Favourites , Contenders & Outsiders at Augusta National - My 2026 Masters Bet Slip
- Apr 8
- 8 min read
JN Sport | JN Sport Correspondent
On the eve of the Masters , it would feel rude not to highlight the players I'm backing to drive down Magnolia Lane and still be standing come Sunday evening.
Presented below are the Favourites , Contenders , and a few that just feel made for Augusta National.
Cameron Young (22/1) - JN Sport's Green Jacket Pick
Possibly the hottest Golfer in the world right now . The 'American Poster Boy' sent his stock soaring with a standout win at TPC Sawgrass just a month ago , showing he has the skill and character to sit at the table with the very best on tour. Young has developed an appetite for the big moments in recent times with the clutch putt on 18 at Bethpage black to win his Ryder Cup singles match and the birdie on the famous 17th at Sawgrass to take the lead at The Players Championship.
These moments are more than a birdie or a tournament winning stroke , it shows Young has the steel to execute when the pressure rises tenfold and the Augusta green's demands a solid stroke come late on Sunday.
Jon Rahm (9/1) - Favourite
Rahm still profiles as the most reliable Masters pick because his strengths dance to the rhythm Augusta demands all weekend long. He has consistently ranked inside the top tier for strokes gained tee to green, and more importantly sits among the best on tour in par five scoring, which is historically where this tournament is won. In his winning year, he played the par fives in double digits under par, and that remains his blueprint. His Masters record is remarkably solid across multiple years , having never missed a cut in 9 appearances and even in seasons where his form looks slightly muted, his golfing floor remains elite enough to contend. Another top 10 finish likely incoming for the Bison.
What makes Rahm an even more attractive pick this season is that he’s finally snapped a 26-event winless run, dating back to September 2024, with victory on the LIV Tour in Hong Kong March 2026. Having rediscovered how to get over the line, he arrives just in time for Magnolia Lane in the biggest event stapled in the golfing calendar.
Min Woo Lee (40/1) - Outsider
Min Woo Lee arrives at the The Masters with a game that is starting to turn vibes into genuine tournament winning golf. His runner up finish at Pebble Beach this season was not just a flash.. an all but familiar birdie hot streak ; it was built on elite stretches of approach play and the ability to stick around in a stacked field. He is also becoming more consistent across four rounds, which has been the missing piece from the eccentric Australian . Where Lee becomes particularly dangerous at Augusta is around the greens. His chipping and short game creativity are among the most natural on tour, and that is a huge asset on a course that historically rewards imagination as much as precision. You don't win the Masters on pre-emptive golf (Bryson) , you win it on feel, and Lee has that in abundance.
He is the type of player who can catch fire quickly and quickly shift momentum. That streaky scoring ability, combined with a confident and fearless personality, makes him a genuine wildcard. If he finds rhythm early in the week, he has the tools not just to contend, but to truly light up the leader-board.
Scottie Scheffler (6/1) - Favourite
Honestly one of the most boring picks on this list but the fact Scottie hasn't entirely found his best this year , makes it inevitable he will when it matters most - the greats of the game have a habit of doing so...
Yes , he's leading the strokes gained approach and yes , he's excellent tee to green. But what makes Scheffler impossible to ignore is his ability to recover from mistakes , not compound them . He also sits near the very top of the FedEx Cup standings and fired an unbelievable round of 63 at Pebble Beach feasting on the Par 5s making eagle on the 2nd, 6th & 18th.
If he can replicate this kind of form at amen corner along with marginally performing with the putter , it turns him from likely to favourite by a distance.
Hideki Matsuyama (28/1) - Contender
Hideki Matsuyama is one of the clearest Augusta fits in the field. His 2021 win at the The Masters came through stellar approach play and total control into the greens, gaining heavily with his irons whilst managing the course better than anyone else. The conditions that week demanded patience and precision for the most part and a killer instinct when the opportunity arose to get after the course when the course softened up. That performance showed a player in complete control of not just his game but the feel and rhythm of the golf course. That same profile still holds. He remains one of the strongest iron players on tour when in rhythm, particularly with mid to long irons, which is critical at Augusta.
He is not reliant on streaky putting, he builds rounds through ball striking, takes advantage of the par fives, and limits mistakes. If the course plays firm or slightly tougher, that only brings him further into it. When Matsuyama is gaining strokes on approach, he does not just contend here, he fits exactly what Augusta demands.
Ludvig Åberg (18/1) - Contender
Åberg’s rise is not hype, it is backed by elite shot-making and stellar performances in big events. He is one of the best drivers on tour, combining distance with accuracy, and has quickly become one of the best iron players around when firing on all cylinders. Aberg has 'taken a liking' to Augusta contending on both occasions , finishing 7th in 2025 and 2nd in 2024 on debut. This was largely down to his high ball flight allowing for holding firm greens and attacking the flagstick. If he replicates similar feel around the course with an added maturity to his game ; this could be his year to claim the green jacket.
Aberg holds 9th place in the FedEx Cup standings and was notably 3 shots in the lead heading into the final round at TPC Sawgrass. He may have not won an event this season but Ludvig has already shown he can dominate quality fields, even if he is still learning how to close them.
