The general feeling in the golfing world is that if a player finishes above both Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy this week then they will probably be donning the Green Jacket.
American Scheffler is the world number one and turning into something of a Masters specialist. He is looking for a third victory in four years, while McIlroy is seeking to win the title for the first time.
Scheffler had a standout year in 2024, winning nine events including the Masters, and while he has not enjoyed the same stellar start to 2025, he is yet to finish outside the top 20 in five previous appearances in the first men’s major of the year.
McIlroy, ranked second, needs this title to become just the sixth player to win the career Grand Slam of all four majors. It will be his 11th attempt to join a pantheon of greats including Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen and Gary Player.
For the first time, the Northern Irishman has won twice on the PGA Tour before arriving at Augusta, including last month’s prestigious Players Championship, which has only intensified the hype.
But there are potential winners everywhere in the 96-man field.
Swedish sensation Ludvig Aberg finished runner-up to Scheffler last year in a debut major to remember. Could he go on to emulate Jordan Spieth, who finished second in his debut year, before winning the title 12 months later in 2015?
England’s Tommy Fleetwood will be encouraged by his joint third last year, while his compatriot Matt Fitzpatrick is a proven major winner and Wolverhampton’s Aaron Rai is making his Masters debut after rising through the rankings.
Scotland’s Bob MacIntyre is making his first start in three years but made the cut in his first two attempts, with a best finish of joint 12th. He arrives in Augusta with five top-15 returns in 2025.
Xander Schauffele has had four top-10 finishes in his previous six Masters and is coming off the back of a breakthrough 2024 in the majors where he won his first and second titles.
Collin Morikawa, ranked one place below Schauffele at fourth in the world, also enjoys Augusta and has had three top-10s in his past three starts, finishing joint third in 2024.
US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley is enjoying something of a renaissance in his career and is 14th in the world rankings.
The 38-year-old has never finished inside the top 20 at Augusta but won his seventh PGA Tour title at last year’s BMW Championship and has had two top-10s this season, making the cut in all seven events he has played.
LIV Golf is well represented, with a dozen players from the Saudi-backed circuit heading to Georgia.
Jon Rahm won this title in 2023 and perhaps has a better chance of adding to his tally than Dustin Johnson (2020), Patrick Reed (2018) and Sergio Garcia (2017) who are all recent champions.
Chile’s Joaquin Niemann has won twice on the LIV circuit this year and is once again being touted as a potential winner, while Bryson DeChambeau showed playing the 54-hole LIV tournaments had not harmed his major aspirations as he won his second US Open title last year
And finally… although he is not a favourite to win, many eyes will be on Germany’s Bernhard Langer this week as the 67-year-old makes his 41st and final start on the 40th anniversary of the first of his two wins.
