{"id":14211,"date":"2025-04-04T19:33:32","date_gmt":"2025-04-04T19:33:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.betspertsgolf.com\/raw-forum\/?post_type=article&p=14211"},"modified":"2025-04-07T17:18:01","modified_gmt":"2025-04-07T17:18:01","slug":"2025-masters-player-guide","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/api.betspertsgolf.com\/raw-forum\/article\/2025-masters-player-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 Masters Player Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

I thought this was going to be the year. <\/span><\/p>\n

For decades, like many of you, I’ve received that dreaded email reminding me that, once again, I was not selected to attend this year’s Masters. Ticket lottery be damned, I have another path now.<\/span><\/p>\n

Through our partnership with the PGA Tour, I’ve been lucky enough to attend PGA Tour events as a credentialed media member. I do a great job of pretending <\/span>that I<\/span> belong, but I’m quietly fanboying on the inside the entire time.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Hey, Jordan (Spieth), Ryan Noonan here, Betsperts Golf. Quick question for you…”<\/em><\/p>\n

“Nice to meet you, Keegan. Ryan Noonan, Betsperts Golf. Can I ask you a few questions on the way back to the clubhouse?”<\/em><\/p>\n

It’ll never feel normal to me. <\/span><\/p>\n

While my credentials are in good standing with the PGA Tour, the Masters, like all <\/span>of the<\/span> majors, are their own entities. They have their own vetting process and qualifications, and long story short, I’ll be watching the 2025 Masters from my couch <\/span>once<\/span> again this year. <\/span><\/p>\n

I look forward to starting this Players Guide, my favorite work assignment every year, with a new intro in the coming years. Until then…<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u00a0(Photo by David Cannon\/Getty Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There’s nothing else in the world of sports quite like The Masters. For most, it signals the beginning of spring. The tight shots of the azaleas in bloom, the tree-lined shots of Magnolia Lane leading to the clubhouse, and the piano playing that ditty that we’re so accustomed<\/a> to as the coverage goes in and out of commercial breaks, Jim Nantz whispering sweet nothings to us.<\/span><\/p>\n

From the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. <\/em><\/p>\n

CBS Sports so proudly presents… The Masters. <\/em><\/p>\n

Hello friends…<\/em><\/p>\n

Full transparency, I’m a sucker for all of it. Like most, I’ve never had the opportunity to attend The Masters, but it’s as close to the top of the bucket list as anything can get for me. By all accounts, time stops when you’re on the grounds at Augusta National. No cell phones. No overpriced vendors. Even the schmucks that yell ‘get in the hole!’ after every tee shot seems to understand that this place is different. The club has a complicated history that’s thankfully evolved, albeit slowly, which aids in the enjoyment of this event and property that much more.<\/span><\/p>\n

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As of this writing, we’re looking at 96 competitors for the 89th edition of the Masters, representing over 20 different countries, competing for one green jacket and the lifetime invitation to come back that comes with it. It’s an exclusive club with just 55 members to date, 18 of whom will be taking part in this year’s tournament. <\/span><\/p>\n

Augusta National Golf Club is a legendary place, and the course presents a daunting challenge to even the most skilled players. The generous fairways are a welcome sight, but they are quickly followed by demanding approach shots from uneven lies and lightning-fast greens with severe slopes. <\/span><\/p>\n

This combination tests every club in a golfer’s bag while requiring elite levels of mental fortitude on golf’s grandest stage. Success at the Masters favors players who are in peak form, have a history of playing well at Augusta National, and possess a well-rounded skillset. Distance off the tee, long-iron accuracy, creativity with their short game, and an ability to score on par-5s are all crucial.<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond the specific shot requirements, the course is a masterpiece of design. The elevation changes, hole routing, and risk-reward options contribute to its strategic depth. Amen Corner, as difficult as it is breathtaking, is legendary for its ability to make or break a golfer’s round. <\/span><\/p>\n

The green complexes, with their treacherous slopes, are another iconic feature that demands precise shot-making. While Augusta National is a long course by the numbers, the fairways are deliberately mowed in a way that makes it play even longer. Despite the challenge, golfers can employ strategic shot selection to play for par or take on more risk for birdie opportunities on most holes.<\/span><\/p>\n

I could wax poetic about the “tradition unlike any other,” but let’s get to the goods.<\/span><\/p>\n

Remember to check out the <\/span>Rabbit Hole<\/span><\/a>, our officially licensed PGA Tour customizable stat database that can help you pare down your player pool each week!<\/span><\/p>\n

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2025 Masters Players Guide<\/h2>\n

Below is a list of this year’s participants, along with their Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), notes on their history at Augusta, and a quick nugget from the Rabbit Hole regarding their recent form. <\/span><\/p>\n

The “Last 5 Masters Finishes” show the most recent first (2024-2020), but if a golfer hasn’t played in every recent event but played previously, their past appearances are listed in order.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Ludvig \u00c5berg<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 5th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 2 (2024)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes (2024-2020): 2, -,-,-,-<\/em><\/h6>\n

Not a bad debut for the young Swede. Ludvig \u00c5berg was a borderline top-ten player in the world entering last year’s Masters, rarefied air for someone making their Major Championship debut. After an opening round 73, \u00c5berg was the low man on Friday, firing a 69, the only golfer in the field to crack 70 on the day. He held on long enough to dance with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler for a minute on the back nine on Sunday, only to fall back into a solo second-place finish. He’s not a ‘happy to be there’ type of competitor, though he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying every moment out there, but it proved that he belonged.<\/p>\n

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Long courses\/Difficult scoring conditions, Last 2 years<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00c5berg played through a knee injury last summer, but he was back to full strength by the time the FedEx Cup Playoffs rolled around. 2025 has been another step forward. \u00c5berg’s win at the Torrey Pines Genesis Invitational showcased his all-around game and ability to play his best in the toughest conditions against the game’s strongest fields.<\/p>\n

\u00c5berg was in the field at TPC San Antonio, tuning up for his second Masters. He went off as the favorite, but missed the cut. I don’t think this will impact his outright price whatsoever. He’ll likely stay short of 20\/1.<\/p>\n

Byeong Hun An<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 34th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T16 (2024)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 16, MC, 33, MC, MC<\/em><\/h6>\n

It’s crazy to think that Ben An made his first start at Augusta National as a teenager back in 2010. This is his sixth Masters start, his first time making back-to-back starts here since 2017. Last year’s T16 finish was An’s first top-20 finish at the event.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Ben An is trending well over his past 12 rounds<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

An has two strong finishes over his past three starts (T8 at Bay Hill and T16 last time out at Innisbrook). An also won a DPWT event, the Genesis Championship, back in the fall. He has a game well-suited to compete here if all systems are firing together, with plus distance and an adept short game on and around the green. I don’t see a winner coming from down the board like this, but another T20 finish at this event is clearly in play, given his form.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jose Luis Ballester Barrio<\/span> (a)<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Current WAGR: 4th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: Debutant<\/em><\/h6>\n

The 21-year-old Spaniard punched his ticket to this year’s Masters after winning the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine. “Josele” is coached by Sergio Garcia<\/span>‘s father and has a close relationship with the former Masters champion. The bloodlines are also strong here, as Mom (field hockey) and Dad (swimming) competed in the Summer Olympics in the 1990s.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Arizona State Sun Devil has a decorated amateur resume and should be a contender in the low amateur market. Ballester Barrio is currently third in the PGA Tour University rankings.<\/span><\/p>\n

Evan Beck (a)<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Current WAGR: 14th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: Debutant<\/em><\/h6>\n

Evan Beck blew the doors off Bobby Massa in the Mid-Am match play, winning 9 & 8 and punching his ticket to Augusta. The Mid-Am is a post-college amateur tournament organized by the USGA, specifically intended for those who are 25 or older and not pursuing golf as a career. This has been Stewart Hagestad<\/a>‘s path to three Masters starts over the past decade, including a 3 & 2 win over Evan Beck last season. Beating anyone 9 & 8 gets my attention, but we shouldn’t expect much from the 34-year-old Wake Forest grad.<\/span><\/p>\n

Daniel Berger<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 44th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 10th (2016)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 50, MC, 32, 27, 10<\/em><\/h6>\n

After missing part of 2022 and all of 2023 with a back injury, Daniel Berger returned to play in 2024 but struggled to find the form we had gotten accustomed to. He finished inside the top 20 in just four of his 27 starts, a mark he’s already reached in just eight starts in 2025.<\/p>\n

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Five straight T25 or better finishes for Berger<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Berger returns to Augusta for the sixth time, arguably in the best form of his career. He’s in contention in San Antonio, having finished inside the top 25 in five straight starts heading into the week. He’s gaining strokes throughout the bag right now, and he’s regained some of the distance he lost over the past few seasons. Berger has great control of his golf ball and has some sneaky upside this week, given his recent string of excellent golf. A win would certainly surprise me, but Sunday afternoon tee time would not.<\/p>\n

Christiaan Bezuidenhout<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 54th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T38 (2022)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 44, 40, 38, -, –<\/em><\/h6>\n

Christiaan Bezuidenhout<\/span> made three consecutive Masters starts from 2020-2022, and he’s returning this year, qualifying based on his appearance at the Tour Championship in 2024. <\/span><\/p>\n

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These are non-competitive ball-striking numbers from Bezuidenhout<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“CBez” isn’t bringing his best form into the start of Major Championship season. He’s missed the cut in his past two starts, and his ball-striking has been the issue. He’s lost strokes on approach in five straight starts, and he’s been even worse off the tee. He’s an outstanding putter, which can cure a lot of ills, but another T40 finish feels like his ceiling.<\/span><\/p>\n

Akshay Bhatia<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 23rd<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T35 (2024)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 35, -,-,-,-<\/em><\/h6>\n

Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Akshay Bhatia experienced that a bit at the Valero Texas Open, but overall, he brings excellent form into his sixth major and second Masters start. Bhatia’s made massive strides in his short game over the past year, particularly on the greens. His ball-striking is increasingly consistent as well, making his trajectory over the next few seasons exciting.<\/p>\n

He has the full package necessary to win at Augusta, but can he get it done at 23 years old in his second Masters appearance? Back in December, some books were hanging triple-digits on Bhatia, so I played him to win at 120\/1. That price is long gone, and I’m not entirely interested in backing Bhatia in the 55-60\/1 range that he currently sits at, but he’ll be a player I’ll be interested to watch this week.<\/p>\n

Keegan Bradley<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 14th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T22 (2024 & 2015)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 22, 23, 43, 52, 22<\/em><\/h6>\n

This is Keegan Bradley’s ninth Masters start, and he’s still looking for the first top-20 finish, though he continues to get close.<\/p>\n

From a tee-to-green standpoint, Bradley has been pretty consistent year in and year out since turning professional back in 2011. The success that he experienced over the past two-plus seasons is driven mainly by his improvements on the greens, turning a massive liability into a strength.<\/p>\n

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Long courses\/Strong fields, Last 2 years<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are no holes in the U.S. Ryder Cup captain’s game right now. Off the tee, he’s hitting it longer and straighter than ever, and he’s played well at last year’s event outside of a poor first-round 78. If you were to make a list of fascinating Masters storylines come Sunday, the next Ryder Cup captain in contention for a green jacket is undoubtedly in the top five.<\/p>\n

