By Sophia Patel— Sports & Trending Topics Analyst ( Masters 2026 leaderboard )

The 2025 Masters was a journey in resilience for Rory McIlroy. After years of trying — and failing — to win the event, McIlroy overcame another potential collapse, winning the green jacket and celebrating a career grand slam.

Now, it’s up to McIlroy to prove he can do it again.

But like every other year, McIlroy will go up against some elite competition during the event, including favorites like Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele and Ludvig Åberg, among others.(Masters 2026 leaderboard)

2026 Masters schedule ( Masters 2026 leaderboard )

The first round of the Masters will begin Thursday, April 9, with the earliest tee time starting at 7:40 a.m. ET. The event will run through Sunday, the final day of the 2026 Masters.

While the actual Masters starts Thursday, the Par 3 contest was held at Augusta on Wednesday. Aaron Rai won the event. No golfer who has won the Par 3 contest has ever won the Masters that same year, a bad omen for Rai.

How to watch the Masters ( Masters 2026 leaderboard )

All times ET

Thursday, April 9 | Round 1
Amazon Prime Video: 1-3 p.m.
ESPN: 3-7:30 p.m.

Friday, April 10 | Round 2
Amazon Prime Video: 1-3 p.m.
ESPN: 3-7:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 11 | Round 3
Paramount+: 12-2 p.m.
CBS: 2-7 p.m.

Sunday, April 12 | Round 4
Paramount+: 12-2 p.m.
CBS: 2-7 p.m.

The 90th playing of the Masters is almost here.

Rory McIlroy, after his historic and spectacular playoff win last season, will attempt to defend his green jacket this week at Augusta National. But there are plenty of others in the field more than capable of ruining his hopes of back-to-back wins at the major championship.

Scottie Scheffler, the top-ranked golfer in the field, is the betting favorite again. He’s not played in several weeks, however, and is at the course with his newborn son, Remy, who made the trek to Augusta on Sunday just nine days after he was born.

Both Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm are up there, too. Rahm won on LIV Golf earlier this season, ending a dry spell on the Saudi Arabian-backed league, and DeChambeau was in contention for most of the week last year at Augusta.

Here’s everything you need to know to keep up with the first- and second-round action at the Masters this week, including tee times and featured groups for Thursday and Friday.(Masters 2026 leaderboard)

First round featured groups

All times ET

10:07 a.m.: Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Fitzpatrick, Xander Schauffele
10:31: Rory McIlroy, Cameron Young, Mason Howell (amateur)
1:08 p.m.: Jon Rahm; Chris Gotterup; Ludvig Åberg
1:20: Jordan Spieth; Justin Rose; Brooks Koepka
1:44: Scottie Scheffler; Robert MacIntyre; Gary Woodland

First and second round tee times

All times ET (Friday)