Patrick Reed (45/1) - Outsider
It would be a mistake to overlook Patrick Reed when building a serious shortlist for the The Masters , and ignore his odds paying out a handsome sum of cash if backed with confidence. Few players in the field can match his combination of Augusta pedigree, short game brilliance, and sheer competitive edge. His 2018 victory at Augusta National Golf Club was no fluke, the foundation was forged on elite scrambling, fearless putting, and an ability to embrace the intensity of Sunday pressure. Since then, he has continued to post strong performances here, regularly putting himself on the leader-board and proving that his game travels back to Magnolia Lane year after year.
What makes Reed standout to me this time around is his renewed sharpness. After stepping away from LIV and returning to a more consistent schedule on the DP World Tour, he has been competing week in and week out, and that rhythm has paid off with a win this season. That matters more than people may think.
Augusta rewards touch, feel, and competitive reps, especially around the greens, and Reed’s short game remains one of the most reliable in the world. Add in his confidence on these greens and his comfort with the course’s nuance's, and he becomes the type of experienced, slightly under the radar contender who can play his way into contention once more.
Matt Fitzpatrick (22/1) - Contender
Matt Fitzpatrick has gradually pieced together one of the strongest all around cases to contend at the The Masters this year , finding a return to form since his major triumph in 2022. What separates him now from earlier in his career is how complete his game has become. Once seen primarily as an approach player, he now combines improved distance off the tee with exemplar short game control, making him far better suited to the demands of Augusta National Golf Club. Augusta rewards players who can manage misses and scramble their way back into contention, and Fitzpatrick consistently ranks among the best in that department. His form this season gives even more weight to his chances and quite frankly makes him one of the most fancied by the masses heading into Thursday. A runner up finish at The Players Championship followed immediately by a win at the Valspar Championship shows a player operating with swagger and momentum, not just contending but converting to silverware.
He has also the potential to get on a birdie streak and never look back ; a red hot Fitzpatrick marching across the hallowed turf of Augusta is something we'd all like to see. While his Masters record does not yet include a breakthrough Sunday, it has been trending in the right direction, and with his current temperature of control, patience, and putting confidence, this feels like the year he genuinely threatens to win rather than just merely place.
Akshay Bhatia (80/1) - Outsider
Akshay Bhatia heads into the The Masters riding real momentum after his statement win at Bay Hill , more commonly known as 'Arnie's Place'. That victory was driven by a phenomenal week on the greens, where he looked in complete control and holed putts from everywhere. The kind of confidence that he can carry straight into Augusta , and the kind of battle that shows he has the taste for blood come the final round on a Sunday. His natural fade is another major asset at Augusta National Golf Club, fitting several key approach shots and allowing him to attack pins others simply cannot. Pair that with one of the hottest putters on tour right now, and he has a genuine chance to catch fire quickly.
He may not have the experience, but if the putter stays even somewhat hot, he will not be fazed by the the occasion , the tense crowd and the possibility of winning the Green Jacket.
Robert MacIntyre (33/1) - Outsider
Bobby Mac is the first player on tour I would want charging into Battle if my life depended on it ; the Scot simply does not own a dictionary with the word 'quit' in it. He has come close in a number of tournaments as of late and more memorably in the US open at Oakmont not so long ago. His season has been defined by resilience and competitive edge, highlighted by a strong showing at the Valspar Championship where he put himself firmly in the mix. He has shown he can go toe to toe with stacked fields and stay there, that kind of consistency often bubbles up to a picture perfect performance sooner rather than later.
What really sets MacIntyre apart is his attitude. He thrives in the fight, embraces pressure, and never looks fazed when the stakes rise. That mentality is matched by a well rounded game, solid ball striking, a reliable short game, and the ability to grind when conditions get tough. At Augusta National Golf Club, where patience and belief are everything, those traits become a serious weapon. If he finds a rhythm early, he is the type of player who can hang around and make things very interesting come Sunday.
Adam Scott (80/1) - JN Sport's Wildcard
Every Masters needs a wildcard, and this year, I am planting its flag firmly with Adam Scott. It is not just nostalgia, it is more of a feeling.. and some logic. His record at Augusta National Golf Club speaks for itself, a former champion with multiple top finishes, forged on long iron play and one of the most repeatable swings in the game. Augusta is a second shot golf course, and Scott’s ability to control trajectory into elevated, sloping greens still stands up against the best. There are also recent signs that his level doesn't wilt under major pressure. His performance at the U.S. Open in 2025 showed he can still handle demanding setups where par is valuable and patience is everything. That matters at Augusta, where discipline and course management separate contenders from the field. Scott remains a high level ball striker, particularly with mid to long irons, which is critical on par fours like 11 and 17 and when attacking the par fives in two.
The question, as ever... is the putter. But Augusta has a way of rewarding familiarity, and few in the field read these greens better over time. If he can be neutral on the greens and continue to gain strokes tee to green, his experience and control give him a very real chance to move into contention again and earn me a lot of money. y.
Great read! Missed the winner though mate.