Last April, The Masters saw one of its most poetic moments as Rory McIlroy finally claimed the Green Jacket at long last. Ever since that catastrophic collapse back in 2011, the Northern Irishman had only known heartache at Augusta, and that pain transposed into other majors as well. Despite being the most recognizable golfer on the planet, Wee Rors went ten long years without adding to his haul of four majors, but that almighty drought came to an end in dramatic fashion nine months ago.
Much like in 2011, the 36-year-old raced into the lead, and on Championship Sunday, he was five strokes clear of the chasing pack. Then, in true McIlroy fashion, a back-nine collapse – coupled with the charging Justin Rose – saw him surrender his lead, finishing 11 under and resulting in a playoff against the aforementioned England. However, it was Rory who held his nerve, nailing a birdie on the first to secure the win.
With the calendar now turning the page into 2026, golf’s major season is beginning to draw ever closer. The Masters will kick things off in April, but could anyone manage to secure their maiden major title on Augusta’s testing links? Let’s take a look.
Ludvig Åberg
Ludvig Åberg nearly won the damn thing on debut in 2024. He finished a solo second at seven-under, shooting 69 in the final round while everyone else was gagging on their own expectations. Unfortunately for him, Scottie Scheffler was firing on all cylinders and duly finished four strokes clear to claim the Green Jacket for himself.
The Swedish kid was still amateur-eligible two years ago, and now he’s got arguably the most complete game out of anybody in his age bracket on the entire tour. And the numbers back up what your eyes tell you. He’s been gaining over 0.7 strokes per round in total performance, with ball-striking that makes Rae’s Creek basically irrelevant. Approach play: elite—when you’re hitting it to 25 feet consistently on these greens, you’re going to contend.
But—and there’s always a but at Augusta—the putting’s been pedestrian. Barely breaking even on the greens over his last stretch of tournaments. That won’t cut it when you’re trying to hold off a Championship Sunday charge. Still, online betting sites think he’s in with a shot. The popular Lucky Rebel sports book currently lists the extremely talented young Swede at 16/1 to reign supreme at the Masters, indicating that this could absolutely be Åberg’s year.
Tommy Fleetwood
Where does one even start with Tommy? Runner-up at the 2018 U.S. Open. Runner-up at the same year’s Open Championship. Seven top-5 major finishes, which sounds impressive until you realize it’s actually the CV of a man who specializes in professional torture. We watched him three-putt the 72nd hole at the Travelers last year when he had the tournament won, only for Keegan Bradley’s birdie to steal it. That’s Tommy Fleetwood in a nutshell—brilliant until the moment requires ruthlessness.
But something shifted last August. He finally won on the PGA Tour, taking the Tour Championship by three shots after 163 events and enough close calls to fill a highlight reel of misery. Thirty top-five finishes before he broke through. You could see it in his eyes afterward—relief mixed with something else. Maybe, finally, belief.
Augusta course history deep-dives show that his approach play has been elite, gaining over seven-tenths of a stroke on approaches. That matters here more than anywhere. You can survive bad putting at Augusta if you’re hitting it close, giving yourself fifteen-footers instead of thirty-plus.
The question isn’t whether he’s good enough. It’s whether those demons finally leave him alone when he’s standing on the 12th tee Sunday afternoon with a two-shot lead. Can a guy who’s choked away multiple majors suddenly find the guts to fire at a back-left pin on 16 when he needs a birdie? At +2000, you’re betting on redemption, and the theory that winning changes everything.
Patrick Cantlay
Patrick Cantlay’s the guy you want playing for your Ryder Cup team, but aren’t sure you trust to win the Masters. His Augusta history reads like a yo-yo—T9 one year, missed cuts the next. He hasn’t seriously contended here since 2019, with his smart, controlled golf that works beautifully at Muirfield Village falling flat at an Augusta course that demands you attack.
But one thing that is for certain is that his recent form has been outstanding. He was gaining nearly 1.2 strokes putting and close to four strokes total over a five-tournament stretch last year—those are video game numbers. And at the Tour Championship, he went toe-to-toe with Fleetwood in the final group. That’s the kind of pressure that either destroys you or forges championship steel.
Here’s the thing about the Masters: at some point, you have to take a chance. You have to fire at a pin tucked behind a bunker, bomb a driver on a tight hole, or trust a downhill six-footer. Cantlay’s a grinder, not a gambler. He methodically accumulates birdies and avoids disasters, which usually gets you top-10 finishes but very few green jackets.
At +2500, there’s value if you believe in evolution. Maybe the guy who won the Ryder Cup matches and battled at East Lake has developed that killer instinct. Maybe he’s ready to stop playing percentages and start playing to win. If that is the case, Augusta, beware.