7:40 a.m. (10:51): John Keefer; Haotong Li (China)
7:50 (11:03): Naoyuki Kataoka; Max Homa; Carlos Ortiz
8:02 (11:15): Jose Maria Olazabal; Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen; Aldrich Potgieter
8:14 (11:27): Angel Cabrera; Sami Valimaki; Jackson Herrington
8:26 (11:39): Charl Schwartzel; Max Greyserman; Ryan Fox
8:38 (11:51): Vijay Singh; Matt McCarty; Rasmus Hojgaard
8:50 (12:03): Kurt Kitayama; Kristoffer Reitan; Casey Jarvis
9:02 (12:15): Bubba Watson; Nicolas Echavarria; Brandon Holtz
9:19 (12:32): Cameron Smith; Sam Burns; Jake Knapp
9:31 (12:44): Keegan Bradley; Ryan Gerard; Nick Taylor
9:43 (12:56 ): Dustin Johnson; Shane Lowry; Jason Day
9:55 (1:08): Patrick Reed; Tommy Fleetwood; Akshay Bhatia
10:07 (1:20): Bryson DeChambeau; Matt Fitzpatrick; Xander Schauffele
10:19 (1:32): Hideki Matsuyama; Collin Morikawa; Russell Henley
10:31 (1:44): Rory McIlroy; Cameron Young; Mason Howell (A)
10:43 (1:56): Viktor Hovland; Patrick Cantlay; Alex Noren
11:03 (7:40 a.m.): Samuel Stevens; Sungjae Im
11:15 (7:50): Andrew Novak; Tom McKibbin; Brian Campbell
11:27 (8:02): Mike Weir; Wyndham Clark; Mateo Pulcini
11:39 (8:14): Zach Johnson 66 Michael Kim; Nicolai Hojgaard
11:51 (8:26): Danny Willett; Davis Riley; Ethan Fang
12:03 p.m. (8:38): Adam Scott; Daniel Berger; Brian Harman
12:15 (8:50): Fred Couples; Min Woo Lee; Fifa Laopakdee
12:27 (9:02): Sergio Garcia; Aaron Rai; Jacob Bridgeman
12:44 (9:19): Harry Hall; Corey Conners; Michael Brennan
12:56 (9:31): J.J. Spaun; Maverick McNealy; Tyrrell Hatton
1:08 (9:43): Jon Rahm; Chris Gotterup; Ludvig Åberg
1:20 (9:55): Jordan Spieth; Justin Rose; Brooks Koepka
1:32 (10:07): Sepp Straka; Ben Griffin; Justin Thomas
1:44 (10:19); Scottie Scheffler; Robert MacIntyre; Gary Woodland
1:56 (10:31): Harris English; Marco Penge; Si Woo Kim

How to watch the Masters

All times ET

Wednesday, April 8 | Par 3 Contest
ESPN: 2-4 p.m.

Thursday, April 9 | Round 1
Amazon Prime Video: 1-3 p.m.
ESPN: 3-7:30 p.m.

Friday, April 10 | Round 2
Amazon Prime Video: 1-3 p.m.
ESPN: 3-7:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 11 | Round 3
Paramount+: 12-2 p.m.
CBS: 2-7 p.m.

Sunday, April 12 | Round 4
Paramount+: 12-2 p.m.
CBS: 2-7 p.m.

The 2026 Masters begins on Thursday in Augusta, Georgia, and a familiar face — Scottie Scheffler — is the betting favorite to win the first major of the year at +550 odds at BetMGM.

Scheffler won the 2024 Masters by four strokes — his second green jacket — and came in fourth place last year at -8, three shots behind 2025 Masters winner Rory McIlroy (-11), who won his first title at Augusta in a playoff over Justin Rose. Patrick Reed (-9) finished in third.

Scheffler was a +450 favorite entering last year’s tournament and a +500 favorite entering the 2024 Masters. It’s no surprise that the betting public loves Scheffler again, as he has the most wagers (9.8%) and total dollars wagered (17.1%) of any golfer in the field at BetMGM.

McIlroy, two-time U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm have the next-best odds to win this year’s tournament at 11-1, Ludvig Aberg (14-1) and Xander Schauffele (14-1). No other golfers have odds better than 20-1 at BetMGM.

DeChambeau is currently biggest liability at BetMGM to win this year’s tournament, as he has the second-most wagers (9.1%) and total dollars wagered (10.6%) of any golfer in the field.

Scheffler has continued his terrific form so far in 2026, winning The American Express in January and finishing in the top 25 in every tournament he’s played in — including three top-five finishes.

“Aberg is our biggest liability,” Jeff Sherman, vice president of risk at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, told Yahoo Sports — noting a $5,000 wager placed at 18-1 odds back in November. “Other contenders with liability include Cam Young, Collin Morikawa, Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka, Justin Rose, Jacob Bridgeman and Patrick Cantlay.”

All eyes were on the status of Tiger Woods, who was involved in a car crash last Friday afternoon, and was arrested after failing a field sobriety test. Police officers discovered two hydrocodone pills in his pants pocket and Woods told police he was looking at his phone before the crash, according to an affidavit released on Tuesday.

