The Masters Sleeper Picks: Lowry Can Defy Odds

The 2023 Masters Tournament is set to get underway in the coming days as players make the annual trip to Augusta, Georgia. Most years, a known golf commodity rocks the green jacket at the end of the prestigious tournament, but sometimes we get a long-shot champion.

Using what we know about Augusta National and picking a Masters champ, here are three potential sleeper picks to win the 2023 Masters:

Shane Lowry (+6600) Brings Augusta Success

At this point, Shane Lowry is an Augusta vet. This year will be the righty’s eighth shot at the green jacket, and he’s trending toward his goal. Lowry has finished inside the top 25 in the last three Masters tournaments, improving on his place every year since 2019.

Last year, he pulled a score of 69 out on the final day to climb the leaderboard, finish at 5 under and tie for third place. Getting a reigning top-three Masters finisher who’s also ranked within the top 25 in the world right now at this value is too good to pass up.

Shane Lowry is making moves at The Masters 💪

This incredible chip in on the 10th has him within two shots of the lead 💚 #themasters pic.twitter.com/xIF2Mdjhqi

— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) April 8, 2022

Shane Lowry’s Masters Odds

• To Win: +6600
• Top Five: +850
• Top 10: +350

Seamus Power (+15000) Riding Hot Streak Into Masters

He may not have the same recognition as a Tiger Woods, but you should know the name Seamus Power this year. In his last 10 tournaments, Power has seven top-25 finishes, three top-fives, and one win at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. With his recent hot streak, Power ranks seventh in current FedExCup points, right behind Rory McIlroy and ahead of top golfers like Collin Morikawa, Tony Finau and Jason Day.

“Confidence is a huge thing in golf,” Power said earlier this season, per the PGA Tour. “I think after the win last week, one, you’re playing a little freer, I think, and two, your confidence is high, feeling good about your game.”

Power isn’t an analytics darling, but he is above average on driving distance and greens in regulation, two key stats at Augusta. But this pick is riding recent form, and we’re hoping Seamus has his Irish luck in Georgia.

Kevin Na’s (+25000) Efficiency Could Flash Again

Many Augusta greens are surrounded by death traps, making hitting greens efficiently a key for any Masters champ. Two stats we can look at to gauge this are strokes gained on approach and greens in regulation.

Last year, Kevin Na finished 14th at the 2022 Masters with one of the most efficient weekends of green sniping. His 70.83 percent GIR rate was best among all participants. If he didn’t five-put (yes, FIVE puts) the 16th hole, Na could’ve easily finished top-10.

The rare five-putt on 16 from Kevin Na. pic.twitter.com/LoSJCrtSnk

— Shane Bacon (@shanebacon) April 9, 2022

We don’t have 2023 golf data on how many greens Na is efficiently finding on the LIV Tour these days, but the 39-year-old has finished inside the top 10 in one of his two LIV events this season, and 20th in the other. If Na can find his 2022 GIR numbers again at Augusta, he should be in contention for the jacket.