Sam Burns<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 35th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T29 (2023)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: MC, 29, MC, -, –<\/em><\/h6>\n

The 2024 season was a disappointing one for Sam Burns, but he turned the corner late in the year after his missed cut at Valhalla. He played well in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, with a T5 finish in Memphis and a runner-up finish in Colorado, but that hasn’t carried over to 2025.<\/p>\n

Burns has finished inside the top 20 just once in nine starts this season, a T8 at the season-opener in Kapalua. He’s lost strokes on approach in eight of nine starts, and he’s missed the cut in three straight starts after a Friday 76 in San Antonio sent him home from the Valero Texas Open.<\/p>\n

Even when he’s playing well, he’s so reliant on his short game, which is a dangerous recipe when the test is as demanding as Augusta National. We have a fairly large sample of Burns being a non-factor in majors, and we’ve seen nothing from him in 2025 to indicate he’ll contend this week.<\/p>\n

Angel Cabrera<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 1 (2009)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: MC, MC, MC, T24, T22<\/em><\/h6>\n

The 2009 Masters champion will be making his first start at Augusta since 2019. Cabrera, who also won the 2007 U.S. Open, has spent the past season competing on the Champions Tour after spending much of the previous four years in prison. <\/span><\/p>\n

Cabrera was arrested in Brazil in January of 2021 after leaving Argentina without authorization following the start of a trial where he was facing numerous criminal charges, including assault, theft, and illegal intimidation. Cabrera was extradited to Argentina in July of 2021, but poor behavior, including another assault charge, extended his time behind bars. He was released in August of 2023, and the PGA Tour cleared him to return to competition later that year. Obviously, he and Scheffler will have a lot of stories to share at this year’s Championship Dinner.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian Campbell<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 108th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: Debutant<\/em><\/h6>\n

I’m still recovering from Brian Campbell<\/span>‘s victory in Mexico. With an Aldrich Potgeiter 75\/1 ticket in hand, I watched in sheer disbelief as Campbell’s tee shot on the second playoff hole careened into the fairway after rattling around amongst the trees and out-of-bounds stakes it was initially headed for. The moment proved to be a bit too big for the young South African, and Brian Campbell<\/span> took home his first PGA Tour victory and the Masters invite that came along with it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Campbell was a surprise winner, especially when you consider how the track in Mexico is best suited for golfers who can really dial up the distance off the tee. Campbell’s off-the-tee game is more suited for a Thursday night home league than a PGA Tour event or major. It forces him to be perfect everywhere else, and Augusta National doesn’t allow that, especially not for debutants.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rafael Campos<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 197th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: Debutant<\/em><\/h6>\n

Rafael Campos<\/span> is another golfer who managed to catch lightning in a bottle for a week. Campos had missed the cut in 13 of 15 starts prior to his November win at the swing season’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship. <\/span><\/p>\n

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“I’m just happy to be here”. Rafael Campos<\/span>, probably.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It’s been more of the same since Campos’s victory, with Houston making nine missed cuts in 11 starts since his fall win. He managed to make the cut at the Valspar, but his T70 finish is far from a ‘turn the corner’ moment. Getting the chance to tee it up at the Masters is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for some, and my guess is Rafael Campos<\/span>‘s experience lasts two days.<\/span><\/p>\n

Laurie Canter<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 48th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: Debutant<\/em><\/h6>\n

Laurie Canter<\/span>‘s appearance in the Masters field is quite fascinating. Canter, a former member of the Cleeks GC and Majesticks on the LIV Golf circuit, earned his way to the Masters after leaving LIV and finding success on the DP World Tour over the past few months.<\/span><\/p>\n

Canter’s finished T3 or better in three of his past four starts on the DPWT, including a win in February at the Bahrain Championship in a three-man playoff. He played well in the opening round of The PLAYERS before sinking back on Friday and missing the cut on the number. His driver is the best part of his game, but his baseline short game is pretty poor, and this isn’t the course that’s kind to debutants who struggle on and around the green.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Patrick Cantlay<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 15th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 9 (2019)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 22, 14, 39, MC, 17<\/em><\/h6>\n

Winning a golf tournament is hard to do, and Patrick Cantlay has made nearly 50 starts since his last win at the 2022 BMW Championship.<\/p>\n

Overall, Cantlay’s 2025 season is trending well. He’s gaining nearly two strokes per round on average, within range of where he was for most of 2019-2023, and up over a half-stroke from his 2024 dip to 1.3 strokes per round. His game is trending well, but he’s yet to be in contention in eight previous Masters starts, mostly because he can’t figure out these bentgrass greens.<\/p>\n

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These greens are what Patrick Cantlay’s nightmares are made of.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Typically one of the best putters on Tour, Cantlay hasn’t found the success that he’d like in his previous Masters starts due to his inability to navigate these green complexes. In fact, he’s lost at least 0.68 strokes per round putting in his past four Masters appearances. Cantlay’s price is one to monitor, especially after his early-round play in San Antonio, but I want the number to get bigger before I consider backing him.<\/p>\n

Wyndham Clark<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 10th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: MC,-,-,-,-<\/em><\/h6>\n

Wyndham Clark<\/a> really struggled with these Augusta National greens in his debut at the Masters last season, losing over three strokes and missing the cut on the number. Still, Clark’s game is well-suited for Augusta. He’s long off the tee, and his on-and-around-the-green game is as good as anyone in the world. When his approach game is dialed in, he’s a threat to win on any course against any field. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Overall, Clark has played well on long and difficult golf courses (pic: Last 2 Years)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The 2023 U.S. Open champion made the cut on the number last time out in Houston and then fired 64-64 on the weekend to earn a T5 finish on a great warm-up track at Memorial Park. That was Clark’s best finish to date of the 2025 season, and he hasn’t truly threatened to win since Harbour Town last season, and even that’s up for debate, considering he entered the final round seven strokes behind Scottie Scheffler<\/a>. There are some long outright prices in the market for Wyndham Clark<\/a>, but if he makes my betting card, it’ll be for a strong finish, not an outright victory.<\/span><\/p>\n

Corey Conners<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 21st<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 6 (2022)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 38, MC, 6, 8, 10<\/em><\/h6>\n

It appears Corey Conners sold his soul to improve his short game. Year-over-year, Conners is gaining strokes at the same rate as 2024, but he’s doing it in a different way. The certified flusher isn’t quite as dialed in with his irons so far this season, down over a half-stroke per round on average, but he’s gaining it back with improvements on and around the green.<\/p>\n

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Pretty strong course history here for Corey<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Conners will likely post another strong finish in San Antonio, a track where he’s won twice before, and he’ll bring great recent form to Augusta, with three straight T8 or better finishes at Bay Hill, TPC Sawgrass, and Innisbrook over the past month. He’s not an outright bet for me, but a late Sunday tee time for Conners would surprise no one.<\/p>\n

Fred Couples<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 1 (1992)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: MC, 50, MC, MC, MC<\/em><\/h6>\n

There was a five-year stretch in the early 2010s where Fred Couples<\/a> showed he could still compete even though he was 20+ years removed from his 1992 Masters win. <\/span>It appears that the window is fully closed, though Couples ended a run of three straight Thursday-Friday trips to Augusta with a T50 in 2023 but missed the cut again in 2024.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Freddie Boom Boom” is a tremendous ambassador for the game and has lots of useful nuggets to share with the new faces making their way around here for the first time, but that’s likely where the good news ends.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cameron Davis<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 58th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T12 (2024)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 12,-, 46, -, –<\/em><\/h6>\n

Cam Davis<\/span> is searching for the form that got him into this year’s field. Davis’s T12 at last year’s event punched his ticket to this year’s Masters, and he solidified that in June with his win in Detroit at the Rocket Mortgage. Davis came into last year’s Masters with significantly better form compared to where his game is right now, as you can see below.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Cam Davis<\/span> comes to Augusta on the back of four straight MCs<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Davis has missed the cut in four straight starts. <\/span>The ball-striking was a bit better last time out at the Valspar, but he looks completely lost on and around the green.<\/span> Past success at Augusta matters, but it’s not a place where you come to find your game when you’re lost.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jason Day<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 36th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T2 (2011)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 30, 39, MC, MC, 5<\/em><\/h6>\n

Jason Day<\/a>‘s best chance to win in the past calendar year was January’s American Express, a very different test and field than what’s ahead at Augusta. In fact, when the test has been tough, Jason Day<\/a> has mostly been a non-factor.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Last 2 Years, Difficult\/Very Difficult Scoring Conditions, Long and Very Long courses<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Day posted a T13 at Pebble Beach and a T8 at Bay Hill, the past two strong field events that he played, so it’s not like he’s playing bad golf; he’s just not near contention on Sunday. A lot of his starts lately have him playing well in three out of four days, rotating which function of the game will cost him strokes each week. His approach play has been much better in 2025 compared to the inconsistency of his 2024 stat line, but I’m not expecting much Jason Day<\/a> news here outside of whatever crazy ensemble Malbon has dialed up for him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bryson DeChambeau<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 19th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T6 (2024)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 6, MC, MC, 46, 34<\/em><\/h6>\n

Bryson DeChambeau<\/a> posted an opening round 65 and was your first-round leader at last year’s Masters, benefiting from the early weather wave advantage when high winds stymied the afternoon tee times. A 73-75-73 finish was still good enough for the best Masters finish of his career.<\/span><\/p>\n

DeChambeau’s Major Championship season only got better from there. He finished second to Xander Schauffele<\/a> at the PGA Championship and hit the shot of his career on the 72nd hold of the U.S. Open, winning at Pinehurst, the second U.S. Open win of his career.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bryson’s massive distance edge off the tee will also be an asset here, but outside of last year’s opening round, he’s struggled to find his footing here. Last year’s strong putting performance quiets some of the talk that the lack of greens books at Augusta is something that irks DeChambeau, but the numbers also show someone who’s struggled with their approach play and chipping here as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

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On and around the green here has caused Bryson fits. Was last year the outlier, or does he build on it in 2025?<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It’s difficult to quantify his recent form due to the nature of LIV Golf’s tour. A second-place finish in an Asian Tour event in India kicked off DeChambeau’s 2025 season, and he’s finished T20 or better (out of 54) in his four LIV Golf starts, never truly threatening the top of the board in any of them. DeChambeau and the LIV Golf crew tee it up at Doral as a lead-in event to the Masters, and I’m sure a strong showing there won’t go unnoticed in the betting markets.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thomas Detry<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 26th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: Debutant<\/em><\/h6>\n

This will be Thomas Detry<\/a>‘s tenth start in a major, but it’s his first start at the Masters. The 32-year-old won for the first time on the PGA Tour back in February, winning the WM Phoenix Open by an impressive seven strokes, with four rounds at 66 or better to capture the title.<\/span><\/p>\n