Woods, a five-time Masters champion, was still among the list of entries as of Tuesday afternoon — and had 250-1 odds to win at BetMGM — but he announced that he’s stepping away from golf “for a period of time” to seek treatment and focus on his own recovery.

The Masters is usually the most-bet golf event of the year, both due to its popularity and because sportsbooks now keep futures odds on the tournament open nearly year round.(Masters 2026 leaderboard)

Masters 2026: Only 10 LIV Golf members are in the field at Augusta National this week

It’s the fewest amount in the Masters since the league was founded

It’s Masters week, but only 10 LIV Golf members are joining the rest of the golf world at Augusta National.

Led by Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, this group is the smallest number of golfers from the Saudi Arabian-backed circuit to compete in the Masters since the league was founded. Only a dozen were in the field last year, and two golfers from the league — Carlos Ortiz and Tom McKibbin — are set to make their Masters debuts.

Now, a few LIV Golf members are either away from the sport currently or have recently stepped away from that league, which has hurt their numbers. Brooks Koepka returned to the PGA Tour earlier this year, and Patrick Reed is planning to this fall after his split with LIV Golf.

Phil Mickelson is out, too, due to a “personal health matter” in his family. This will be the first Masters since 1994 without either Mickelson or Tiger Woods.

While the number of LIV Golf members with status in the majors keeps dwindling, and hopes of a true merger seem completely gone, the golf world is back together briefly once again.

Here’s a look at the 10 LIV Golf members competing for a green jacket this week in Georgia.

LIV Golf at the Masters: Former winners

Jon Rahm

Best finish: 1 (2023)
Status: Lifetime exemption

Of the former winners, Jon Rahm has the best shot to actually win this week. Rahm ended his dry spell on LIV Golf with a win in Hong Kong earlier this season, and he’s finished inside the top five in all five of his LIV Golf starts in 2026. Rahm went T14 at Augusta National last season before back-to-back top-10 major finishes. He’s not missed a single cut at Augusta, either, and has proven he can handle the course. But this is a crucial time in Rahm’s career with his Ryder Cup status very much in doubt.

If he can win this week, who knows what the next stretch of Rahm’s career can look like.

Dustin Johnson

Best finish: 1 (2020)
Status: Lifetime exemption

Dustin Johnson has re-upped with LIV Golf, but he’s struggled outside of that circuit lately. He’s missed back-to-back cuts at the Masters now, and has missed the cut in five of his past eight major starts. If Johnson is going to make a move this week, it will be coming out of nowhere.

Bubba Watson

Best finish: 1 (2012, 2014)
Status: Lifetime exemption

Bubba Watson is the only one in this group who has multiple green jackets, but the last win was more than a decade ago. He finished T14 last season, which marked his best finish at The Masters since before his jump to LIV Golf.

Sergio Garcia

Best finish: 1 (2017)
Status: Lifetime exemption

Sergio Garcia got his major win in a playoff at the Masters in 2017, but it’s been downhill ever since. He’s missed the cut at Augusta National in six of his seven starts since that win.

Sergio Garcia got his major win in a playoff at the Masters in 2017, but it’s been downhill ever since. He’s missed the cut at Augusta National in six of his seven starts since that win.

Charl Schwartzel

Best finish: 1 (2011)
Status: Lifetime exemption

Charl Schwartzel has won twice on the PGA Tour, including at the Masters 15 years ago. He went T36 last season and T10 in 2022, but is widely considered a longshot this week.

LIV Golf at the Masters: Other entries

Bryson DeChambeau

Best finish: T5 (2025)
Status: Through 2029 (U.S. Open win, 2024)

Like Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau is the LIV Golf member to watch this week. He’s been dominant at the majors over the past two seasons, including his win at the U.S. Open in 2024, and finished second in each of his past two PGA Championship starts. DeChambeau hung right with Rory McIlroy last season before falling back to finish T5 in what was his closest shot at a green jacket yet.

