The 90th Master’s Tournament begins this week and we thought we would give you an article or two every day for your enjoyment. First, we start with how to predict who might win and give you our thoughts on the winner.
Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds for the Master’s (Top 5 only) and culled from various sports books.
Scottie Scheffler (+500)
Jon Rahm (+900)
Bryson DeChambeau (+1000)
Rory McIlroy (+1200)
Ludvig Aberg (+1400)
Early risers up the betting chart include Cameron Young and Matt Fitzpatrick at +2000. These two have been the best golfers the early part of 2026. Young has 3 top-10 in six starts (Won The Players Championship). Fitzpatrick has the same with a victory in the Valspar Championship and a second place finish to Cam in the Players.
How to predict a winner
Everyone is always trying to predict a winner for the tournament. Darts, random name picking, or your favorite social media follower. But here’s a look at some criteria that might be helpful for your prognostication!
Basically, try to look for the top performers in these golf metrics: (The top players are listed after. If they are mentioned once, their first name will be subsequently listed for other stats.)
- Shots gained Tee to Green (SG TG).
- Rory, Matt, Collin Morikawa, Si Woo Kim, Tommy Fleetwood
- SG Approach (SG AP) usually 150+ yards
- Adam Scott, Kurt Kitayama, Si Woo, Hideki Matsuyama
- Course Experience and Major History
Winners: Rory, Scottie (2), Jon Rahm, Hideki, Dustin Johnson, Pat Reed, Sergio Garcia
Top-10’s last six years: Jon, Scottie, Cameron Smith, Pat, Collin
- 3-putt avoidance
- Jacob Bridgeman, Jimmy Stanger, Austin Eckroat, Mackenzie Hughes
- Valero (Prior week) win or top 20
- JJ Spaun, Matt Wallace, Michael Kim, Robert MacIntyre, Andrew Putnam, Ludvig Aberg
My guess
Look for a new first timer. Bryson DeChambeau is NOT listed in any of the categories since he plays on the LIV Tour. But he has been dominant this season on the minor tour, second only to Jon Rahm. But Bryson has two straight victories leading to this week.
He has the game and has learned his lessons from his 25th and 26th finishes at the Masters, his two missed cuts and his 5th place finish last year.
So my pick is Bryson. But don’t be surprised if Si Woo Kim pressures him on the back 9 Sunday! The 30 year old from South Korea is back at the Masters since 2024. And if he were in contention, his caddy, Manuel Villegas, knows how to keep him focused. These two are primed for a great 2026!
Tournament basics
What: 2026 Masters Tournament
Where: Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Ga.
When: Thursday-Sunday, April 9-12
Purse: $21 million, $4.2 million winner’s share (2025 figures)
How to watch Masters on TV
You can watch the 2026 Masters on TV via CBS and ESPN. ESPN will air the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday. CBS will carry the third and final rounds on Saturday and Sunday. ESPN will also air coverage of Wednesday’s Masters Par 3 Contest.
Check out the full TV schedule below.
Wednesday, April 8 (Par 3 Contest): 2-4 p.m. (ESPN)
Thursday, April 9: 1-3 p.m. ET (Prime Video); 3-7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Friday, April 10: 1-3 p.m. ET (Prime Video); 3-7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Saturday, April 11: 12-2 p.m. ET (Paramount+); 2-7 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, April 12: 12-2 p.m. ET (Paramount+); 2-7 p.m. (CBS)
Last Year
Rory McIlroy won the title and grabbed his career Grand Slam by defeating Justin Rose in a sudden-death playoff.
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