The Masters 2025: First Round Leader Odds: Koepka And DeChambeau Favourites
The first major of the year gets under way tomorrow and The Panel are taking a close look at the US Masters first-round leaderboard odds on the best betting sites.
Getting off to a hot start is essential for the chances of success at Augusta where the last five winners have been inside the top three after the opening day.
Scottie Scheffler was a shot behind Bryson DeChambeau after round one 12 months ago and was third when he won the Masters for the first time in 2022.
Jon Rahm and Dustin Johnson both topped the leaderboard in the years they wore the Green Jacket, so who could be leading the way heading into Friday’s play this week?
The Panel have analysed some of the statistics and picked out three players from the 96 starters for their US Masters first-round leader betting tips.
The Masters First-Round Leader Tips: Brooks Koepka
Koepka may not have had a vintage major season in 2024, but he was the only LIV golfer to make the cut in all four tournaments.
Twelve months earlier, Koepka won a third USPGA Championship and his fifth major overall, so he certainly excels in elite company.
Koepka hardly flew out of the blocks at the 2024 US Masters, but he has twice led at Augusta after the opening day, first in 2019 and then again with Rahm and Viktor Hovland two years ago.
Of course, Koepka topped the leaderboard after day one in his wire-to-wire victory at the USPGA Championship in 2019, so fast starts are nothing new for the 34-year-old from Florida.
Koepka is 40/1 with golf betting sites to top the leaderboard at the end of Thursday.
US Masters First Round Leader Pick 1: Brooks Koepka - 40/1 With BetMGM
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US Masters First Round Leader Betting Tips:
- US Masters First Round Leader Pick 1: Brooks Koepka - 40/1 With BetMGM
- US Masters First Round Leader Pick 2: Bryson DeChambeau - 28/1 With BetVictor
- US Masters First Round Leader Pick 3: Viktor Hovland - 40/1 With Unibet
US Masters First-Round Leader Tips: Bryson DeChambeau
Fellow LIV golfer DeChambeau is no stranger to be leading after the opening round at the US Masters and he gets the nod to achieve the feat for a third time.
The long-hitting American shot a 66 to share the first-round leaderboard with Koepka in 2019 and he went one lower last year to lead Scheffler by a stroke.
DeChambeau made decent starts in his first three tournaments of the 2025 LIV Golf tour, shooting -3 in Riyadh, followed by -4 in both Adelaide and Hong Kong.
Hopefully, his powerful game from off the tee will get him off to a flying start and he can be backed at 28/1 in the US Masters first-round odds.
US Masters First Round Leader Pick 2: Bryson DeChambeau - 28/1 With BetVictor
The Masters First-Round Leader Tips: Viktor Hovland
Hovland’s odds on winning the US Masters were drifting by the week following three missed cuts, but out of nowhere the Norwegian won the Valspar Championship three weeks ago to put him back in the conversation.
His performance at Copperhead will certainly have boosted his confidence ahead of his trip to Augusta, where prior to last year’s missed cut his record read 32nd, 22nd, 21st and seventh.
That seventh-placed finish came two years ago when he started round one with a 65 which was good enough for a share of the lead with Rahm and Koepka.
Hovland made a so-so start with a 70 at the Innisbrook Resort, his momentum over the next three rounds carrying him to a one-shot victory over Justin Thomas.
The world number eight has gone through several changes of coach in recent years and is often accused of being a perfectionist, tinkering with his swing when perhaps he would have been better to leave it alone.
However, everything finally came good last month where his Strokes Gained: Approach metrics were excellent.
Hopefully, the impetus from his seventh PGA Tour title and first since the Tour Championship in 2023 will stand him in good stead.
A fast start could be on the cards and Hovland is available at 40/1 with betting apps.
US Masters First Round Leader Pick 3: Viktor Hovland - 40/1 With Unibet