Detry’s putter does a lot of the heavy lifting in his best weeks, and that’s a recipe that’s difficult to trust. It’s especially difficult this week when the ball-striking demand is so important. Detry had lost strokes on approach in 10 of 13 events prior to his out-of-body stop in Phoenix, and he’s lost strokes on approach in three of the five events since. If this wasn’t his first go-round at this place, I’d give him a bit of credit for having sneaky upside here because he has the distance requirement off the tee, and his spike putting weeks are impressive, but I want to see him take this event on before I rush to bet him in any form.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nick Dunlap<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 41st<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: MC,-,-,-,-<\/em><\/h6>\n

There will be better days ahead for the 21-year-old Nick Dunlap<\/a>, but these are not those days. Last year’s surprising amateur winner is lost in the wilderness right now, searching for a way to get off the tee that gives him a chance to compete. Again, Augusta National is not a place you go to find your form. You’d better check in with it on Sunday or Monday when you arrive on the property.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
My man is LOST right now<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dunlap has lost strokes tee-to-green in nine straight starts, with the past three (missed cuts at Bay Hill, Sawgrass, and Memorial Park) especially discouraging, as you can see above. Again, the future is very bright for Dunlap. He’s won twice on Tour and nearly earned his way to East Lake last season with two impressive showings during the first two legs of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, but he’s scuffling right now.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nicolas Echavarria<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 46th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: Debutant<\/em><\/h6>\n

Nico Echavarria<\/span> was the MVP of the fall’s swing season. It’s a made-up award I created just now, but I’m comfortable with the selection. Echavarria won October’s ZOZO Championship, which, of all the fall events, routinely has the strongest field. He followed it up with a T6 the next time out at the World Wide Tech Championship and a T2 at the RSM Classic in his last fall start. He appeared to be carrying that form into the start of the 2025 season after he was tied for the 72-hole lead at the Sony Open before losing to Nick Taylor<\/span> in a playoff.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Nico doesn’t have a lot of reps against the world’s best, but so far, he’s liked picking on weaker fields.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Echavarria’s play has been a lot more up and down since Hawaii, with four missed cuts in six starts before his T16 finish at the Valspar Championship. He popped for a bit in Houston as well, but lost over four strokes tee-to-green on Sunday, which is not encouraging. This will be his fourth major championship start but his first at Augusta. Statistically, his skill set doesn’t appear to set up well for the venue, given his lack of distance and pedestrian ball-striking stats.<\/span><\/p>\n

Austin Eckroat<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 54th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: MC,-,-,-,-<\/em><\/h6>\n

I’m a fan of Austin Eckroat<\/span>, but even when he’s at his best, his overall skill profile isn’t a great fit for Augusta National unless he adds length and tightens up his short game. Unfortunately, he’s far from his best right now.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Eckroat’s current profile screams Sedgefield, not Augusta.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Eckroat has missed the cut in four of his past six starts, with a T34 finish at Bay Hill his best result in that time frame. He’s lost strokes on approach in seven of his past night starts, including losing over 4.5 in two rounds at Memorial Park during his tune-up start last week. I’m buying Austin Eckroat<\/span> stock moving forward, but he’s off my radar this week.<\/span><\/p>\n

Harris English<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 37th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T21 (2021)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 22, 43, 21, 42, MC<\/em><\/h6>\n

Harris English<\/span> will tee it up at Augusta for the sixth time in 2025, and it’s the first time in his career that he’s played this event in three consecutive years. No one’s super excited to click on Harris English<\/span>, but he’s pieced together competitive rounds in each of his past four Masters starts.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
A lot of short-game smoke and mirrors here, but English has played well at Augusta lately.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He’s a tricky handicap because his short game does a lot of the heavy lifting, and there’s a lot more week-to-week and round-by-round volatility in chipping and putting compared to someone with a <\/span>strong<\/span> baseline of elite ball-striking numbers. English was a surprise winner at this year’s Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, another long track with difficult scoring conditions. <\/span>I don’t think English has the ceiling to win a green jacket, but he’ll be posted at a <\/span>big<\/span> price for a T30 or 40 finish, and that’s a great look in this smaller-than-average field.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tony Finau<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 33rd<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 5 (2019)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 55, 26, 35, 10, 38<\/em><\/h6>\n

Tony Finau has lost strokes on approach in four of his past five starts. You have to go back to the summer of 2021 to find another example of that, since Finau’s ball-striking is typically the pillar of his game. He broke that streak in 2021 with a win at the Northern Trust, which is good news if you want to dance with Finau at this year’s Masters.<\/p>\n

That won’t be me. Finau’s fit and history at Augusta National are solid, but I’d need him to be in tip-top form to consider him this week. Finau has missed the cut in three of his eight starts this season. That’s more than he did all of last year in 21 starts and matches what he did in 2023 in 20 starts.<\/p>\n

Matthew Fitzpatrick<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 70th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 7 (2016)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 22, 10, 14, 34, 46<\/em><\/h6>\n

From 2020 to 2023, Matthew Fitzpatrick hovered around 7-12 in the OWGR while averaging between 1.3 and 1.7 strokes gained per round. That number was cut in half in 2024, down to 0.7 strokes per round, and that trend continues into 2025, with Fitz down to 0.35 strokes per round.<\/p>\n

\"\"
This is even worse than I thought for Fitzy<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It’s a curious decline, given Fitzpatrick’s age and trajectory, but hey, golf is hard. Fitzpatrick has finished inside the top 20 just twice since last year’s Masters, just missing with a T22 two starts ago at Bay Hill. But a missed cut at The PLAYERS and San Antonio in his past two starts makes him difficult to trust right now, despite his recent success at Augusta National. Caddie Billy Foster is no longer on the bag, and while a permanent switch to a new full-time caddie is likely a good move in the long term, you can sell me it being a negative in a start like this.<\/p>\n

Tommy Fleetwood<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 11th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T3 (2024)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 3, 33, 14, 46, 19<\/em><\/h6>\n

I don’t have the Tommy Fleetwood affliction that so many of my close friends seem to suffer from, but I understand why they do. Don’t get me wrong, I have my own list of golfers who rarely win that I love to throw money at, but Fleetwood’s inability to seal the deal stateside is quite remarkable, given how many times he’s been in contention over the past eight seasons on the PGA Tour.<\/p>\n

Tommy Lad doesn’t have a noteworthy weakness in his game. Remarkably, Fleetwood has finished T22 or better in 15 consecutive starts heading into this week’s Valero Texas Open. He’s also finished T7 or better in eight of his past 26 starts since last year’s Masters, where he finished in a tie for third after a Sunday 69.<\/p>\n

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Majors, Last 3 years<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is an elite golfer; there’s no debate. No one should be of the belief that Fleetwood can’t win, but he’s routinely priced among those that do, so there’s rarely any value in his outright number. A top 20 bet is a great look, though.<\/p>\n

Sergio Garcia<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 380th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 1 (2017)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: MC, MC, 23, MC, MC<\/em><\/h6>\n

Sergio’s T23 here in 2022 was his first made cut since winning here in 2017. He <\/span>got back on<\/span> the missed-cut wagon last year, his fourth in five years.<\/span><\/p>\n

When you remove the 2017 victory and look at his career at Augusta before and after winning the green jacket, 2017 feels more like an outlier than an inevitable culmination of someone who’s dominated this event. He’s missed the cut in seven of his 17 Masters, with just three top-10 finishes, including the year he won. A recent win in Hong Kong saw Sergio’s future price dip. It’s difficult to argue that his ball-striking abilities are anything less than excellent, but it’s not an outright bet I’m rushing to make. Mostly because of the head-to-toe LIV Golf Fireballs attire.<\/span><\/p>\n

If he plays well at Doral, <\/span>I think<\/span> he’ll be <\/span>quite<\/span> popular in DFS and would be interesting in the finishing position markets.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lucas Glover<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 28th<\/em>
\nBest Finish At The Masters: T20 (2024 & 2007)<\/em>
\nLast 5 Masters Finishes: 20, 30, MC, 42, 49<\/em><\/h6>\n

Fresh off of being the fourth wheel on TGL’s Atlanta Drive, Lucas Glover<\/span> is making consecutive starts at the Masters for the first time since 2014. <\/span>Ok,<\/span> that’s not fair, but I <\/span>did genuinely forget<\/span> who their fourth was after the Thomas\/Cantlay\/Horschel buzzsaw ran through New York in the finals.<\/span> Glover’s T20 at last year’s event was a bit surprising. He entered with sub-par form, and in general, he’s a pretty poor fit stylistically for this course, given his lack of distance.<\/span><\/p>\n

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There’s an awful lot of green here, and green is good.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Glover comes to the 2025 edition in much better form. He followed up a T3 at The PLAYERS with a T8 at the Valspar, his two starts leading into this year’s event. His approach game is dialed in right now, and his short-game improvements are <\/span>noteworthy as well<\/span>. Glover has gained 0.45 strokes per round over the past 24, up 0.37 <\/span>strokes<\/span> from his 100-round baseline. <\/span>A 45-year-old who lacks distance is an easy name to cross off your list this week, and while I won’t make a case for him as a longshot winner, <\/span>I think<\/span> another T20 finish is possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

Max Greyserman<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 40th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: Debutant<\/em><\/h6>\n

Max Greyserman<\/a>‘s spot among the top 50 in the OWGR earned him an invitation to this year’s Masters, his first start at Augusta National, and his third major championship <\/span>start<\/span> overall. He ended the 2024 regular season well, proving that winning is <\/span>hard<\/span>, with back-to-back solo second-place finishes at the 3M and Wyndham Championship.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
This looks like a staircase that leads to a very dark place, though to be fair, Greyserman’s sample of strong field events is small.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Greyserman pieced together three solid showings in a row, two of which were in Signature Events, finishing T24 or better <\/span>in each<\/span>. A poor showing at The PLAYERS was followed by another lackluster performance in Houston, so he’s scuffling a bit as he heads to Augusta. Greyserman has plus distance and can get red-hot with the putter, but I don’t trust the rest of his game right now, especially as he navigates this track for the first time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian Harman<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 49th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 12 (2021)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: MC, MC, MC, 12, 44<\/em><\/h6>\n

Brian Harman is lighting San Antonio on fire. The Valero Texas Open is his to lose at this point, and he’s flashing upside that he hasn’t shown yet in 2025.<\/p>\n

Harman has been on Tour since 2012, and he’s gained strokes putting in every single season. Through nine 2025 starts (the Valero Texas Open is his 10th), Harman is losing 0.27 strokes putting. When you’re hemorrhaging distance off the tee to the field, you have to find other ways to contend, and Harman can’t if he’s not putting it well.<\/p>\n

The lefty has just one T20 finish this season and has missed the cut in three straight Masters. He used to be a fun longshot, but let’s see how things play out this weekend in Texas.<\/p>\n

Justin Hastings<\/a> (a)<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Current WAGR: 24th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: Debutant<\/em><\/h6>\n

Justin Hastings<\/a>‘s 2025 Latin American Am win earned him an exemption into the U.S. Open, The Open Championship, and this year’s Masters. The 21-year-old San Diego State senior from the Cayman Islands made the Haskins Award Fall Watch List and has spent most of the college season inside the top 20 on the PGA Tour University rankings.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hastings has taken a couple of sponsor exemptions this season, making starts in Mexico (T13) and Puerto Rico (MC).<\/span><\/p>\n

