This year the field of participants is once again filled with great champions, young stars and international top players. But three names sit firmly at the top of the favorites list – with one intriguing dark horse lurking just behind them.
Scottie Scheffler
The world number 1 and 2022 Masters champion remains the man to beat. Scottie Scheffler has built a reputation as the most complete player in the game, combining elite ball striking with a calm demeanor that is a perfect fit for Augusta.
Scheffler’s ability to control the stretch to firm greens and avoid big numbers makes him ideally suited to the demands of Augusta National. If his putter cooperates even a little, he’ll be the clear favorite to claim a second green jacket.
Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy, fresh from completing the Grand Slam career with his victory at last year’s Masters tournament, enters Augusta not with questions hanging over him, but with a history already secured.
With the Masters title finally checked off, McIlroy now returns to Augusta National Golf Club, where he plays with freedom rather than burdens. His towering ball flight remains perfectly suited to Augusta’s par 5s, and when his driver is dialed in, he can overwhelm the course.
The narrative has shifted from “Can he complete the Grand Slam?” to “How many green jackets can he win?” And that subtle but important change could make him even more dangerous this time around.
Jon Rahm
Few players combine power and precision like Jon Rahm. The 2023 Masters champion has already proven he can win at Augusta, using his controlled aggression and sharp short game to dismantle the course.
Rahm’s fiery competitiveness can be both a weapon and a liability, but when harnessed it fuels one of the most formidable games in modern golf. His ability to shape shots in both directions and scramble when out of position keeps him firmly in the favorites conversation.
Dark Horse: Min Woo Lee
Min Woo Lee fits the profile of a classic Augusta surprise.
The Australian is one of the most creative shot makers in the game, with elite speed off the tee and a fearless short game – two traits that could pay off well at Augusta. His ability to shape shots in both directions and hit recovery shots around the green makes him particularly dangerous on a course that requires imagination.
Lee has shown flashes in big events and is not intimidated by big championship stages. The key will be mastering Augusta’s subtle greens and staying patient when the inevitable momentum swings occur.
He’s not one of the betting favorites – and that’s exactly the point. But if he gets excited about the putter and takes advantage of the par 5s, don’t be shocked if his name hangs at the top of the leaderboard until late Sunday.
Dark(er) horse: Nicolai Højgaard
Nicolai Højgaard has the kind of advantage that could quietly turn into a Sunday storyline at the Masters tournament.
Already well off the tee, the Danish star has an aggressive nature and is able to rattle off birdies in bunches – a useful trait at Augusta National Golf Club, where momentum can change quickly, especially on the back nine.
Højgaard has already shown he is comfortable on big stages in Europe and in Ryder Cup competition, and is showing the kind of high-end ball striking that translates well to Augusta’s demands. The question is consistency: avoiding the large numbers and managing the track’s treacherous green complexes.
He is not the polished, proven Augusta specialist that a Scheffler or Rahm is. But if you’re looking for a player outside the world’s top 25 who has the firepower to shock the field, Højgaard is the type who can hang around all week – and suddenly find himself in the final pairing.
The Masters have a way of creating the unexpected, from dramatic back-nine attacks to sudden collapses among the pines. But if history – and recent form – are any indication, the path to the green jacket will likely go through Scheffler, McIlroy or Rahm.
And if that’s not the case? That’s why they play it.
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