Starting fast at the Masters with a strong opening round is necessary to stay in the hunt for the title. It’s part of the reason why the 1st round leader makes for a compelling betting market for the Masters.
Seven out of the last eight Masters champions were fourth place or better after the opening round — with Tiger Woods (11th in 2019), of course, being the exception. Going back to the turn of the century, Woods remains the only player outside the top 10 after the first round to win the Masters (2005, 2019).
Spot on the board after R1 of the Masters for the past 20 champs.
Scottie: 2
Rahm: 1
Scottie: 3
Hideki: 2
DJ: 1
Tiger: 11
Reed: 4
Sergio: 4
Willett: 9
Spieth: 1
Bubba: 2
Scott: 10
Bubba: 4
Charl: 7
Phil: 2
Angel: 6
Immelman: 1
Zach: 5
Phil: 4
Tiger: 33Nobody not named Tiger…
— Kyle Porter (@KylePorterNS) April 3, 2025
With everyone looking for a strong start on Thursday, Masters 1st round leaders in the last 10 years include a lot of star power. The group includes Jordan Spieth (three times), Bryson DeChambeau (twice), Brooks Koepka (twice), Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland, Justin Rose, and Dustin Johnson. On the flip side, there’s enough volatility in 1st round leader markets that journeymen golfers like Charley Hoffman and Dylan Frittelli still have a chance for an outlier round to lead after Thursday.
The likely target score for a 1st round leader will be 65 — the first-round low in four of the last five Masters. The exception was Sungjae Im shooting 67 during a windy, rain-delayed opener in 2022.
FanDuel Sportsbook is offering a special promotion this year around the opening round leaderboard. You can get a no-sweat bet on the 1st round leader. Additionally, you can get a 30% profit boost token on Top 10 and Top 20 markets.
Let’s look at some golfers who could get off to a hot start and turn that no-sweat bet into a winner.
Jon Rahm (+2500)
A Masters first-round leader only two years ago en route to his first green jacket, Rahm knows what it takes to go low in the opener. Interestingly, Rahm was made aware of the Tiger Top 10 1st round stat for the first time during Tuesday’s Masters press conference and made note of how important a fast start is during the tournament. Motivated to perform following a poor showing in last year’s majors, Rahm’s strong history around Augusta National makes him a candidate to play well.
Bryson DeChambeau (+3000)
Last year’s Masters leader after Round 1 is tied for sixth on the 2025 odds board in the same category. With a win in the U.S. Open and second-place finish at the PGA Championship last season, DeChambeau displayed elite form in recent major championships. Underwhelming in LIV to start 2025, DeChambeau finished fifth at Doral last week but dominated off the tee (+2.60 strokes gained: off the tee) in his best driving performance of his last 20 events. If the driver stays hot, DeChambeau has a history of going low early at Augusta and could do so again.
Jordan Spieth (+4000)
A mixture of course history and nostalgia factor into this choice. Spieth is a three-time leader after the first round, doing so in 2015 (64), 2016 (66) and 2018 (66). Although recent years have seen Spieth get off to slower starts around Augusta, there’s a track record of knowing how to score early. It’s also encouraging that Spieth has gained strokes in five out of his last six events entering the Masters. The recent form isn’t elite, but Spieth’s comfort with the course means he can get in a groove quickly if things go right.
Dustin Johnson (+5500)
Johnson’s peak days are behind him. But the 40-year-old shows flashes of former brilliance during LIV opening rounds this season. Shooting at least -3 in four out of five openers — peaking with an -8 flourish in Singapore — Johnson shows consistent ability to score early in tournaments before eventually regressing in later rounds. Could a motivated Johnson deliver a strong opener? DJ was a co-leader after the opening round before winning his only green jacket in 2020.
Sepp Straka (+6600)
A trendy secondary pick in Masters pools due to his consistency and strong 2025 start, Straka could break out at Augusta after three previous made cuts. Finishing in the 60s in five opening rounds this season, Straka made an early habit of hot starts, which translated to a win at the American Express and a 36-hole lead at Pebble Beach. Straka has yet to finish a round in the 60s at Augusta, but he’s also played steady and consistently without a bad round. After a T16 finish last year, Straka is hoping that his top-five ball striking on tour this season translates to contending this year.