Tyrrell Hatton<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 17th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T9 (2024)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 9, 34, 52, 18, MC<\/em><\/h6>\n

Tyrrell Hatton<\/span> has been vocal about his frustrations with the setup and course over the years. Shocking, I know. <\/span><\/p>\n

I’ve always felt that Hatton’s game is well-suited for success at Augusta, and he posted his first career top-10 finish here last season on the back of a final-round 69 (-3). In fact, it was Hatton’s first top ten in a major since his T6 at Royal Portrush in the 2019 Open. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Can Hatton build on his solid 2024 Masters finish?<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hatton hasn’t been able to carry his fall success (two wins and three top-6 finishes in five starts) into 2025 yet, and a strong showing at Doral in LIV Golf’s lead-up event looks unlikely after an opening round 78 (+6). If you’re considering Hatton, wait because you’ll get a much bigger number on Monday or Tuesday when the odds board reshuffles.<\/span><\/p>\n

Russell Henley<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 7th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T4 (2023)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 38, 4, 30, 15, 11<\/em><\/h6>\n

Russell Henley<\/a> made the cut in all four of 2024’s majors, finishing T7 at Pinehurst and solo fifth at Royal Troon. I will continue to beat the drum here; Russell Henley<\/a> is better than you think.<\/span><\/p>\n

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I spy, with my little eye, a top 10 golfer in the world.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Henley rarely plays himself out of tournaments, and his results reflect that, with ten T10 or better finishes in his past 20 starts, including his Signature Event win at Bay Hill last month. His lack of distance is concerning, but he’s one of the best wedge players in the world, and turning the Par 5s into three-shot holes has served short hitters like Zach Johnson<\/a> well in the past and appears to be the recipe for success for Henley <\/span>as well<\/span>. <\/span>Bay Hill profiles as a ‘bombers course’ as was Pinehurst, <\/span>and that<\/span> didn’t <\/span>seem to<\/span> impact Henley <\/span>whatsoever<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

He’s going to<\/span> keep the ball in play off the tee, and his scrambling ability becomes paramount, particularly on the long Par 4s here. Over the past two years, when looking at how this field has performed on long courses against strong fields and under difficult scoring conditions, Henley’s fifth, having gained strokes in 75% of his rounds played.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe Highsmith<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 60th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a <\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: Debutant<\/em><\/h6>\n

From April 2024 to July 2024, Joe Highsmith<\/span> made ten starts on the PGA Tour. His T57 in Detroit was his best finish and the only time he made the cut during that ten-start stretch. An appearance at the next Masters was probably the furthest thing from Joe Highsmith<\/span>‘s mind at the time. <\/span>But after a solid swing season, Highsmith was a surprising winner at PGA National, posting 64-64 on the weekend to win <\/span>the<\/span> first PGA Tour event <\/span>of his career<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Highsmith hasn’t played in a lot of ‘strong’ fields, but this is a 32-round sample against ‘average’ fields. Not great.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This will be Joe Highsmith<\/span>‘s second <\/span>major<\/span> championship start after the then-20-year-old teed it up in the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. His game is trending in the right direction, but I’m not quite sure about his ceiling <\/span>at this point<\/span>, especially with so few reps on <\/span>tough<\/span> golf courses against elite competition. <\/span>Highsmith is a Southpaw<\/span>, though<\/span>, but whatever coolness is gained for that is canceled out by the bucket hat.<\/span> I’m sorry, those are just the facts. I don’t make the rules.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tom Hoge<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 53rd<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T39 (2022)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: -, MC, 39, -, –<\/em><\/h6>\n

Is Tommy Tables a big game hunter? Since the start of 2024, Hoge’s finished inside the top 20 in 15 of 39 starts. Ten of the 15 were in either Signature Events, FedEx Cup playoffs, or Major Championships. He plays to the level of his competition.<\/p>\n

Still, I’m not sure what Hoge’s ceiling is at the Masters. Hoge’s been right around field average (0.10 strokes gained) in his previous Major Championship starts, missing the cut in eight of his 17 starts. He’s played slightly below average (-0.05) over the past two seasons on long courses with difficult scoring conditions. Hoge’s approach play is so consistently strong, which can make up for a lot of other deficits on the golf course, but you need the full bag to get it done at Augusta National.<\/p>\n

Nicolai H\u00f8jgaard<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 79th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T16 (2024)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 16,-,-,-,-<\/em><\/h6>\n

There was a moment on Sunday when two high-profile d<\/span>ebutants, Ludvig <\/span>Aberg<\/span> and Nicolai Hojgaard<\/a>, were sitting in the top five on the leaderboard, going toe-to-toe with Collin Morikawa<\/a>, Max Homa<\/a>, and Scottie Scheffler<\/a>. At some point around Amen Corner, Nicolai felt the pressure of the moment. Nicolai profiles well for Augusta National, with plus distance, high apex height, and the ability to shape shots both ways. He just hasn’t shown enough consistency yet, especially against <\/span>tougher<\/span> fields.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A lot of long approach shots at Augusta National, which is good news for Nicolai.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You can see through the long iron proximity that there’s a lot to like about Hojgaard’s game. The issue for me is his recent form lagging behind. He’s missed the cut in three straight starts. He doesn’t have the chops to close yet, at least not against a major championship field.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rasmus H\u00f8jgaard<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 55th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: Debutant<\/em><\/h6>\n

Good luck picking these two out of a lineup. Rasmus was in Nicolai’s shadow a bit after a strong 2023 campaign got Nicolai a Ryder Cup spot, while Rasmus was just there as a spectator. <\/span>Clearly,<\/span> that was motivating for Rasmus, who has been the more productive of the two ever since.<\/span> Both brothers can bomb it off the tee, <\/span>which is why<\/span> they need to be taken seriously over the next 10+ years, but Rasmus is a bit longer right now.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Sorted by carry distance. Rasmus can send it.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The 2025 season has been Rasmus’s debut on the PGA Tour after he beat up on the DP World Tour fields in Europe to earn his Tour card for the season. <\/span>It’s been <\/span>a bit of<\/span> an uneven start so far, with a T12 in Phoenix his best finish to date.<\/span> I’m sure his brother will fill him in on some of Augusta National’s <\/span>quirks<\/span>\u00a0and what to expect during his first time through, but nothing matters until you experience it yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n

Max Homa<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 78th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T3 (2024)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 3, 43, 48, MC, MC<\/em><\/h6>\n

Max Homa was 8th in the OWGR after last year’s third-place finish at the Masters. It was Max’s second consecutive T10 or better finish in a major, and there was no sign of what’s happened since.<\/p>\n

After another disappointing start in San Antonio, Homa’s now missed the cut in five straight starts, losing at least 1.2 strokes on approach in all of them. Homa’s only weekend golf has come in no-cut events. He hasn’t actually made a cut since last year’s Open Championship in July.<\/p>\n

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Hello darkness, my old friend…<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Things have gotten so bad that Homa has parted ways with his long-time caddie and childhood friend, Joey Greiner. This is a humbling game, even for the best in the world. I look forward to Homa turning it around at some point, but there’s no light at the end of the tunnel right now.<\/p>\n

Billy Horschel<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 20th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T17 (2016)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 52, 43, 50, 38, 56<\/em><\/h6>\n

It’s difficult<\/span> to properly account for how the local crowd will treat Billy Horschel<\/span> after he was the emotional captain of the Atlanta Drives’ recent TGL Championship<\/span>, but it’s<\/span> worth a few points in the outright market. I’d love to see Billy on the practice range with the <\/span>iced-out<\/span> necklace, doing the dirty bird, but that’s just me.<\/span><\/p>\n

Horschel has underwhelmed in his previous Masters starts, with just one T30 finish, a T17 back in 2016. <\/span>Horschel is very <\/span>streaky,<\/span> and more so someone to ride when he’s playing well, <\/span>regardless<\/span> of the course <\/span>setup<\/span>.<\/span> The encouraging news for those looking to back Horschel, which should be in matchups or a finishing position bet only, is that Billy played well last time out at the Valspar, finishing T4 and gaining throughout the bag. He didn’t qualify for last year’s Masters, but he did post strong finishes at the PGA (T8) and Open Championship (T2) last season.<\/span><\/p>\n

Viktor Hovland<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 8th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T7 (2023)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: MC, 7, 27, 21, 32<\/em><\/h6>\n

Perhaps one<\/span> of the most fascinating situations in <\/span>the world of<\/span> golf over the past two seasons is whatever you want to call this Viktor Hovland<\/a> journey.<\/span> Hovland, once considered by some the best golfer on the planet, has been a shell of himself for most of the past 18 months. An opening round 80 at TPC Sawgrass led to Hovland’s third consecutive missed cut, and he nearly skipped the Valspar to work on his game because he felt like he couldn’t compete.<\/span><\/p>\n

Well, of course, you know what happened next. Hovland not only competed at Innisbrook, but he also won. A deep dive into the numbers shows that for all of his swing tinkering, his approach game remains elite.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Even when it was ‘bad,’ the approach game was still strong.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He said he didn’t trust his swing under pressure with the driver, and his short game had <\/span>completely<\/span> abandoned him. His around-the-green game has been a mess for most of his pro career, and the snip-snap-snip-snap nature of his relationship with short-game instructor Joe Mayo is something we’ve heard a lot about over the past 18 months. <\/span>Still, the <\/span>win at Innisbrook has to<\/span> be an injection of confidence for Hovland as he readies himself for this year’s event.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sungjae Im<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 24th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 2 (2020)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: MC, 16, 8, MC, 2<\/em><\/h6>\n

This is not your slightly older cousin’s Sungjae Im<\/span>. This version is nowhere near that steady ball-striking maven who used to tee it up every week and cash top-20 checks at a 50+% clip. Sungjae’s 2024 was a slight dip from the baseline we’ve grown accustomed to, but 2025’s version has dipped even further.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Im’s short game remains solid, but the rest of his game is underwhelming right now.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Im has lost strokes on approach in seven of his ten starts this season, posting one top-20 finish since January, a T19 at last month’s Arnold Palmer<\/span> Invitational. In 2025, Im has gained 1+ strokes ball-striking in 25% of his rounds, which ranks 60th in this field, trailing the likes of Danny Willett<\/span>, Matthieu Pavon<\/span>, and Adam Schenk<\/span>. For context, in <\/span>2023<\/span> Sungjae gained 1+ strokes ball-striking in 41.2% of his rounds. He’s played well here over his career, but his second-place finish in the fall edition of this championship should be taken with a grain of salt.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stephan Jaeger<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 42nd<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: MC,-,-,-,-<\/em><\/h6>\n

Stephan Jaeger<\/span> is back for the second consecutive year, and although he’s not coming in off a win like <\/span>he was<\/span> last season, he’s in much better form overall. Jaeger has four T20 or better finishes in ten starts this season, two of which have come in his past three starts (PLAYERS and Houston). His irons have been much more consistent than last season, and he’s turned his biggest weakness, his putter, into a strength.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Jaeger hasn’t punched up very often (Last 12 months)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jaeger lost strokes putting in 2022, 2023, and 2024, but through ten 2025 starts, he’s gaining nearly a half-stroke per round on average. The bigger question is, can he put four rounds together on a <\/span>difficult<\/span> course against the world’s best? <\/span>Jaeger’s not winning this event, but <\/span>I think<\/span> we’ll see him on the weekend, and a T30 or so showing would be a step in the right direction.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dustin Johnson<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 166th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 1 (2020)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: MC, 48, 12, MC, 1<\/em><\/h6>\n

