps his PGA card because of his ability to chip and putt.
Augusta National is among the longest and toughest tracks on tour, so while Hughes has been gaining distance with his driver and irons this season, this just isn’t a strong fit for his game.
Adam Svensson (+20000)
An intriguing 29-year-old from Surrey, British Columbia, this is only Adam Svensson’s second year on the PGA Tour, and it will be his first trip to Augusta. After an impressive, albeit inconsistent, rookie season, Svensson cashed in early during his sophomore year by winning the RSM Classic in November to qualify for The Masters.
Currently ranked just outside of the Top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings, it’s possible Svensson and his well-rounded game triumph at Augusta — but it’s highly unlikely. Historically, AGNC is not friendly to first-timers. No debutant has won The Masters since 1979.
Mike Weir (+200000)
This year will mark two decades since Mike Weir defeated Len Mattiace in a playoff to win the 2003 Masters Tournament.
As a former champion, Weir has permanent eligibility to play in The Masters. As long as he’s alive and physically capable of teeing it up, he’ll be invited back every year to compete.
That said, Weir, a few months shy of his 53rd birthday, has only survived the cutline three times here since 2010. At this point in his career, he has a better chance winning The Masked Singer than he does winning The Masters.
Other Canadians With A Shot At Qualifying
With two tournaments between now and The Masters, Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor have an outside chance of making the field.
To do so, they would need to crack the Top 50 of the Official World Golf Rankings. Both Hadwin (63rd overall) and Taylor (67th) are in the 64-man field at the Dell Technologies Match Play event underway now. A strong finish for either could be enough to earn them spot a spot in golf’s biggest event.