DeChambeau was listed at +1200 to win this week on BetMGM, which trails only top-ranked Scottie Scheffler and Rahm, and is even with McIlroy.(Masters 2026 leaderboard)

Tyrrell Hatton

Best finish: T9 (2024)
Status: Through 2026 (U.S. Open finish)

Tyrrell Hatton has finished inside the top 15 in each of his past two starts at Augusta, and he finished T4 at the U.S. Open last summer in what was his best major championship outing of his career. But Hatton’s status at the Masters is once again expiring after this tournament. He’ll need a big week in any of the four majors this season to make it back next spring.

Cameron Smith

Best finish: T2 (2020)
Status: Through 2027 (British Open win, 2022)

It seems like Cameron Smith is always in contention at the Masters. While he missed the cut last season, he’s finished T6 or better in three of his past five starts — which included a runner-up finish in 2021. But Smith missed the cut at all four majors last season, and is rapidly running out of status at Augusta.

Carlos Ortiz

Best finish: N/A
Status: Through 2026 (U.S. Open finish)

Carlos Ortiz is making his Masters debut this week after his T4 finish at the U.S. Open last summer. Ortiz won the Houston Open in 2020 on the PGA Tour before making the jump to LIV Golf, too.

Tom McKibbin

Best finish: N/A
Status: Through 2026 (Hong Kong Open)

Tom McKibbin is making his Masters debut this week, thanks only to his win at the Hong Kong Open. He won the Porsche European Open in 2023 on the DP World Tour, too, and is entering this week at No. 105 in the OWGR.

Masters 2026: How long has it been since notable major winners claimed their most recent one?

AUGUSTA, Ga. — When Rory McIlroy won the 2025 Masters, he didn’t just claim the career Grand Slam. He also snapped an ugly major winless streak that stretched all the way back to the PGA Championship in 2014. That’s 10 major seasons, 39 in total (remember, there was no 2020 Open Championship) that McIlroy showed up as one of the favorites, then left empty-handed.

McIlroy’s streak was a long, cruel one, but certainly not the longest among today’s top challengers. For as much as many of today’s stars have won, their most recent majors are surprisingly far in the distance. (You can blame Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka for a lot of that.) With only four opportunities a year to win, it’s easy to let the months between wins become years, and the years become decades. So let’s see who’s been waiting the longest to snap their own dubious streak …

Scottie Scheffler

Last major won: 2025 Open Championship

Majors held since then: 0. He’s the most recent major winner, and owns two of the last three.

Prospects: Very good. Scheffler is going for his own career Grand Slam later this year at the U.S. Open; a third green jacket would be a nice prelude.

Rory McIlroy

Last major won: 2025 Masters

Majors held since then: 3

Prospects: Back-to-back at Augusta? Perhaps. But McIlroy could throw his clubs in Rae’s Creek and his career would be secure.

Xander Schauffele

Last major won: 2024 Open Championship

Majors held since then: 4

Prospects: A reasonable bet for this week; he needs to recapture his two-majors-in-2024 form.

Bryson DeChambeau

Last major won: 2024 U.S. Open

Majors held since then: 5

Prospects: Was in the memorable final pairing last year at Augusta; can he close the deal this year?

Jon Rahm

Last major won: 2023 Masters

Majors held since then: 11

Prospects: Since Rahm left for LIV, it’s tougher to get a handle on his competitive gears, but he does have three top-10s in his last five majors.(Masters 2026 leaderboard)

Brooks Koepka

Last major won: 2023 PGA Championship

Majors held since then: 10

Prospects: He was a bad shot or two from winning the 2019 Masters, which would have been the most unpopular victory in golf history. (Tiger Woods won.) He’s at his best in majors.

