As the azaleas begin to bloom and the golf world turns its attention to Masters Tournament, the annual question echoes across clubhouses and sports books alike: Who will slip on the green jacket Sunday evening at Augusta National Golf Club?
This year’s field is once again stacked with major champions, young stars and international standouts. But three names sit firmly atop the list of favorites — with one intriguing dark horse lurking just behind them.
Scottie Scheffler
The World No. 1 and 2022 Masters champion remains the man to beat. Scottie Scheffler has built a reputation as the most complete player in the game, pairing elite ball-striking with a calm demeanor that fits Augusta perfectly.
Scheffler’s ability to control trajectory into firm greens and avoid big numbers makes him uniquely suited for Augusta National’s demands. If his putter cooperates even slightly, he’s the clear favorite to claim a second green jacket.
Rory McIlroy
Fresh off completing the career Grand Slam with his victory at the Masters Tournament last year, Rory McIlroy enters Augusta not with questions hanging over him, but with history already secured.
With the Masters title finally checked off, McIlroy now returns to Augusta National Golf Club playing with freedom rather than burden. His towering ball flight remains perfectly suited for 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 significant 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 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 can pay off handsomely at Augusta. His ability to shape shots both directions and manufacture recovery shots around the greens makes him particularly dangerous on a course that demands imagination.
Lee has shown flashes in big events and isn’t intimidated by major championship stages. The key will be managing Augusta’s subtle greens and staying patient when the inevitable momentum swings come.
He’s not among the betting favorites — and that’s exactly the point. But if he gets hot with the putter and takes advantage of the par 5s, don’t be shocked if his name lingers near the top of the leaderboard late into Sunday.
Dark(er) Horse: Nicolai Højgaard
Nicolai Højgaard has the kind of upside that can quietly turn into a Sunday storyline at the Masters Tournament.
The Danish star is long off the tee, aggressive by nature and capable of rattling off birdies in bunches — a useful trait at Augusta National Golf Club, where momentum can flip quickly, especially on the second nine.
Højgaard has already shown he’s comfortable on big stages in Europe and in Ryder Cup competition, and he’s flashed the kind of high-end ball-striking that translates well to Augusta’s demands. The question is consistency: avoiding the big number and managing the course’s treacherous green complexes.
He’s not the polished, proven Augusta specialist that a Scheffler or Rahm is. But if you’re looking for a player outside the top 25 in the world who has the firepower to shock the field, Højgaard is the type who could hang around all week — and suddenly find himself in the final pairing.
The Masters has a way of delivering the unexpected, from dramatic back-nine charges to sudden collapses among the pines. But if history — and recent form — are any indication, the path to the green jacket will likely run through Scheffler, McIlroy or Rahm.
And if it doesn’t? That’s why they play it.