Masters 2026: Assessing frontrunners, challengers, aspirants, and others

AUGUSTA, Ga. — This week, Rory McIlroy will drive down Magnolia Lane for the first time as a Masters champion.

Additionally, McIlroy will not have the weight of never having won a green jacket as he readies for the season’s initial major championship at Augusta National Golf Club.

Almost a year ago, McIlroy sank a 4-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to overcome England’s Justin Rose in a sudden-death playoff.

With his long-awaited Masters triumph, McIlroy became just the sixth golfer to achieve the career Grand Slam.

“No, this is going to be the first time I drive down Magnolia Lane, and it’s all going to be about enjoying my week,” McIlroy stated. “You know, enjoying the perks that come along with being a Masters champion: having a parking space in the champions’ car park to using the champions’ locker room. You know, hosting the dinner on Tuesday night.

“The thing is, I know I get to go back to the Masters Tournament for the rest of my life, and that’s quite a freeing feeling.”

Can McIlroy replicate his success? Will Scottie Scheffler find his rhythm and don a green jacket for the third time in five years? Or could LIV Golf stars Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm emerge victorious?

Here’s a look at the 91 golfers in the field, from those with winning potential to those simply aiming to make the cut.

Tier I: The clear favorites

Some may have concerns regarding Scheffler’s game as he heads into the Masters, but he has already secured two green jackets and remains the top golfer globally. McIlroy’s chances of repeating are uncertain due to back issues. Collin Morikawa was performing like one of the best before suffering a back injury. Can DeChambeau’s success in the LIV Golf League translate to the majors? Here are the golfers with the highest likelihood of wearing a green jacket on Sunday.

Scottie Scheffler
The world No. 1 golfer has been struggling with his driver recently, ranking 80th in strokes gained: approach (.080). He has not finished in the top 10 since tying for fourth in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Feb. 12 — marking his longest drought in nearly four years (three consecutive starts!). He opted out of a Texas event due to his wife, Meredith, expecting their second child. Nevertheless, he remains the betting favorite and would become only the ninth golfer to win three or more jackets. Scheffler is 101-under par in his major championship career, the best in history, including 111 under since 2020. He is 45 strokes ahead of any other player during that timeframe, according to ESPN Research.

Rory McIlroy
McIlroy’s performance had been strong this year until a back injury caused him to withdraw from the Arnold Palmer Invitational in early March. He was uncertain to participate in the Players but managed to complete 72 holes, finishing tied for 46th at even par. His three-week break is tied for the longest of his career before entering the Masters, according to ESPN Research. Last year, he joined Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods as the only golfers to win all four majors during the Masters era. He would be the first back-to-back winner since Woods in 2001 and 2002. To win again, he must enhance his putting, as he ranks 104th in strokes gained: putting (-.148); he was ninth in that category heading into the 2025 Masters.

Bryson DeChambeau
The long-hitting DeChambeau secured consecutive victories in the LIV Golf League and is currently playing some of the best golf of his career. He played alongside McIlroy in the final pairing on Sunday at last year’s Masters, carding a 3-over 75 and finishing tied for fifth at 7 under. He has unfinished business at Augusta, having been in the top 10 of the leaderboard at the end of each round in the last two Masters — Scheffler was the only other golfer to achieve this.

Xander Schauffele
The two-time major winner has finished in the top 10 at the Masters in five of his last seven appearances. He appears to have finally recovered from a rib injury that hindered his 2025 season, finishing solo third in the Players and tying for fourth in the Valspar Championship. Since his Masters debut in 2018, Schauffele is tied for the most top-10 finishes with five.

Cameron Young
Young is expected to be a popular choice for the green jacket after winning the Players, marking the most significant victory of his career. His tee-to-green game is well-suited for Augusta National, where he has already achieved two top 10 finishes in four starts.

Patrick Reed
As he returns to the PGA Tour this fall, it will be intriguing to see what kind of reception the 2018 Masters winner receives in Augusta, where he played college golf. Augusta National still feels like home for him, as he has finished in the top 12 in five of his last six starts. Reed has already won twice on the DP World Tour this year and is 39 under in the Masters since 2018, trailing only Scheffler (40 under).

Ludvig Åberg
Åberg was the runner-up in the 2024 Masters and finished solo seventh last year. He will need to bounce back from a late collapse in the Players, where he squandered a three-stroke lead with nine holes remaining. In last year’s Masters, he was tied with McIlroy and Rose with two holes to play in the final round but finished with a bogey-triple bogey, ending five shots back.

