Masters 2026 Betting Preview

Welcome to SpankTheBookies’ 2026 Masters Golf Betting Preview.

It’s the first major of the year — and for many, the best of the lot. Augusta just hits different. Same course every year, no hiding place, and a proper test of every part of your game.

Played at Augusta National Golf Club, it’s arguably the most iconic course in world golf. Founded by Bobby Jones, it’s known for its pristine conditioning, ridiculous beauty, and brutally clever design.

But let’s not dress it up too much — Augusta is all about the greens.

They run at around 14–15 on the stimpmeter, with brutal slopes, tiers, and subtle breaks that make even the best in the world look average. If your putting isn’t dialled in, you’ve got no chance.

I once heard the debate: give an 18-handicapper a putter only, start them on every green at the furthest point… and they still wouldn’t win. Sounds extreme — but it tells you everything you need to know.

That’s why experience matters here. Augusta can completely expose poor putters and first-timers.

Short on time?

If you want to skip the deep dive and just get the bets on, click the button below to add my four tips straight to your bet365 bet slip

LAST YEAR’S WINNER

Rory McIlroy finally got it done in 2025 — completing the career Grand Slam and joining an elite club in the process.

He edged out Justin Rose in a playoff, with Patrick Reed and Scottie Scheffler just behind.

But heading into 2026, there are concerns.

A lingering back issue forced him out of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and he’s described it as “stubborn” — affecting his glutes and hip flexors. That’s not ideal prep for Augusta.

History is against him too. Only three players have gone back-to-back:

• Tiger Woods (2001, 2002)

• Nick Faldo (1989, 1990)

• Jack Nicklaus (1965, 1966)

It’s a big ask.

TRENDS

These trends are strong:

• Each of the last 46 winners had played here before

• No winner over the age of 50

• 26 of the last 28 had a previous top-30 here

• Almost every winner made the cut the year before

• Recent major form is key

• Elite tee-to-green numbers are a must

• Distance still plays a big role

• Proven winners only — no one-hit wonders

• Augusta under-par scoring average is crucial

• Favourites rarely deliver

• Defending champions struggle

When you run through all of that, one name ticks nearly every box:

Xander Schauffele — 31/2

He’s rock solid across the board. No real weakness, elite ball striker, and crucially — consistent at Augusta without yet getting over the line.

Feels like the profile of someone ready to win here.

FORM ANGLE

If you’re purely looking at recent all-round performance, one man stands out:

Jon Rahm — 12/1

He’s the only player ranking top 25 across:

• Tee to Green

• Off the Tee

• Approach

• Around the Green

• Putting

That’s rare.

Yes, it’s come on the LIV circuit, but the numbers are the numbers — and they’re strong.

Add in his Augusta record:

• Winner (2023)

• 5 top 10s in 9 starts

• Never missed a cut

That’s exactly what you want here — proven course performance plus elite current level.

COURSE FORM PLAY

Course form at Augusta isn’t just a bonus — it’s essential.

The shot shapes, the sight lines, the greens… it’s all so specific that experience gives you a massive edge.

That brings me to my final two selections:

Patrick Reed — 42/1

His record at the Masters is outstanding.

Even in years where his form has been questionable, he’s turned up here and delivered. Since winning in 2018, he’s never missed a cut, and his record reads:

1st, 36th, 10th, 8th, 35th, 4th, 12th, 3rd

That’s seriously strong for a tournament this deep.

In previous years — notably 2019 and 2022 — he came into Augusta out of form and still performed well. That’s not the case this time.

He’s coming in hot:

• 2 wins

• 2 top 10s in his last 5 starts

If he has even an above-average week around the greens — which we know is key here — he’s more than capable of giving us a proper run for our money at a big price.

Cameron Young — 21/1

You could easily have put him in the form section.

He arrives here off the back of winning The Players Championship, alongside two top-10 finishes in his previous starts — so the level is clearly there.

His Masters record is a bit mixed on paper:

• 4 appearances

• 2 missed cuts

• 2 top 10 finishes

But there’s context to that.

Debutants often struggle here, so you can forgive the first missed cut. Last year’s can also be overlooked — he came in badly out of form.

The two top 10s in between tell the real story — he’s got the game for Augusta.

Like Reed, it will likely come down to how he performs around the greens. That’s been the weaker part of his game, but tee-to-green he’s absolutely striping it right now.

At around 20/1, I’m more than happy to take the chance that it all clicks.

FIRST ROUND LEADER ANGLE

We’ll also have a few quid on First Round Leaders — small stakes, but adds a bit of early interest:

• Xander Schauffele

• Jon Rahm

• Cameron Young

• Patrick Reed

• Jordan Spieth

• Justin Rose

• Brooks Koepka

• Collin Morikawa

These golfers have strong course history — so this is more about spreading small stakes across proven performers.

SUMMARY OF BETS

Outright Picks

• Xander Schauffele — Main Bet

• Jon Rahm

• Cameron Young

• Patrick Reed

First Round Leaders (Small Stakes)

• Schauffele

• Rahm

• Young

• Reed

• Spieth

• Rose

• Koepka

• Morikawa

FINAL THOUGHT

This isn’t a week to get too clever.

Augusta rewards the same things every year:

• Experience

• Elite ball striking

• Strong putting under pressure

All three of these tick those boxes in different ways.

If one of them gets hot on the greens — we’ll be right in the mix come Sunday.

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