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Bookies Bet That Tiger Is Back

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By the looks of it, Tiger Woods got his groove back. He finished the first round of the 2018 Arnold Palmer Invitational four under par, making this the second consecutive week in which Woods has at one point led a PGA Tour event. For some, this is the return of golf’s messiah, while for others this is a chance to make a quick buck off of one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.

Following his impressive start to the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where he seeks a record ninth victory at Bay Hill, bookmakers have reported thousands of bets on a 2018 Masters win.

Last year, it seemed unlikely that Woods would make a return at all. The odds were as large as 100/1 for a Masters success this year, but they are now the lowest they’ve been since 2014, according to the Irish bookmaker Paddy Power.

Currently, Woods is rated at just 7/4 — compared with 8/1 at the start of the year — to win a major in 2018 and 25/1 to be named World Number One.

Conversely, he’s priced at 20/1 to retire from the sport altogether, a price that has gone out from 9/1 following his recent performance.

A spokesperson for Paddy Power said:

I’ve always been a fan of a romantic comeback, and it looks as though our punters think Tiger is onto a Masters winner.

His odds are tumbling at a frightening pace, and we could be in for a hefty pay-out next month at this rate.

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