A prevailing narrative around <\/span>a lot<\/span> of LIV Golf’s departed is that they don’t <\/span>truly<\/span> care about competitive golf anymore, and that’s <\/span>mostly unfair<\/span>. <\/span><\/p>\n

Other than Dustin Johnson<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

You can’t look at DJ’s LIV Golf results and tell me with a straight face that he’s teeing it up every week with the same fire in his belly as his peers on the PGA Tour or even something resembling the 2021-22 version of DJ who played on Tour before taking the Saudi bag. <\/span><\/p>\n

Now, he did finish T5 last time <\/span>out<\/span> in Singapore, a course he <\/span>clearly<\/span> likes because his T7 there last May was his only other top-ten finish in the past calendar year.<\/span> He’s off to a hot start in Miami in LIV’s tune-up event at Doral, and perhaps he’s proving to have a unique ability to turn it on after having ‘it’ turned off for months.<\/span><\/p>\n

Johnson finished in dead-last place in Hong Kong last month, 54th out of 54 golfers. DJ has played in 15 LIV Golf events since his win in Las Vegas last February, finishing outside the top 20 in a 54-man field in 11 out of 15 starts. <\/span><\/p>\n

Zach Johnson<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 333rd<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 1 (2007)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: MC, 34, MC, MC, 51<\/em><\/h6>\n

Zach Johnson<\/a> plays a limited schedule these days, and <\/span>when he plays,<\/span> it mostly goes unnoticed.<\/span> I mean no disrespect to the 2007 champ, but the further we get away from Johnson’s surprising T34 finish at the 2023 event, the <\/span>more surprising<\/span> it seems.<\/span><\/p>\n

Johnson has missed the cut in eight of his past 11 Major Championship starts and five of his eight PGA Tour starts since the end of the 2024 season. There’s no part of his game that’s good enough to make up for the massive disadvantage that Johnson faces distance-wise these days, something that was an issue in his prime and only exacerbated the further we get away from those days.<\/span><\/p>\n

Noah Kent<\/a> (a)<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Current WAGR: 145th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a <\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: Debutant<\/em><\/h6>\n

After meeting Rory McIlroy<\/span> when he was <\/span>just<\/span> 13 years old, young Noah Kent<\/a> got bitten hard by the golf bug that afflicts <\/span>so<\/span> many of us.<\/span> He began his college career at Iowa before transferring back home to Florida this year, and the sophomore will now tee it up for the Florida Gators. Kent’s runner-up finish at last year’s U.S. Am was good enough to get him to Augusta.<\/span><\/p>\n

Michael Kim<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 50th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: MC,-,-,-,-<\/em><\/h6>\n

I’m not sure<\/span> any golfer has made <\/span>bigger<\/span> gains in 2025 than Michael Kim<\/span>.<\/span> It <\/span>sort of<\/span> reminds me of Max Homa<\/a>‘s ascension a few years ago, when Homa’s game improved throughout the bag, and he could show up and compete on any course against any field.<\/span> Kim doesn’t have the wins to support that comparison yet, but it feels like they’re coming.<\/span><\/p>\n

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2024<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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2025<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kim has done this against stronger fields in 2025 <\/span>as well<\/span>, playing his way into Signature Event fields and holding up, like his solo fourth-place finish at Bay Hill last month. This will be Kim’s eighth Major Championship start, <\/span>but<\/span> his first since the 2023 Open and his first Masters since 2019. His current form shows no weaknesses; it’s just a matter of whether or not his ceiling is good enough to be a factor here on Sunday.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tom Kim<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 31st<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T16 (2023)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 30, 16, -, -,- <\/em><\/h6>\n

Tom Kim’s played better than his 2025 results show, but elite ball-striking is only part of the game. Kim’s maintained his above-average accuracy off the tee while adding ball speed and distance, something he’s lacked since turning pro. He’s also taken a strength, his approach game, into a new stratosphere, gaining, on average, over a stroke per round with his irons.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, when it comes to putting, Kim couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat.<\/p>\n

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Bright green is good…bright red is bad.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kim’s played well in his previous two Masters appearances, and I could see another top-30 finish this week, but I wouldn’t bet on anything beyond that.<\/p>\n

Chris Kirk<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 73rd<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T16 (2024)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 16, 23, MC, 33, 20<\/em><\/h6>\n

Chris Kirk<\/span> has been a non-factor this season. He’s made 22 starts since last year’s T16 at Augusta, finishing inside the top 20 just twice. His best 2025 result is a T22 at Bay Hill. Kirk’s putter deserves a lot of the blame, but his game is trending down throughout the bag for the second season in a row.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kirk’s made positive gains in one area, adding distance off the tee to keep him in play at some of the Tour’s longer tracks, but it’s not leading to better golf<\/span>, unfortunately<\/span>.<\/span> His course history is noteworthy, considering how sticky past success here can be, but I don’t see anything that would lead me to buy in on another top 20 or 30 showing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Patton Kizzire<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 136th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T18 (2019)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: -, -, -, 18, MC<\/em><\/h6>\n

Patton Kizzire<\/span>‘s win in Napa Valley to kick off the swing season punched his ticket to this year’s Masters, his third trip to Augusta National, the first since 2019. To say it’s been downhill ever since would be an understatement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kizzire’s win earned him a spot in the season-opening Sentry field, a small-field no-cut where he finished in a tie for 40th place. That’s Kizzire’s only made cut in 2025. Seven missed cuts and <\/span>one putter punt<\/span><\/a> later, here we are. Kizzire won’t be in <\/span>any of<\/span> my ‘to make the cut’ parlays this week.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Brooks Koepka<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 231st<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 2 (2019 and 2023)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 45, 2, MC, MC, 7<\/em><\/h6>\n

It was surprising to see Brooks Koepka<\/span> be a non-factor in all four 2024 major starts. While he might not be a top-ten golfer in the world anymore, he’s still shown a pulse on the LIV circuit, something that not all <\/span>of<\/span> his peers can say. He <\/span>clearly<\/span> likes the Singapore course because he finished second there last month after winning that event in 2024. He also won at the Greenbrier in August and has posted a few other strong finishes along the way.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Koepka’s 2024 Majors<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The LIV Golf crew tees it up in Miami at Doral the week before this year’s Masters, and if Koepka wins, his price will plummet. Either way, don’t fool yourself into thinking he’s not a threat. He missed the cut in 2021 and 2022 when he was less than 100%, but has been a runner-up here twice in the past six events. <\/span>Unfortunately, he’s still garnering a lot of respect from oddsmakers, <\/span>which makes<\/span> him far less appealing at his current price<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bernhard Langer<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 1 (1985 & 1993)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 62, 29, MC, MC, MC<\/em><\/h6>\n

The dreaded pickleball injury that plagues so many of our world’s 60+ communities struck Bernhard Langer<\/span> last winter, forcing him to miss his first Masters in over a decade.<\/span><\/p>\n

At 67, Langer is still a force on the Champions Tour. He won November’s Charles Schwab Cup and finished inside the top 12 in nine of his past 12 Champions Tour starts, six of which were T5 or better. He’s popped up with random strong finishes a few times over the past dozen years, including a T8 in 2014 and a T29 in 2020, but a made cut feels like a massive win and longshot these days.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thriston Lawrence<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 69th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: Debutant<\/em><\/h6>\n

Four competitive rounds at Royal Troon led to Thriston Lawrence<\/span>‘s solo fourth-place finish at The Open, which qualified him for his first trip to Augusta National. <\/span>Lawrence took that momentum from Troon and played well in the fall on the DP World Tour, earning his PGA Tour card <\/span>along the way<\/span>, but that form <\/span>has<\/span> abandoned him in 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lawrence has made eight PGA Tour starts in 2025, missing the cut in six of them, with two finishes outside the top 50 in Mexico (T59) and Puerto Rico (T54). This is not someone we should expect to be competitive this week.<\/span><\/p>\n

Min Woo Lee<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 22nd<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T14 (2022)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 22, MC, 14, -, –<\/em><\/h6>\n

Min Woo Lee<\/span>‘s ceiling was never <\/span>in question<\/span>, but some had questioned his ability to put four consecutive rounds together. I think he answered that last week in Houston. It was one of the sweatier final-round 67s <\/span>that I<\/span> can remember, especially considering that he entered play with a four-stroke lead. <\/span>I think the<\/span> win was even more impressive because he faced pressure from Scottie Scheffler<\/a>‘s back-9 birdie barrage<\/span>, along with<\/span> some self-induced pain with a wayward drive on the par-5 16th.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Book-end MCs, but there’s a lot of good golf in the middle. (Majors only, last 2 years.)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Even before last week’s win, Min Woo has been far more consistent this season. His short game is elite, and for the year, he’s gaining strokes on approach for the first time in his career. <\/span>He’s finished <\/span>inside<\/span> the top 20 in five of his seven starts in 2025 and is undoubtedly bringing a new <\/span>level of confidence<\/span> to his fourth Masters appearance.<\/span> Predictably, his outright price shrank rapidly during his showing in Houston. <\/span>I don’t want to be a <\/span>prisoner<\/span> of the moment, but <\/span>I think<\/span> a field-average approach week puts Min Woo Lee<\/span> firmly inside the top 20 this week.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shane Lowry<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 12th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 3 (2022)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 43, 16, 3, 21, 25<\/em><\/h6>\n

Lowry and fellow Euro Ryder Cup teammate Tommy Fleetwood have <\/span>a lot<\/span> in common when you look at their run stateside over the past handful of years. Both contend often, but finding the winner’s circle has mostly eluded them. <\/span>From a strokes-gained perspective, Lowry is playing the best golf of his career<\/span>, <\/span>and <\/span>he<\/span> has been <\/span>very good<\/span> in majors over the past two years.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Strokes gained, Majors, Last 2 Years<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lowry’s form is excellent at the moment. He loves playing golf in Florida, and this year was no different, finishing T20 or better in all four Sunshine State starts leading up to this week. Lowry is more <\/span>“finishing<\/span> position bet” versus a viable outright bet, in my opinion, but I’d look to back him in the each-way market if you’re so inclined to pick him to win.<\/span><\/p>\n

Robert MacIntyre<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 17th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T12 (2021)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 23, 12, -, -, –<\/em><\/h6>\n

“Bobby Mac” returns to Augusta for the first time since 2022, bringing excellent recent form with him. He missed the cut at Torrey Pines in February, but he played well the week before in Scottsdale (T6), and he followed up strong showings at Bay Hill (T11) and Sawgrass (9th) with a T9 finish on the DP World Tour’s Singapore stop.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A lot of green here for Bobby Mac. Trending.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Left-handers with distance have historically fared well at Augusta National, and I’m encouraged by how MacIntyre has played here in his previous two visits. After he fired a second-round 64 in Singapore, I scooped up a rogue 85\/1 in the outright market on MacIntyre. The <\/span>longest<\/span> current number on him is 60, which is still bettable, and I’ll be looking to back Bobby Mac in matchups and props as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hideki Matsuyama<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 6th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 1 (2021)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 38, 16, 14, 1, 13<\/em><\/h6>\n

