2022 Masters picks, odds: Expert predictions, favorites to win from betting field at

With the 86th Masters fast approaching, the key question everyone’s asking is the same across the golf world: Who are you picking to win at Augusta National? With a tremendous field featuring most of the best professionals and a few of the top amateurs in the world, the first major of 2022 should be an epic ride from Thursday’s first round onward.

This year’s Masters is as wide open as any in recent memory. There is no favorite in the single digits this time around, and nobody has emerged as the player to beat over 72 holes. The two hottest players in the world — Cameron Smith and Scottie Scheffler — are both nice picks but not considered heavyweight favorites at Augusta. Conversely, many of the top stars in the world have not won so far in 2022 and several of them have a dodgy history with this course.

Then there is the Tiger Woods conundrum. What do you do with a five-time Masters winner who has not played an official event in 17 months but also might know the golf course better than anyone who has ever played it? Woods indicated that he is indeed going to tee it up on Thursday morning alongside Louis Oosthuizen and Joaquin Niemann, and the potential outcomes for him might be wider than anyone else in the field.

Add it all up, and it would appear that we’re in for a wild Masters week full of unexpected twists and turns but also a lot of familiar names atop the leaderboard. As such, you’re not going to want to miss a minute of action, so be sure to check out (and bookmark) our 2022 Masters TV schedule and coverage guide so you can stay tuned in all week.

So what is going to happen this week at Augusta? Let’s take a look at a full set of predictions and picks from our CBS Sports experts as we attempt to project who will win — and what will happen — at the most prestigious golf tournament in the world. Check out a full set of 2022 Masters odds provided by Caesars Sportsbook.

2022 Masters expert picks, predictions

Kyle Porter, golf writer

Winner — Justin Thomas (12-1): I have some conflicted feelings about J.T. at Augusta National, where he clearly does not putt the ball well. However, in the weeks leading into this one, it has felt (and looked, statistically) as if he was building toward a massive victory. You could have said the same over the first few rounds at the Masters last year, too, before an 8 on the par-5 13th led to 75 and undid his chances of winning. His driving can get wayward at times so the big number is always a concern, but if the weather gets a little squirrely later this week — and it might — Thomas proved at the Players Championship that he has probably more game than anyone to stand up to it.

Sleeper — Si Woo Kim (65-1): There are a few things I love about Kim this week. The first is that he’s showed the propensity to win massive events before (he dominated the 2017 Players), and the second is that he low-key plays Augusta National tremendously. Kim has four straight made cuts here, including three top 25s and a sneaky T12 in 2021 when he putted with his 3-wood for part of the tournament. There are a handful of players at 50-1 or longer (Adam Scott and Russell Henley included) that stand out, but Kim is my favorite of the bunch.

Top 10 lock — Brooks Koepka: There’s a lot to like about Koepka this week. He’s been playing good golf (three top 20s in his last four starts). He’s seemingly as healthy as he’s been in a long time (certainly healthier than last year when he was climbing up the hill on No. 13 following a knee issue). And of course, the fact that he just destroys at major championships with 12 (twelve!) top 10s in his last 16 starts at the four biggest events. 

Star who definitely won’t win — Rory McIlroy: It pains me to say it, but McIlroy has been struggling with his irons more than somebody who wants to win at Augusta National should. His top-10 record at this event is tremendous (nobody has more than his six over the last 10 years), but he has yet to properly execute what he referenced earlier this week as a “negative” game plan where he plays away from trouble, takes full advantage of the par 5s and hits everything pin high. I would love to see that happen this week, but even last week at the Texas Open, he struggled with distance control which did not engender a ton of optimism.

Surprise prediction — Tiger Woods makes the cut: Perhaps this would be considered more surprising three weeks or two months ago than it is after seeing how healthy and fit Woods looked at the beginning of the week. However, it should still be completely astonishing if somebody who nearly lost a leg 14 months ago is playing the weekend at the most prestigious golf tournament in the world.

Lowest round: 65 (-7)
Winning score: 275 (-13)
Winner’s Sunday score: 69 (-3)

Chip Patterson, writer

Winner — Xander Schauffele (20-1): If he stays true to form, Schauffele will be at a minimum…