Justin Thomas

Last major won: 2022 PGA Championship

Majors held since then: 14

Prospects: Coming back from injury, and he’s struggled of late at Augusta, missing two of the last three cuts.

Collin Morikawa

Last major won: 2021 Open Championship

Majors held since then: 16

Prospects: Morikawa has been chasing the high of 2020-21, when he won two majors in quick succession. An injury ended his Players Championship early, but he’s still in strong form.

Dustin Johnson

Last major won: 2020 Masters

Majors held since then: 20 (The 2020 Masters was held in November)

Prospects: Probably not happening for DJ.

Jordan Spieth

Last major won: 2017 Open Championship

Majors held since then: 31

Prospects: Spieth has spent nearly 10 years needing only the PGA Championship to complete his own career Grand Slam. But he’s farther away now than McIlroy ever was.

Justin Rose

Last major won: 2013 U.S. Open

Majors held since then: 49

Prospects: Rose is the only single-major winner on this list, because he’s the hardest-luck major player of the 21st century. Rose has lost two majors in a playoff (Sergio Garcia in 2017 Masters, McIlroy last year) and placed in the top two in two of the past five majors. A Rose win would be both a sentimental and statistical landmark.

There are a whole lot of other one-major winners — like Cam Smith (2022 Open Championship), Hideki Matsuyama (2021 Masters), Shane Lowry (2019 Open Championship), Patrick Reed (2018 Masters) and Jason Day (2015 PGA Championship) — who could make a run this week, or this year. But if they can’t get it done, and obviously not all of them will, that calendar gets long fast.

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Because there are stats for everything, there are, of course, predictable stats when picking who will win the Masters.

For some, they’re mundane. For others, they’re gospel.

Recent winners have:

• Gained 18 strokes tee-to-green in the four tournaments leading into the Masters
• Played in the weeks leading up to the tournament
• Ranked in top 40 in par-5 scoring
• Have already won a tournament this season

Mostly what past Masters winners have in common is … they’re really, really good.

2025: Rory McIlory, ranked No. 2 in the world
2024: Scottie Scheffler, ranked No. 1 in the world
2023: Jon Rahm, ranked No. 3 in the world
2022: Scottie Scheffler, ranked No. 1 in the world

Scheffler heads into the 90th Masters as the favorite yet again at +600, but he is not among our picks to win … because that would be no fun.(Masters 2026 leaderboard)

Jay Busbee: Bryson DeChambeau (+1200)

Had DeChambeau wrestled the green jacket off Rory McIlroy’s back last year, he would have instantly become the most unpopular champion since Stewart Cink snatched the Claret Jug out of Tom Watson’s hands at the 2009 Open Championship. But with McIlroy now a champion, DeChambeau is free to go out and claim a jacket of his own without worrying about what anyone will think of him. The big guy has finishes of T5 and T6 over the last two years, suggesting he’s figured this place out. (The less said about his plans to turn Augusta National into a “par 67” back in 2021, the better.) He’s lost a heartbreaker, which means he’s ready to win.

Dan Wolken: Ludvig Åberg (+1400)

If you believe Åberg is going to win majors — and I do — he’s likely to break through in the Masters, where he has finished second and seventh in his two starts. Obviously Åberg can hit it a mile and is one of the best iron players on tour, but he’s now at the point where his experience getting around Augusta should really start to pay off. Åberg is also coming into this tournament in excellent form, with a tie for third at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and a tie for fifth at The Players. According to Datagolf.com, Åberg’s strokes gained on approach in those two events were better than all but one tournament he played in 2025, suggesting he’s back in the kind of ball striking form that got him to No. 4 in the world two years ago. If he can hold his nerve on Sunday, he’ll be the winner.

Jay Hart: Jon Rahm (+1000)

We’ll forgive you if you were unaware that Rahm is currently on a heater. Had he posted the following results on the PGA Tour — 2, 2, 1, 5, 2 (lost in playoff) — he’d be the betting favorite. But because those results came on the LIV tour, well, he’ll head to Augusta behind Scheffler (+600) in the odds. It’s been three years since his Masters win, but when he’s on, Rahm is in contention at Augusta. And right now … he’s most certainly on.