Hideki Matsuyama is just 33 years old, but this will be his 14th time teeing it up at Augusta National. He’s made the cut in 12 of the 13 starts, finishing T20 or better eight times.<\/p>\n

The 2021 Masters champ finished the 2024 season strong, with a win in the opening round of the playoffs in Memphis, and he found the winner’s circle again in January at The Sentry, a great way to start the 2025 season. He hasn’t threatened the top of the board since, though he did finish inside the top 25 at the Sony, WMPO, Genesis, and API.<\/p>\n

The range of potential outcomes with Matsuyama feels wider than most other top 20 golfers. That makes him a bit harder to trust, but the upside also keeps his outright betting number short because he’s a threat to win at any course against any field.<\/p>\n

Denny McCarthy<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 40th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T45 (2024)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 45,-,-,-,-<\/em><\/h6>\n

Denny McCarthy’s game appears to be evolving, taking him out of one-trick pony territory and into a new tier. McCarthy is arguably the best putter on the PGA Tour, but he’s improved his club head speed, which has added significant distance to his baseline drives in 2025. He’s also been remarkably consistent with his irons this season, gaining at least 0.7 strokes on approach in eight of his nine starts.<\/p>\n

This makes McCarthy way more interesting for the rest of 2025, but I don’t think it changes much about how I’d handicap his chances this week. I think he can improve on last year’s T45 as a debutant, but I wouldn’t bet on much more than that.<\/p>\n

Matt McCarty<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 57th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: Debutant<\/em><\/h6>\n

Back in<\/span> October, Matt McCarty<\/span> hit the ground running on the PGA Tour. The lefty won his second career start, the Black Desert Championship, after the Korn Ferry grad won three of six KFT starts in July and August. Since then? Eh, the PGA Tour is the best of the best.<\/span><\/p>\n

McCarty has mostly been non-competitive in 2025, though he is playing better of late, with five <\/span>straight made<\/span> cuts, including back-to-back T20 finishes as The PLAYERS and Valspar Championship. McCarty doesn’t have one defining skill at the moment, and he loses distance to the field in each event, a <\/span>tough<\/span> recipe for a first-timer at ANGC.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rory McIlroy<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 2nd<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 2 (2022)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 22, MC, 2, MC, 5<\/em><\/h6>\n

You may have heard this before, but a Masters win is the final piece of the career Grand Slam for Rory McIlroy<\/span>. I know! I was stunned to learn this, too. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Rory, lifetime SG: Augusta National<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Is this the year it finally happens? <\/span>There’s a growing sentiment in the golf community that this is the year, and it’s <\/span>pretty<\/span> easy to understand why.<\/span> Statistically <\/span>speaking<\/span>, Rory is playing the best golf of his career <\/span>right now<\/span>.<\/span> On average, McIlroy <\/span>is gaining<\/span> 2.87 strokes per round, a 0.84 stroke improvement over last season, and his best mark since 2022.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Long\/Very Long Courses + Difficult\/Very Difficult Scoring Conditions, Last 2 Years<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He’s won three of his past seven starts, including impressive wins at Pebble Beach and Sawgrass, courses that slightly minimize Rory’s best weapon, his ability to absolutely pound it off the tee. He’s teed it up 11 times since last year’s Tour Championship, and he’s finished inside the top 5 in eight of those starts. He’s gaining more average strokes per round on the green (0.66\/round) than he ever has <\/span>in his career<\/span>. He’s been very transparent about his offseason swing tweaks and approach to course management, <\/span>and it’s resulted<\/span> in his best SG: APP numbers since 2019. <\/span>We’re not going to<\/span> find any data point <\/span>that proves<\/span> Rory can’t win at Augusta.<\/span> He’s struggled with his irons here, but his recent form is good news for anyone looking to back him this week.<\/span><\/p>\n

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SG: Majors, Last 2 Years<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is all between the ears at this point. The going rate in the market is +650 for McIlroy to tame the dragon, and I’m considering taking that ride.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maverick McNealy<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 16th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: Debutant<\/em><\/h6>\n

If not for Michael Kim, Maverick McNealy would have a strong case for the most improved player on Tour. He won his first event as a pro back in November at the RSM Classic, and he’s carried that form into 2025. He posted back-to-back strong finishes in February at the WMPO (T9) and Genesis (2nd), and his ball-striking has been far more consistent than at any other point of his career.<\/p>\n

This will be McNealy’s ninth major start but his first at Augusta National. A strong finish at the Valero Texas Open in his tune-up start will be encouraging, but my expectations are low for almost every Augusta National first-timer.<\/p>\n

Phil Mickelson<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 342nd<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 1st (2004, 2006, 2010)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 43, 2, 21, 55, 18<\/em><\/h6>\n

This is Mickelson’s 32nd career Masters, and he clearly knows his way around this track. <\/span>A win would surprise me, but <\/span>perhaps<\/span> it shouldn’t after his out-of-nowhere PGA Championship win at Kiawah Island <\/span>back<\/span> in 2022.<\/span><\/p>\n

He’s playing his best golf in years, contending in Singapore two starts ago and finishing among the top 25 in LIV’s other two 2025 events <\/span>to date<\/span>. Lefty is doing it again, playing well in Miami during LIV’s Doral tune-up, and his price is getting shorter and shorter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Collin Morikawa<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 4th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T3 (2024)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 3, 10, 5, 18, 44<\/em><\/h6>\n

This is one of the toughest nuts to crack this week. Collin Morikawa<\/a> has elite course history at a track where it matters more than anywhere else, and he’s playing the best golf of his career by margin. That’s wild to say, considering the two-time Major Champion has been one of the best golfers in the world since turning pro, but the data backs it up.<\/span><\/p>\n

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% of rounds gaining strokes, lifetime at Augusta National<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Morikawa’s 2025 has brought improvements throughout the bag, including a bump in driving distance. In years past, his middling short game and lack of distance meant he had to be perfect with his irons to compete, which happened occasionally, but he’s markedly better in every aspect of the game right now. His string of strong finishes without a win is peerless in the game right now.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Average finishing position, Last 12 months<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Morikawa has teed it up 21 times since last year’s Masters, finishing inside the top-5 a remarkable eight times, with zero wins to show for it. He has to figure out Sundays because the final round has been his undoing multiple times, but a +180 T10 bet is one of my favorite plays on the board.<\/span><\/p>\n

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SG by round, last 12 months<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Joaquin Niemann<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 84th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 16 (2023)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 22, 16, 35, 40, –<\/em><\/h6>\n

As was the case heading into last year’s Masters, Joaquin Niemann<\/span> is heating up at the right time. He’s won three of his past six starts, once on the Asian Tour and twice on LIV, and a win in any field is a noteworthy accomplishment. <\/span>Still, it’s <\/span>just<\/span> very difficult<\/span> to properly contextualize how <\/span>any of<\/span> Niemann’s accomplishments stack up to the elite PGA Tour pros <\/span>who are<\/span> playing on more demanding courses against significantly stronger fields.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Niemann, lifetime strokes gained in Majors<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Niemann has played in 22 Major Championships <\/span>in his career<\/span>, with zero finishes <\/span>inside<\/span> the top 15.<\/span> He’s still just 26 years old, even though <\/span>it feels like<\/span> he’s been around forever. Since turning pro at 19, this type of run felt like it was in the range of outcomes for Niemann, and here we are. DataGolf ranks Niemann as the 8th best golfer in the world, and he’s around 10-12 on the odds board for this year’s Masters, depending on your Sportsbook. I can’t get there at current prices, and I want to see him be competitive for four rounds before backing him on the betting board.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jose Maria Olazabal<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 1 (1994 & 1999)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 45, MC, MC, 50, MC<\/em><\/h6>\n

The two-time Masters champion out of Spain has been kicking it around on the Champions Tour <\/span>a bit<\/span>, but not well. Despite that, his T45 finish last season was one of the more surprising past-champion results of the 2024 Masters, giving Olazabal two T50 finishes in the past four years. <\/span><\/p>\n

Matthieu Pavon<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 52nd<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T12 (2024)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 12, -, -, -, –<\/em><\/h6>\n

Matthieu Pavon<\/span> bagging two T12 finishes in four Major Championship starts in 2024 might be one of the most surprising results in the past 12 months. <\/span>If we extend it back to the past 15 months, <\/span>I’d say<\/span> Pavon’s win at Torrey Pines was equally surprising.<\/span><\/p>\n

This might not be fair to the Frenchman, but he’s underwhelmed far more often than he’s done anything that’d lead you to predict these results. It’s been more of the same for Pavon in 2025. He’s teed it up 14 times since the end of the 2024 season, with just one finish (T17 at the 20-man Hero World Challenge) inside the top 30. <\/span><\/p>\n

Taylor Pendrith<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 39th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: Debutant<\/em><\/h6>\n

This is Taylor Pendrith<\/span>‘s seventh Major Championship start, but his first at Augusta National. Pendrith shook off the poor Presidents Cup showing in the fall with good golf at the Farmers (T7) and Pebble Beach (T9). <\/span>He struggled in Florida, <\/span>which is<\/span> a growing trend, but he <\/span>came back<\/span> with a T5 last time out in Houston.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pendrith has the distance to compete at Augusta, but his short game is nowhere near ready for the test ahead of him this week. The GIR% at last year’s Masters was 57.3%, 8.5% below an average PGA Tour event, so missing greens is inevitable here. Over his past 50 rounds, Pendrith is losing 0.33 strokes per round around the greens, and it’s ballooned out to 0.77 strokes over his past 12 rounds <\/span>played<\/span>. His ball-striking (and putter) will have to be elite for him to <\/span>have success<\/span> this week, which is a big ask in his maiden voyage.<\/span><\/p>\n

J.T. Poston<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 45th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T30 (2024)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 30, 34, MC, -, –<\/em><\/h6>\n

J.T. Poston<\/span> is making his third consecutive start at Augusta and fourth overall. <\/span>The results have <\/span>gotten progressively better<\/span>, but <\/span>I’m <\/span>not sure<\/span> what the ceiling is.<\/span> Last year’s T30 was Poston’s best Major Championship finish in 16 starts, essentially rotating T40 finishes with missed cuts. <\/span>I think this<\/span> graphic says it all.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
J.T. Poston<\/span> in a single image<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

J.T. Poston<\/span> cuts his teeth against weak fields on shorter golf courses when the scoring conditions are <\/span>easiest<\/span>. He struggles to separate from the field in any other sample. <\/span>But <\/span>hey,<\/span> three straight Masters starts <\/span>is<\/span> pretty cool, even if you have no chance to win.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Jon Rahm<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 75th (wink, wink)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 1 (2023)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 45, 1, 27, 5, 7<\/em><\/h6>\n

