Mr Fixit's Golf Tips: Masters 1st Rd Three Balls

ALL of the best players in the world are gathered at Augusta so there are some cracking pairings.

Most of the big guns are put out together so in those three balls it's tough to pick a winner.

For example how you decide between Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler and Matt Kuchar – on their day any one of those could shoot the best first-round score.

Equally world No.1 Dustin Johnson goes out with last year's runner-up Justin Rose as well as dangerous outsider Rafa Cabrera-Bello.

Rory McIlroy will be out to get off to a hot start so should outscore Jon Rahm and Adam Scott and he is 5-4 at bet365 to do so.

Tiger Woods, back at the Masters after a two-year absence, is 13-10 at Unibet to beat Euro No.1 Tommy Fleetwood and Marc Leishman. That will tempt many.

I'm putting up a double on two younger Americans who could go well this week. I've tipped Russell Henley each-way and was pleased to see he is one of Steve Palmer's tips in yesterday's Racing Post. Palmer knows more about the sport than me.

Local lad Henley is today up against veteran Larry Mize and debutant Shubhankar Sharma. Henley plays well in this part of the country and has finished 31st, 21st and 11th in the past three years. Next in that sequence is first or maybe 21st.

Mize, like Sandy Lyle, is a former winner making up the numbers. He won the year before the Scot in 1987 and is 60 this year. Will do brilliantly to make the cut and should struggle to match Henley and possibly Sharma.

The young Indian was given a rare special invite to Augusta after winning twice on the European Tour this season and leading the WGC-Mexico for three rounds before fading on the final day. Debutants often struggle at Augusta and again he will do well to make the cut.

Back Henley to win this threeball at 5-6 with Coral.

Add Patrick Cantlay who has been tipped as a potential winner by some experts. He was top amateur in 2012 and a former amateur world No.1. Won his first pro tournament in November and has made the cut at all four Majors he's played.

Cantlay is 5-4 to beat Ian Poulter and Trevor Immelman. Poulter is his main threat having earned the final place with a dramatic win at the Houston Open on Sunday.

Immelman is living off his 2008 Masters win and has struggled in the past five years. Unlikely to make the cut and has failed to do so in his last four Masters.

Poulter's triumph is just being here and he could be jaded after his efforts to do so. Fancy Cantlay to take the day one honours in this group.

Others to consider are Tony Finau at 10-11 with William Hill against Seniors star Bernhard Langer and Japan's Yuta Ikeda who hasn't performed well in the Majors.

I also like Daniel Berger at 11-13 with Unibet gainst Japanese debutant Satoshi Kodaira and another veteran Vijay Singh who is second favourite behind Fred Couples for top Senior.