Ryan Young: Ludvig Åberg (+1400)

It’s finally time that Åberg breaks through with his big win at Augusta. He’s come close twice now and would have won in his Masters debut back in 2024 if it weren’t for the often unbeatable Scheffler. Åberg seems to have this course down, or at the very least isn’t intimidated by it. And he’s got three straight top-five finishes under his belt entering the week. That rough start to the season he had is well behind him. Åberg gets it done this week, giving us another year with a European champion.

The 2026 Masters is underway at Augusta National. Betting favorites like Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau and more are competing in Thursday’s opening round. GOLF’s writers and editors are providing live updates on the Masters first round all day long, from on-site at Augusta and beyond.

Masters Round 1: What you need to know

One of the first big-name players to start Round 1 will be McIlroy, who tees off at 10:31 a.m. ET on Thursday. McIlroy finally captured his first Masters title at last year’s event. The win, which earned him the career Grand Slam, also gave him the honor of choosing the menu for Tuesday’s Masters Champions Dinner.

McIlroy is fourth among the pre-tournament Masters odds this week. Scheffler, the World No. 1, is the top betting favorite as he aims for his third Masters title.

Notable Round 1 tee times: Bryson DeChambeau (10:07 a.m. ET); Rory McIlroy (10:31 a.m. ET); Jon Rahm (1:08 p.m. ET); Jordan Spieth (1:20 p.m. ET); Scottie Scheffler (1:44 p.m. ET)

Quick links: How to watch Masters Thursday | Masters Round 1 tee times | Scores on Masters.com

Follow all the Round 1 Masters action below.

The post 2026 Masters live updates: Patrick Reed going low at Augusta National appeared first on Golf.

Masters Picks and Predictions 2026: Scheffler Eyes Third Green Jacket

Chris Gregory

Thu, April 9, 2026 at 7:51 PM GMT+5·

9 min read8

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Major championship season is officially underway at the Masters, and it’s among the best sports betting events we have all year.

Below, we have a thorough betting guide for the 2026 Masters, including a flurry of Masters picks, a breakdown of the Masters odds, information on weather, the course, and so much more.(Masters 2026 leaderboard)

• UPDATE: ADDED OUTRIGHT PICKS, FIRST-ROUND LEADER PICKS, & PROP PICKS.

⛳ Masters: Key takeaways

• Outright pick: Xander Schauffele (+1567/6¢): Has a proven track record at Augusta, excellent recent form, and two major championship wins to his name.
  
• Course: Success at Augusta National requires precise iron play to specific quadrants of tiered greens. For 2026, the 17th hole has been subtly lengthened by 10 yards, now playing at 450 yards. Distance is a massive advantage, but the swirling winds of Amen Corner remain the ultimate judge, jury, and executioner.
  
• Weather: The forecast for Masters Week is looking favorable. Highs will be in the low-to-mid 70s° with overnight lows in the 50s°. Precipitation chances are currently low (20–30%), though isolated light rain is possible during the early rounds.
  
• Expected cut: The cut includes the Top 50 players and ties. Historically, the cut line falls between 2-over and 5-over par, depending on how much the wind dries out the greens.

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Course breakdown: What wins at Augusta National?

Augusta National Golf Club is a 7,565-yard Par 72 originally designed by Dr. Alister MacKenzie and legendary golfer Bobby Jones. For the 2026 tournament, the course has been lengthened by 10 yards due to the 17th hole (Nandina) being extended to 450 yards.