Jon Rahm<\/span> had a Major Championship year to forget in 2024. His T45 finish at the Masters was the worst result in his eight career starts. He followed it up by missing the cut at Valhalla, and then a toe injury forced him to withdraw from the U.S. Open at Pinehurst shortly before the week began. He salvaged it with a T7 at The Open, but he finished eight shots behind eventual champ Xander Schauffele<\/a> and was never <\/span>truly<\/span> in contention.<\/span><\/p>\n

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% of rounds gained, lifetime at Augusta National<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It’s been surprising to some, myself included, that Jon Rahm<\/span> has only won twice in 25 starts on the LIV circuit, but he’s finished T5 or better in nearly half of his starts and hasn’t been outside of the top-6 in the four 2025 events. I’ll be fascinated to see how he performs at Doral, LIV Golf’s lead-in event. If Rahm wins, the 18\/1 available in the market will be gobbled up quickly, and he’ll likely end up in the 12-14 range, which is where he was priced last year as well. Don’t sleep on the Spaniard.<\/span><\/p>\n

Aaron Rai<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 27th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: Debutant<\/em><\/h6>\n

For me, Aaron Rai<\/span> is <\/span>sort of<\/span> like that band in high school that you’re into that no one else knows about.<\/span> Suddenly, they release a banger that gets into the rotation on the radio, and the next thing you know, your hidden gem is now everyone’s new favorite flavor. It’s <\/span>good<\/span> for the band, or in this case, the golfer, but it sucks for the OGs.<\/span><\/p>\n

I used to love betting on Aaron Rai<\/span> to T20 at places like Sedgefield and Sea Island, <\/span>places<\/span> where his lack of distance didn’t matter, and he could spike with solid approach play. But now he’s just good. <\/span>I’m not sure that he’s ‘ready to compete for a green jacket’ level of good, but <\/span>he’s<\/span> worked his way into the top 50 of the world and European Ryder Cup consideration <\/span>with his recent play<\/span>.<\/span> This is Rai’s eighth Major Championship start, but first at the Masters.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Essentially J.T. Poston<\/span> x1.2<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He’s still at his best when the test is <\/span>easier<\/span>, and the course is shorter, so I’m not rushing to back him this week as he navigates ANGC for the first time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Patrick Reed<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 112th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 1 (2018)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 12, 4, 35, 8, 10<\/em><\/h6>\n

“Golf But Louder” isn’t going particularly well for Patrick Reed<\/span> these days, but he’s fared better when he’s teed it up on the Asian Tour, including a solo second-place last time <\/span>out<\/span> in Macau. He’s made 25 starts worldwide since last year’s Masters, so he <\/span>clearly<\/span> didn’t leave the PGA Tour of LIV to play less golf.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
The guy just finds a way to get it done here.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The local product’s success around Augusta is <\/span>difficult<\/span> to ignore. He’s typically a form golfer, parlaying multiple strong performances <\/span>in a row once<\/span> he gets going, and with Reed posting a two-stroke lead on Day 1 in Miami at LIV’s Doral stop, his number is getting shorter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Davis Riley<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 104th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: <\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: <\/em><\/h6>\n

Davis Riley blacked out for four days in May at Colonial. After missing the cut in seven of his first 14 starts to the season, Riley held off Scottie Scheffler, Keegan Bradley, and Collin Morikawa to win the Charles Schwab Challenge, earning his first trip to the Masters in the process. He went right back to his missed cut ways immediately after the win, seeing the weekend just six times over his next 16 starts.<\/p>\n

But he seems to have found himself a bit recently. He’s made the cut in five straight starts, with T10s in Puerto Rico and Innisbrook. I don’t anticipate he’ll do much of anything at Augusta National, but he could be a name worth watching later this summer.<\/p>\n

Justin Rose<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 38th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 2 (2017)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: MC, 16, MC, 7, 23<\/em><\/h6>\n

This is Justin Rose’s 20th Masters start, with 14 T25 or better finishes to his name.<\/p>\n

Rose is in the field at the Valero Texas Open, his sixth start of the 2025 season, and he’s been hit-or-miss in his five starts to date. Rose has rotated missed cuts (3) with top-ten finishes (2) at Pebble Beach and Bay Hill.<\/p>\n

Rose had increased his club head and ball speed this season, recovering some distance losses that crept up over the past few seasons. That’ll help his chances of adding another T25 finish to his ledger, but I wouldn’t expect much more than that from Rosey.<\/p>\n

Xander Schauffele<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 3rd<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 2 (2019)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 8, 10, MC, 3, 17<\/em><\/h6>\n

Xander Schauffele played so well in 2024 that there was a moment when people were genuinely discussing him as a Player of the Year favorite. As in, over Scottie Scheffler. The footnotes of history will forget it, but the good news for Xander Schauffele is that Major Championship victories live forever.<\/p>\n

Schauffele took down the PGA Championship and Open Championship, his only two wins compared to Scheffler’s eight, but he got him at majors, 2-1. Xander’s best shot at Augusta came in 2019, where he was one of many to falter on the back nine, allowing Tiger Woods<\/span> to give us one of the most memorable Masters Sundays of all time. Overall, there has been no one better in the majors over the past two years than Schauffele.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Majors, Last 2 Years<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The questions surrounding Xander are no longer about whether he can close. Heading into this year’s event, the questions are predominantly focused on his recent form as he returns from an injury that sidelined him for most of January and February. He looked rusty at Bay Hill and Sawgrass before showing a bit more of his 2024 form at the Valspar, where he led the field in SG: APP.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Xander’s historically played well at Augusta.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The questions are justified, and the oddsmakers have priced it in. Schauffele is currently available at 22\/1 in the outright market, and that number could drift a bit more as we approach the first round. For context, Schauffele went off at 15\/1 last season.<\/p>\n

Scottie Scheffler<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 1<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 1 (2022 & 2024)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 1, 10, 1, 18, 19<\/em><\/h6>\n

The Rabbit Hole and all of its powers overwhelm me sometimes. There’s just so much data here, especially when trying to capture how truly amazing this Scottie Scheffler run has been and continues to be. Yes, he’s yet to win this season, and he hasn’t been quite as crisp as he was in 2024, but he comes into the Masters as the defending champ and unquestioned No. 1 player in the world.<\/p>\n

This is my favorite way to contextualize how much better Scottie Scheffler’s been compared to his peers.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Scheffler’s columns look like they’re out of order; that’s how much better he is than the rest of the field.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Since 2023, Scheffler has gained 2+ strokes tee-to-green at a higher rate than anyone else has gained 1+ strokes. And if you look at the picture above, you’ll see that trend continues all the way down the board. And that’s just against the other elites! The margin obviously grows against the majority of the field.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Scheffler’s Augusta National course history<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Scottie Scheffler tees it up this year, looking for his third Masters win in four years, a feat accomplished only by Jack Nicklaus<\/span> in 1966.<\/p>\n

Adam Schenk<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 140th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T12 (2024)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 12, -, – , – , –<\/em><\/h6>\n

Adam Schenk’s surprising T12 finish at last year’s Masters earned him a return ticket in 2025. Schenk appeared in all four majors last season, missing the cut at Valhalla, Pinehurst, and Troon.<\/p>\n

He’s in the field in San Antonio and looking to break a string of three consecutive missed cuts, but even if he does, I won’t have any interest in backing Schenk to repeat last year’s results. He’s above average in terms of distance off the tee, but it’s the only part of his game that’s consistent, and it’s hard to fake it around Augusta National.<\/p>\n

Charl Schwartzel<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 420th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 1 (2011)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: MC, 50, 10, 26, 25<\/em><\/h6>\n

We were all caught off guard by Charl Schwartzel’s T10 finish in 2022, but that speaks to the nature of sticky course history at Augusta National. Schwartzel’s LIV Golf record is fairly uninspiring, though he has played better this year than in years past. Schwartzel played well in the fall, finishing second in Qatar and 15th at the Alfred Dunhill Championship, but that was four months ago. His best finish on LIV in 2025 was his T12 (out of 54) at Adelaide.<\/p>\n

In my opinion, backing him in any way, shape, or form is a bet on course history alone, and that’s never enough for me. I will note that Schwartzel played excellent golf in LIV Doral’s final round, so he’ll gain some momentum as a DFS punt play in the coming days.<\/p>\n

Adam Scott<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 32nd<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 1 (2013)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 22, 39, 48, 54, 34<\/em><\/h6>\n

Adam Scott hasn’t missed the cut at Augusta since 2009, but he has just one T10 since his 2013 win, which was all the way back in 2017. Scott hasn’t won on Tour since his 2020 victory at Riviera, but 2024 was arguably Scott’s best year since 2016. Scott had more top-20 (14) and top-five (5) finishes than any other year in nearly a decade, and played his best golf at the end of the season and through the FedEx Cup Playoffs.<\/p>\n

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Scott’s form is troubling as he looks to keep his ANGC made-cut streak alive<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That form hasn’t carried over to 2025. Scott’s mostly been a non-factor this season, with just one T20 finish (T15 at the Sentry) in seven starts. Scott’s L.A.B. belly putter has been the biggest shift from a strokes-gained perspective, but his familiarity and success with putting on these ANGC greens should help this week. I’m not forcing Scott onto my betting card this week, but look for him to continue his made-cut streak.<\/p>\n

Vijay Singh<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 1 (2000)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 58, MC, MC, MC, WD<\/em><\/h6>\n

Only the boomers remember, but Vijay Singh<\/span> was a problem <\/span>back<\/span> in the late ’90s and early 2000s. Singh has been playing <\/span>a lot<\/span> more on the Champions Tour these days and has sprinkled in some solid finishes, finishing T12 or better in seven of his past eight starts. Like Olazabal, Singh was a surprising weekend participant at last year’s Masters, finishing T58, his best showing at Augusta since 2018.
\n(Update: Vijay Singh has withdrawn from the 2025 Masters)<\/span><\/p>\n

Cameron Smith<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 123rd<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 2 (2020 & 2022)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 6, 34, 3, 10, 2<\/em><\/h6>\n

Cameron Smith is the LIV Golfer I’m most interested in seeing at the Doral lead-in event. It might not matter, considering Smith played so poorly at Doral last year that he withdrew in the middle of the tournament and still went to Augusta the next week and finished in sixth place, his fifth T10 in seven Masters starts.<\/p>\n

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Regardless of his form coming in, Cam Smith shows up and plays well at Augusta National<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Smith had an awesome run this past fall, finishing T3, T2, 2, T39, and T2 in five straight events in Australia and the Middle East. He hasn’t threatened the top of the board in any of his LIV starts in 2025, but his Masters history is so strong that it’s difficult to ignore.<\/p>\n

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Long courses\/Difficult scoring conditions, Last 3 years<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Expectations are low for him heading into Doral, where he’s available in the 30\/1 range. His Masters odds are in the 50-60 range, and I’m considering an each-way bet on him or at least another T10 at nearly 5\/1.<\/p>\n

J.J. Spaun<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 28th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 23rd (2022)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 23, -, -, -, –<\/em><\/h6>\n

J.J. Spaun graduated from a Sedgefield\/Waialae All-Star to the next level with his showing at this year’s PLAYERS Championship. Spaun played well at PGA National (T2) and Bay Hill (31st) before forcing Rory McIlroy into a three-hole Monday playoff at TPC Sawgrass. The recent string of strong finishes pushed Spaun into the OWGR’s top 50, sending him back to Augusta National for the second time in his career.<\/p>\n