Jon Rahm
The 2023 Masters champion secured his third LIV Golf victory in Hong Kong on March 8. Despite discussions about him not playing enough golf to contend in majors, he has finished in the top 10 in five of the last nine. Since achieving his first top-10 finish in the Masters in 2018, “Rahmbo” has recorded five top 10s in eight starts and has the most rounds in the 60s (13) of any player, according to ESPN Research.

Tommy Fleetwood
The reigning FedEx Cup champion has placed in the top 25 in each of his last two Masters appearances, tying for third in 2024. Although Fleetwood has finished in the top 10 in three of his four starts in signature events this season, his putting has not been strong. Fleetwood’s eight career top 10s in majors are the most among players in this year’s Masters field without a major title, according to ESPN Research.

Tier II: The guys who can win

Here are the genuine contenders aside from the top nine. They possess the skills, determination, and composure to navigate four demanding rounds on one of the most challenging golf courses globally.

Matt Fitzpatrick
The 2022 U.S. Open champion secured another victory at the Valspar Championship on March 22, marking his first PGA Tour win in nearly three years. His ball-striking is once again world-class, hitting 69% of fairways, which ranks fourth on tour.

Justin Rose
Rose, 45, will arrive at Augusta National with some scars from his painful playoff defeat to McIlroy in 2025. However, this also demonstrates that the English golfer is still capable of winning a major. He has been a Masters runner-up three times in 20 appearances.

Jordan Spieth
While Spieth hasn’t won since the RBC Heritage in April 2022, the 2015 Masters champion has produced several strong rounds this season, along with a few that hindered his chances. He has finished in the top five in half of his 12 Masters appearances. Spieth’s career scoring average (70.98) is the lowest of any player in Masters history with at least 25 rounds played.

Sepp Straka
Straka won twice on the PGA Tour last season and tied for second in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Feb. 12. His putting will need to improve this week if he hopes to contend for a green jacket.

Brooks Koepka
Koepka’s form has been inconsistent since his return to the PGA Tour in January, but few golfers perform as well in majors as “Big-Game Brooks.” The five-time major winner is a two-time Masters runner-up, most recently in 2023. He ranks third on tour in strokes gained: approach (.913) but 140th in strokes gained: putting (-.529).

Collin Morikawa
The two-time major champion would have been among the top five favorites to don a green jacket on Sunday had a back injury not sidelined him. Morikawa aimed to return in last week’s Valero Texas Open but was not ready. He has finished in the top 10 in the Masters in three of his last four starts. Since 2020, Morikawa has hit the most fairways of anyone (264) and the second-most greens (291), only behind Scheffler.

Hideki Matsuyama
Matsuyama’s recent form has not been strong, but he lost in a playoff in Phoenix and tied for eighth at Pebble Beach earlier this year. He has struggled with his driver for much of the season. Matsuyama has not finished in the top 10 since becoming the first Japanese golfer to win a green jacket in 2021.

Russell Henley
The former University of Georgia golfer will receive considerable support from the galleries this week. He tied for fourth in 2023, his only top-10 finish in nine starts. He has been one of the top putters on tour, and his ball-striking remains solid.

Robert MacIntyre
Bobby Mac has risen to 11th in the Official World Golf Ranking and recently finished solo fourth in the Players. The Scottish golfer will be making his fourth appearance at Augusta; his best finish was a tie for 12th in 2021.

Akshay Bhatia
Bhatia has already claimed three victories on tour — and he just turned 24 on Jan. 31. His playoff win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational was the most significant of his career. He made the cut in his first two Masters appearances. His iron play and putting have been exceptional.

Tyrrell Hatton
Hatton’s relationship with Augusta National has been fluctuating, but it seems to be improving. The LIV Golf star tied for ninth in 2024 and for 14th last season.

Viktor Hovland
Hovland has only one top-10 finish this season and has dropped to 22nd in the world rankings. Still, he has the potential to perform well this week if he can find a way to hit fairways. Hovland tied for seventh in 2023.

Harris English
English has had a somewhat rocky start to the 2026 season — he hasn’t finished outside the top 30 in the seven tournaments where he made the cut, but he hasn’t placed inside the top 20. He tied for 12th in last year’s Masters, his best finish in the major. He was the runner-up in the 2025 PGA Championship and The Open.

Tier III: If everything goes right

Here are the sleeper candidates who could don a green jacket. This list includes past champions, emerging talents, and others whose games have been works in progress this season. Will everything align at Augusta?