• Wide but deceptive fairways: While the fairways are generous and feature no traditional “rough,” the overseeded Perennial Ryegrass is mown toward the tee, creating “sticky” lies that demand perfect contact.
• The Par 5 advantage: With three of the four Par 5s measuring between 545 and 585 yards, scoring here is the primary requirement for a Green Jacket.
• Tiered Bentgrass Greens: The putting surfaces are the fastest in golf. Success requires “Proximity to Hole” stats that place the ball in specific quadrants to avoid defensive three-putts on the massive, undulating slopes.( Masters 2026 leaderboard )

Key stats & player profiles to target

While distance off the tee is a massive advantage at Augusta National to shorten the daunting Par 5s, the tournament is almost always won on the second shot. Players must hit high, towering irons that land softly on firm, undulating greens.

Because the greens are so fast, traditional driving accuracy (hitting fairways) is less important than driving distance and strokes gained approach, as missing the correct tier on a green leads to almost certain three-putts.

• Strokes gained approach: This is the No. 1 predictor of success at Augusta.
• Par-5 scoring: Winners typically play the Par 5s at 8-under to 12-under for the week.
• Scrambling from tight lies: There is no rough; players must chip off “tight” mown ryegrass, which requires elite hands.
• 3-putt avoidance: On the fastest greens in the world, lag putting is a survival skill.

Players to watch

• Ludvig Åberg (+1900/5¢): His combination of world-class length and a fearless approach to tiered greens has already netted him a runner-up (2024) and a seventh-place finish (2025) here. He enters 2026 in peak form after a 9-under 63 at THE PLAYERS last month.
• Jordan Spieth (+4662/2.1¢): While he’s no longer the home soil favorite he is in his native Texas, his Augusta IQ is unmatched. Even when his driver is erratic, Spieth’s sensational scrambling and familiarity with these specific breaks make him a threat for a Green Jacket.

Masters betting links

• Masters odds
• Masters prop odds
• Masters projected cut line
• How to bet on golf
• Best golf betting sites

Masters outright picks

Check out our Masters sleeper picks for more outright predictions.

Xander Schauffele (+1567/strong6¢/strong)

With a proven track record at Augusta National, excellent current form, and a pair of major championship wins, Xander Schauffele is my favorite bet to win the 2026 Masters.

Collin Morikawa (+4900/2¢)

Collin Morikawa was the definition of dialed from tee-to-green before a back injury caused him to withdraw after a single hole at THE PLAYERS. The uncertainty of the back injury is overpriced into this 35/1 price.

Jake Knapp (+7592/1.3¢)

I love the course fit for Jake Knapp, and his current form is incredible. He’s pacing the PGA Tour in adjusted scoring average and Par-5 scoring while ranking second in bogey avoidance, after all.

Masters first-round leader picks

Check out our Masters first-round leader picks for more.

Matt Fitzpatrick (+3746/2.6¢)

Matt Fitzpatrick ranks inside the Top 7 in total strokes gained, GIR rate, and birdie average this season, with perhaps the strongest recent form of any player in the field. And he ranks ninth in Round 1 scoring average, so he’s no stranger to early birdie opportunities.

Masters prop picks ( Masters 2026 leaderboard )

Check out our Masters prop odds for a full array of markets and odds.

Jake Knapp Top 20 (+165/38¢)

I particularly value Jake Knapp pacing the PGA Tour in adjusted scoring average and Par-5 scoring, while ranking second in bogey avoidance for the year and also ranking second in this field in true strokes gained putting.

Masters odds

The Masters runs April 9-12 at Augusta National Golf Club. Below are the latest outright Masters odds.

Odds courtesy of Kalshi as of April 9, 2026.

It’s no surprise to see Scottie Scheffler with the best Masters win probability at Kalshi. The World No. 1 is priced at 14 cents on the platform, which equates to a 14% implied probability to win the tournament.

If Scheffler dons the Green Jacket on Sunday, a $100 “Yes” contract would pay $614. If he comes up short, a $100 risk on “No” would return $113.

Masters field and qualification

How do golfers qualify for the Masters?

