The 90th Masters Tournament begins 9 April at Augusta National, and the betting market has crystallised around a clear hierarchy of favourites — with a handful of intriguing value plays lurking further down the board. Here’s a breakdown of the current odds, the form figures behind them, and what amateur golfers can actually learn from watching each contender’s approach to Augusta National.
The Current Odds Landscape
Current odds from major sportsbooks place Scottie Scheffler as the clear favourite, with the field closely bunched behind him:
- Scottie Scheffler: +300 to +550 (varies by book)
- Jon Rahm: +900 to +1000
- Bryson DeChambeau: +900 to +1000
- Rory McIlroy: +1000 to +1100 (defending champion)
- Ludvig Åberg: +1200
- Xander Schauffele: +1400
- Brooks Koepka: +1600
- Collin Morikawa: +2000
- Tommy Fleetwood: +2200
The Case for Scottie Scheffler
Scheffler is worth his short price. World number one for over a year now, he combines elite ball-striking with exceptional course management — exactly what Augusta rewards. His approach to Augusta’s famously severe slopes is methodical: he consistently takes the conservative line that keeps him below the hole, accepting bogey risk where others go for birdie and find disaster.
His record at Augusta is exceptional: a win in 2022, runner-up finishes, and top-10 results in every Masters he’s entered as a tour regular. The +300 price reflects that he is genuinely the most likely winner — though at those odds, the expected value is debatable compared to longer-priced alternatives.
What amateurs can learn from Scheffler at Augusta: His course management is a masterclass in playing to your strengths. He doesn’t try to make every birdie opportunity — he identifies the holes where his game gives him the best chance and focuses his aggression there, accepting pars elsewhere. Our guide to golf course management covers the same principles at an accessible level.
Jon Rahm: The Form Man
Rahm won the 2023 Masters and has been a consistent presence in major contention. Having moved to LIV Golf, he plays fewer events but arrives at Augusta well-rested and with a focused preparation. LIV’s 72-hole format, which differs significantly from standard tour events, means Rahm has had to maintain competitive sharpness in a different competitive environment.
At +1000, Rahm represents genuine value. He is a proven Augusta winner, his ball-striking is world-class, and his putting — historically the variable part of his game — has looked sharp in recent LIV events. He is one of the most compelling each-way plays in the field.
Bryson DeChambeau: The Power Play
DeChambeau’s approach to Augusta is unique: he uses his extraordinary driving distance to effectively remove some of the course’s most dangerous features from play. Where others face long irons into heavily contoured greens, DeChambeau hits short irons. Where others lay up, he goes for the green in two. His 2020 US Open-style demolition of Augusta’s distance limitations hasn’t yet produced a Masters win, but he came agonisingly close in 2022.
The risk with DeChambeau is driving accuracy: Augusta’s trees and rough can neutralise his length advantage on certain holes, and his putting must hold up over 72 holes. At +1000, he’s priced similarly to Rahm — fair given his ceiling but reflecting the variance in his game.
The Value Plays
Ludvig Åberg (+1200)
The young Swede has shown remarkable major championship temperament for someone so early in his career. His Augusta record already includes a top-five finish, and his ball-striking metrics put him in the conversation with Scheffler as the best iron player in the world. At +1200, he represents excellent value for each-way bets — his floor at Augusta is a top-10 finish, and his ceiling is a title.
Brooks Koepka (+1600)
Koepka’s major championship record speaks for itself: five wins, with a pattern of elevating his game specifically for the sport’s biggest stages. He has finished second at the Masters twice. He tends to peak later in the season (the US Open and PGA Championship have been his strongest events), but Augusta’s demand for mental resilience and pressure management plays directly to his strengths. At +1600, there’s a genuine case that he’s undervalued.
Tommy Fleetwood (+2200)
Fleetwood arrives in exceptional form following his TGL SoFi Cup victory with Los Angeles Golf Club. His iron play is precise enough to attack Augusta’s pins, and his patience and course management are ideally suited to the measured aggression Augusta demands. He has yet to win a major, but his consistency in contention — and his current confidence — make him an interesting each-way play at this price.
How Augusta Rewards Certain Skills
Understanding what Augusta rewards helps make sense of who the real contenders are — and provides useful lessons for any golfer’s game:
- Ball-striking precision over distance. While DeChambeau proves length helps, Augusta’s Bermuda rough and tree lines punish wayward drivers. Accuracy from tee to green matters more than at most venues.
- Approach shot trajectory control. Many Augusta greens require high, soft approach shots that stop quickly. Players who work the ball on flat trajectories consistently find themselves above the hole and facing nerve-shredding downhill putts.
- Putting on sloping, fast surfaces. Augusta’s greens are consistently the fastest and most sloped on tour. Lag putting — controlling pace on long putts to avoid three-putts — is as important as holing medium-range birdie attempts.
- Patience over four rounds. Augusta’s front nine is often the easier scoring opportunity; the back nine, particularly Amen Corner, is where tournaments are won and lost. Players who build a solid front-nine lead and then manage the back nine defensively often prevail.
For amateurs inspired to work on the skills that Augusta rewards, our guide to hitting irons consistently and our putting fundamentals guide are the most directly applicable resources. The pre-shot routine guide covers the mental discipline that Augusta’s pressure-cooking environment makes essential — for professionals and club golfers alike.
The Bottom Line
Scheffler is the deserving favourite, but golf’s major championships are notoriously unpredictable, and Augusta specifically has a history of producing unlikely champions in years when the field is strong (Larry Mize, Fuzzy Zoeller, Zach Johnson). At +1000 to +1600, Rahm, Koepka, and Åberg represent the strongest each-way cases for those who want genuine returns if their selection wins.
What’s certain is that the 90th Masters will be one of the most watched, most analysed, and most consequential tournaments in recent memory — even without Tiger Woods, whose story continues to cast a shadow over the proceedings. For a full breakdown of who’s in the field, see our complete Masters 2026 guide.