Chris Gotterup
Gotterup, 26, has already secured two victories on tour this season, at the Sony Open in Hawaii and WM Phoenix Open. He drives the ball a considerable distance (319.9 yards) and ranks seventh in strokes gained: tee to green (1.311). This will be his first Masters appearance.

Shane Lowry
Lowry experienced a challenging period after losing a late lead in the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches, missing the cut in the API and the Players. He tied for third in the 2022 Masters.

Jacob Bridgeman
Bridgeman secured his first PGA Tour victory by overcoming a strong field in the Genesis Invitational. He did not finish outside the top 18 in his first eight starts this season. He leads the tour in strokes gained: putting (1.339) and is second in strokes gained: total (1.933). This will be his first Masters appearance.

Justin Thomas
Thomas tied for eighth in the Players, a positive indication as he continues his recovery from back surgery in November. Augusta National has not been a favorable venue for him lately. After consecutive missed cuts, he tied for 36th in 2025. Since 2023, JT has missed the cut in seven of his 12 major starts. The only player with more missed cuts in majors during that period is Nick Taylor (nine), according to data from ESPN Research.

Min Woo Lee
“The Chef” has been gaining momentum recently with four top-12 finishes in a five-tournament stretch. He ranks in the top 10 on tour in strokes gained: total (1.693), tee to green (1.236), and off the tee (.675).

Si Woo Kim
Kim has achieved five top-25 finishes in his first eight starts this season, tying for second in the Farmers Insurance Open and for third in Phoenix. He has finished in the top 15 of the Masters once in eight appearances.

Nicolai Højgaard
Højgaard finished second in the Houston Open, securing his place in the OWGR top 50 and earning a spot in the Masters field. He tied for 16th in his first Augusta appearance in 2024.

Corey Conners
The Canadian ball-striking specialist has struggled with his putting and around the greens this season. He has finished in the top 10 in four of his last six Masters appearances.

Adam Scott
Just when it seems the 2013 Masters champion’s best golf is behind him, he finished solo fourth in the Genesis Invitational and tied for 11th in the API. He ranks fourth on tour in strokes gained: approach (.912).

Sam Burns
Burns had a mixed start to the 2026 season, missing three cuts and tying for sixth at Pebble Beach and 13th in the Players. He has not finished in the top 25 in any of his first four Masters appearances.

Patrick Cantlay
Cantlay has not won on tour in over three years and missed the cut in three of four majors last year (he tied for 36th in the Masters). It is time for “Patty Ice” to turn things around.

Jason Day
After a difficult period, Day tied for sixth in the Houston Open, gaining some momentum. His iron play has been a limitation for him this season. He tied for eighth in last year’s Masters.

Jake Knapp
Knapp is coming off an 8-under 62 in the final round of the Houston Open, which tied for the lowest score at Memorial Park Golf Course. His tie for sixth moved him into the OWGR top 50, securing his second Masters invitation.

Daniel Berger
Berger nearly completed his remarkable comeback from a serious back injury, losing to Bhatia on the first hole of a playoff in the API. He tied for 21st in the Masters last year, his first major appearance since 2022.

Ben Griffin
Griffin, who won three times on tour last season, is currently struggling with his swing and missed three consecutive cuts in March. This will be his first appearance at Augusta National.

Gary Woodland
His victory in the Houston Open — following his recovery from brain surgery and battling PTSD — is one of the most inspiring stories in the sport in recent times. He tied for 14th in the 2023 Masters, his best finish in 12 appearances.

Alex Noren
After winning twice on the DP World Tour last year, Noren is ranked 19th in the world. He has not finished in the top 10 in a major since 2017 and has made the cut at Augusta once, finishing 62nd in 2019.

J.J. Spaun
The reigning U.S. Open champion has faced significant challenges this season, with four missed cuts in his first seven starts. He was 114th in strokes gained: total (-.450) and 159th in putting (-.875).

Cameron Smith
From 2020 to 2024, Smith’s name frequently appeared on the Augusta National leaderboard. He tied for sixth in 2024 but has since missed the cut in his last five majors.

Sungjae Im
The South Korean golfer has finished in the top eight in three of his six Masters appearances, tying for fifth last year. A right wrist injury delayed the start of his 2026 season, and he is still catching up.

Zach Johnson
The 2007 Masters champion won his first event on the PGA Champions Tour at the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational on March 8. He tied for eighth in last year’s Masters at age 49, carding a 6-under 66 in the third round, his best score at Augusta National.

Tier IV