• Past champions: Golfers who have won the Masters in previous years are automatically invited to participate for the rest of their careers.
• Current champions: Winners of other major championships (such as the U.S. Open, The Open Championship, and the PGA Championship) from the past year are invited to compete.
• PGA Tour winners: Golfers who have won PGA Tour events leading up to the Masters, typically over the past year, may also receive invitations.
• Amateur champions: Winners of certain top amateur tournaments, such as the U.S. Amateur Championship, are often invited to play.
• World Golf Rankings: The top players in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) usually receive invitations.
• Qualifying tournaments: There are opportunities for golfers to qualify for the Masters through special tournaments and qualifiers, such as the U.S. Open or other international events.

Who gets special invitations to the Masters? ( Masters 2026 leaderboard )

The Masters committee has the discretion to extend special invitations to golfers who may not meet the above criteria but have demonstrated exceptional talent or accomplishments in the past.

For example, Joaquin Niemann, Ryo Hisatsune, and Thorbjorn Olesen all received special invitations to compete in the 2024 Masters, despite not being otherwise qualified.( Masters 2026 leaderboard )

How to watch & tee times

How to watch (all times ET):

Thursday, April 9 & Friday, April 10 (Rounds 1-2)

• 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | ESPN (“Welcome to the Masters”)
• 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. | Prime Video (New for 2026)
• 3:00 – 7:30 p.m. | ESPN (Main broadcast)

Saturday, April 11 & Sunday, April 12 (Final Rounds)

• 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. | Paramount+ (Early weekend coverage)
• 2:00 – 7:00 p.m. | CBS (Main broadcast)

The payout

The Masters has increased its purse to $21 million. Here’s how much the Top 4 golfers will pocket:

• 1st place: $4.2 million
• 2nd: $2.2 million
• 3rd: $1.4 million
• 4th: $1 million
• 5th: $840,000

The coveted Green Jacket

Money isn’t the only thing that golfers play for at Augusta. There’s also the coveted Masters Green Jacket. This is a tradition that started in 1937 when all Augusta National members wore the jackets at the tournament to make them stand out from the public. It wasn’t until 1949 that the winners began receiving the Green Jacket — and the first one was awarded to Sam Snead.( Masters 2026 leaderboard )

Past Masters winners

Masters betting FAQ

When is the 2026 Masters?

The 2026 Masters begins with the Honorary Starters on Thursday, April 9, and concludes with the Green Jacket ceremony on Sunday, April 12.( Masters 2026 leaderboard )

Where will the 2026 Masters be played? ( Masters 2026 leaderboard )

The Masters is held annually at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. The course is a Par 72 that has been lengthened to a record 7,565 yards for the 2026 tournament.

Who is the 2026 Masters favorite? ( Masters 2026 leaderboard )

Scottie Scheffler (+614/14¢) is the solo favorite at Kalshi. He is followed by defending champion Rory McIlroy (+1000) and Bryson DeChambeau (+1000).

What are the Masters FRL markets?

First Round Leader (FRL) markets allow you to bet on which player will hold the lowest score after the first 18 holes on Thursday. Given Augusta’s morning/afternoon wind splits, tee times often play a huge role in this market.

How do Masters matchup bets work?

In matchup betting, you pick one golfer to post a lower score than another specific golfer. You can bet on Tournament Matchups (who finishes higher after 72 holes) or Round Matchups (who shoots the better score in a single day).

What is the Masters cut line?

The Masters features one of the most difficult cuts in golf. Only the Top 50 players (plus ties) advance to the weekend. Unlike many PGA Tour events, there is no “10-shot rule” currently in effect; you must be in the Top 50 to play Saturday and Sunday.

Are the Masters odds the same across all sportsbooks?

No. While favorites like Scheffler will be low everywhere, you will see significant “price shopping” opportunities for mid-range players. For example, a player like Jordan Spieth might be +3300 at one sportsbook but +4000 at another. Always compare shops to maximize your potential payout.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos. ( Masters 2026 leaderboard )

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