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Spaun graduated from the short course\/weak field specialist that he’s been for most of his career.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I was surprised to see how well Spaun has played on long and difficult courses over the past three years. He’s not among the small handful of golfers who I believe can actually put on the green jacket come Sunday, but another respectable showing feels likely, given how well he’s played of late.<\/p>\n

Jordan Spieth<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 66th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 1 (2015)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: MC, 4, MC, 3, 46<\/em><\/h6>\n

There’s no place on earth where strokes-gained-magic-beans is more useful than the rolling terrain of Augusta National, and it’s no accident that Jordan Spieth loves playing golf here. After starting his Masters career T2-Win-T2, it feels like a bit of a letdown that he hasn’t won again. His current pattern is T5 followed by a missed cut, which is good news for Spieth backers this year after last year’s opening round 79 sent him home on Friday evening.<\/p>\n

Speith’s 2025 top-ten finishes at TPC Scottsdale (T4) and PGA National (T9) were his first since last year’s Valero, the lead-in event to the Masters. Spieth is once again in the Valero field, and a strong showing will certainly shrink his price in the outright market.<\/p>\n

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Snip, snap, snip, snap….<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While I don’t think any of us would be shocked to see him in the mix again on Sunday, it’s tough to back him in the betting markets because you’re paying a tax based on course history that doesn’t line up with his current form.<\/p>\n

Sepp Straka<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 13th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T16 (2024)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 16, 46, 30, -, –<\/em><\/h6>\n

The Georgia Bulldog is making his fourth straight Masters start, making the cut in each of the previous three ventures.<\/p>\n

Straka is playing the best golf of his career right now. His approach play has been top-notch, gaining at least an average of a full stroke per round in 11 of his past 12 starts. When his putter is running hot, he’s a threat to win, which we saw when he won at PGA West. He also posted strong finishes at Pebble Beach (T7), PGA National (T11), Bay Hill (T5), and TPC Sawgrass (T14).<\/p>\n

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Straka hasn’t really cooled off since his win at PGA West in January<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This may be disrespectful, but I’m not sure Straka has the gear it takes to win an event like this, but he’s certainly playing well enough to compete. He’ll play the Par 5s as three-shot holes and take advantage of his exceptional wedge game to give himself scoring chances, ala Russell Henley and former champ Zach Johnson. Another T20 is very much in play.<\/p>\n

Hiroshi Tai<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Current WAGR: 42nd<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: Debutant<\/em><\/h6>\n

Hiroshi Tai<\/a>, a junior from Georgia Tech, won the NCAA individual championship last spring. This victory secured him a spot in <\/span>both<\/span> the 2024 U.S. Open (MC) and the 2025 Masters, as well as first-team All-America honors. In recognition of his accomplishments, Tai was named Male Golfer of the Year at the Singapore Golf Association (SGA) Annual Gala.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nick Taylor<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 30th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T29 (2020)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: MC,-,-,-, 29<\/em><\/h6>\n

Nick Taylor is making his third start at Augusta and is looking to improve on last year’s 77-81 (+14). Taylor has missed the cut in eight straight major appearances, and with him missing the cut in his past two PGA Tour starts, I’m not optimistic that his missed cut streak is ending here.<\/p>\n

Taylor is a streaky player and has been playing well this season, particularly with his irons. He followed up his win at the Sony Open with strong showings at PGA West (T12) and Torrey Pines (T9 for the Genesis). His streaky nature concerns me, though, since he’s played so poorly the past two times out. Nick, good luck making the weekend. I hope you do. I just won’t be betting on it.<\/p>\n

Sahith Theegala<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 25th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 9 (2023)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 45, 9, -, -, –<\/em><\/h6>\n

Sahith Theegala was a trendy sleeper pick heading into last year’s Masters. He entered with excellent form, with four T10s in 2024 leading up to the event, and was coming off a sneaky backdoor T10 in his Masters debut the year before. This year’s trend line looks like the exact opposite.<\/p>\n

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Sadly, this is not the profile of an elite golfer.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Theegala has one T20 finish (Genesis) in ten 2025 starts. His ball-striking is far too inconsistent to contend here, given the demands of this course. Form is fickle, and Theegala is too talented to stay in this form for long, but there’s no reason to expect much from him this week.<\/p>\n

Justin Thomas<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 9th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 4 (2020)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: MC, MC, 8, 21, 4<\/em><\/h6>\n

Justin Thomas has been vocal about his disappointing execution during past Masters, and missing the cut the past two seasons is eating at him. Thomas had posted six straight top-22 or better performances at Augusta prior to the back-to-back Friday exits, and while he’s not coming here for T20s, it’s a solid track record and opens the door for future success.<\/p>\n

His elite ball-striking skills have come back around after the 2023 hiccup, but he’s still yet to find the winner’s circle since his PGA Championship win at Southern Hills back in May of 2022. He’s finished inside the top three in four of his past ten starts, with just three finishes outside the top nine. His ball striking returned to his baseline rates last season, but his putter lagged behind for much of the 2024 season. It appears he’s fixed that bugaboo as well.<\/p>\n

Still priced shorter than 25\/1, we’re not getting much of a discount on Thomas right now.<\/p>\n

Davis Thompson<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 47th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: Debutant<\/em><\/h6>\n

Davis Thompson will be making his sixth Major Championship start, but this will be his first trip around Augusta National. Davis posted three rounds of 64 or better to win July’s John Deere Classic by four strokes, flashing the round-by-round upside that’s a huge part of his game.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Thompson hasn’t shown the consistency of his peers on this list, but his ceiling is just as high.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He’s been able to ride hot form from event to event early in his career, which is encouraging since he’s played well during his past two starts (T10 at The PLAYERS, T27 at Memorial Park).<\/p>\n

Long-term, the ceiling is high on Davis Thompson, but I don’t expect much from any debutant at Augusta.<\/p>\n

Jhonattan Vegas<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 65th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T38 (2018)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: -, -, 38, MC, MC
\n<\/em><\/h6>\n

Jhonny Vegas’s 3M Open win sends him back to Augusta for the fourth time, his first since 2018. In fact, Vegas hasn’t played in any majors since the 2022 PGA at Southern Hills.<\/p>\n

He hasn’t shown a pulse on Tour since his fourth-place finish at the season-opening Sentry, missing the cut in three of his seven starts with no finishes inside the top 40. He’s missed the cut in his past two starts, so expectations should be low, even though he can compete off the tee distance-wise with virtually anyone in the field. It’s those pesky second, third, fourth, and fifth shots that trip him up.<\/p>\n

Bubba Watson<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 327th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 1 (2012 & 2014)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: MC, MC, 39, 26, 57<\/em><\/h6>\n

The two-time Masters champion missed the cut again last season after coming to Augusta with very few competitive rounds in his pocket <\/span>prior to<\/span> teeing it up. He’s played more in the lead-in to this year’s event, but the Range Goat’s captain has been treading water since joining LIV Golf. Watson has made 29 starts in LIV’s limited-field events, finishing inside the top 10 just once.<\/span><\/p>\n

What we do know is<\/span> he loves this place, he’s thrived here, and his shot-making skills and ability to move the ball both ways are nearly unmatched.<\/span> It hasn’t been all azaleas and green jackets, though. When he’s not winning, he’s routinely finished outside of the top 25, which feels likely again, given his limited recent reps.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mike Weir<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 1 (2003)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: MC, MC, MC, MC, 51<\/em><\/h6>\n

Weir, the left-handed Canuck, and 2003 <\/span>champion,<\/span> has missed 12 of the last 14 cuts here. Weir was more competitive on the 2024 Champions Tour than he’s been leading into previous starts, but it’s difficult to see a path to him making the cut this week, which is his ceiling. <\/span><\/p>\n

Danny Willett<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 383rd<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 1 (2016)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 45, MC, 12, MC, 25<\/em><\/h6>\n

The stunning 2016 Masters champion stunned us again in 2022 with a competitive four rounds and a T12 finish despite entering with zero form and one top-ten finish in the past calendar year. His form leading up to this year’s event is no different.<\/p>\n

Willet’s dealt with injuries over the past few seasons, but he’s played more golf leading into this year’s event than in years past. I’m not sure it matters. His T9 finish at the Farmers in late January sticks out like a sore thumb. He’s missed the cut in 13 of the 19 starts he’s made since last year’s Masters. He’s short and inaccurate off the tee, and he’s shown a very limited ceiling with his irons over the past few seasons. Enjoy the champion’s dinner, Danny! No one can take that, or your green jacket, away from you.<\/p>\n

Cameron Young<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 59th<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: T7 (2023)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 9, 7, MC, -, – <\/em><\/h6>\n

Cameron Young is a drug for some of you. I think the 2025 version of Young has been so bad that even some of his most loyal backers are jumping ship, but there are not a lot of encouraging signs that he’s anywhere close to winning a golf tournament right now.<\/p>\n

The challenge here is that Cam Young has back-to-back top-ten finishes at Augusta National. Now his form is significantly worse than it was entering either of the past two Masters, so personally, I’m avoiding him altogether. Young is still just 27 years old and has flashed an elite ceiling, but I can’t ignore the fact that he’s going off the board at 100\/1 in middling field events these days.<\/p>\n

Kevin Yu<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 72nd<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: n\/a<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: Debutant<\/em><\/h6>\n

This is Kevin Yu’s first Masters and first time in a major since the 2020 U.S. Open. Yu played in three straight U.S. Opens from 2018 to 2020, missing the cut in all three. His swing-season win at the Sanderson Farms got him into this year’s field, and while I don’t expect much from Yu as a debutant, he’s playing really good golf right now.<\/p>\n

The 26-year-old Yu has a lot of game until he gets on the greens. Obviously, this place is disastrous for poor putters, but Yu’s ball striking is so consistently good that he’s good for a T20 finish anytime he’s near field average for the week. Top Debutant is tough because the pool is always strong, but Yu is a sneaky down-the-board shout in that market.<\/p>\n

Will Zalatoris<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Current OWGR: 63rd<\/em><\/h6>\n
Best Finish At The Masters: 2 (2021)<\/em><\/h6>\n
Last 5 Masters Finishes: 9, -, 6, 2, –<\/em><\/h6>\n

We haven’t seen Will Zalatoris truly contend in any event in quite a while, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the mix again over the weekend here. He’s made three starts at the Masters, finishing inside the top ten in each of them, and he’s confident that his game is pretty close to competing on the biggest stages again.<\/p>\n

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SG: Augusta National<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Zalatoris hasn’t T10’d in any start since last year’s Masters, but he’s made the cut in 11 straight starts, finishing T25 or better in six of the 11. His putter usually is the culprit when he underperforms, but it’s noteworthy that he’s gained 1.18 strokes per round putting on these bentgrass greens at Augusta National. Zalatoris, for all of his putting woes, has always been an above-average lag putter, which is crucial here. I’ll be backing Zalatoris this week in some form, likely waiting for the best 10-place each-way number I can find.<\/p>\n

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My 2025 Masters Rabbit Hole Model<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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