AUGUSTA, Ga. — The week of festivities at the 90th Masters is already underway at Augusta National Golf Club as tournament rounds are fast approaching. The same question, of course, is on everyone’s lips: Who are you picking to win the green jacket?

With an extraordinary 91-man field featuring the best professionals and many of the top amateurs in the world, the first major championship of the 2026 season should once again be a tremendous ride from Thursday’s first round through the awarding of the green jacket Sunday evening.

While the Masters field is stacked, reigning champion Rory McIlroy, who completed the career grand slam last year, is not riding as much momentum into the tournament as usual. In fact, 2024 champion Scottie Scheffler, who has won two of the last four green jackets, is not either. Still, Scheffler enters as the favorite to become the first golfer to win three Masters in five years since Tiger Woods (2001-02, 2005), while McIlroy is not far behind him as he seeks to become the first since Woods to go back-to-back.

Of course, Tiger and Phil Mickelson will be absent from this week’s proceedings amid starkly different personal circumstances. It is the first time neither has played in a Masters since 1994. There are, nevertheless, plenty of significant names in the field, with the likes of Bryson DeChambeau itching to win a first green jacket as Jon Rahm eyes his second.

So, what is going to happen at Augusta National this week? Let’s take a look at a full set of predictions and picks from our CBS Sports experts as we attempt to project who will win — and what will go down — at the most prestigious golf tournament in the world. If you want a shorter look at the top of the field, these are the nine golfers you should consider when making your Masters picks before the start of Round 1.

Watch all four rounds of the 2026 Masters with expanded coverage from CBS Sports. It starts Thursday with Masters Live as we follow the best in the world on Featured Groups, Amen Corner and holes 15 & 16. Watch those streams live across Paramount+, CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports App with extended broadcast coverage Saturday and Sunday from 12-2 p.m. on Paramount+ and 2-7 p.m. on CBS.

2026 Masters expert picks, predictions

Odds via Caesars Sportsbook

Patrick McDonald, golf writer

Winner — Xander Schauffele (18-1): I’ve made my bed. It’s time to sleep in it. Schauffele was the preseason Masters pick, and despite a slow start to his 2026 season, he remains the selection given his improvement across the Florida Swing. The two-time major champion is striking the ball like he did in 2024 and is starting to see putts drop more consistently. Major championships are his calling card.

Sleeper — Nicolai Højgaard (78-1): What if I told you Højgaard ranks top 25 in this field in the following: total strokes gained, strokes gained approach, strokes gained putting and driving distance? Is that something you might be interested in? And, oh yeah, the Dane held the lead at one point over the weekend during his Masters debut in 2024 before backtracking to a top 20 finish. He’s young and confident, and he has the profile to contend here.

Top 10 lock — Scottie Scheffler: There’s much talk about how much Scheffler is struggling with his iron play and not enough talk about the level to which he has taken his short game. The world No. 1 is the top chipper and pitcher of the ball in this field, which will allow him to be on the first page of the leaderboard even if his iron play falters. If the scoring clubs do decide to cooperate, it may be wise to let the Augusta National kitchen know that they will be serving Scottie sliders Tuesday night next year.

Star who definitely won’t win — Bryson DeChambeau: Flying close to the sun here, but what is life without risking looking like an idiot! The DeChambeau block is hot as he arrives having won his last two tournaments on LIV Golf and with the confidence of the last two Masters under his belt. I still question the iron play, though. His inability to move the ball left to right with his second shots hurt him at both last year’s Masters and the PGA Championship and could hurt him again this week. 

Low debutant — Harry Hall: There are some serious gamers among the first timers, but let’s go off the beaten path. Hall is a short-game specialist and will manage his way around Augusta National even without the luxury of the high-end ball striking some of his peers possess. He finished in the top 10 at Bay Hill this season and in the top 20 at the PGA Championship last year.

Scottie Scheffler vs. Rory McIlroy: McIlroy is playing better than most believe, and the back injury is a nothing burger at this point. Still, Scheffler gets the nod here. The two-time Masters champion has never finished outside the top 20 and has remained on the second and third pages of leaderboards during this “downspell.” Both will play well, but Scheffler will play better.

Bryson DeChambeau vs. Jon Rahm: Rahm is the better player across most of the bag and has the better history here. The Spaniard noted that he had fallen into some bad habits over these last two seasons with his takeaway on his swing, and he spent all winter trying to rectify the situation. Statistically, he has been the best player in 2026 and is trending toward a start similar to that of 2023 when he slipped on the green jacket.

Surprise prediction: More than one debutant contends. This Masters feels more wide open than recent playings, and this crop of debutants feels up to the challenge. Between Chris Gotterup, Jacob Bridgeman, Ben Griffin, Ryan Gerard, Hall and even a sneaky player like Sam Stevens, there is going to be a moment in this tournament where more than one is on the first page of the leaderboard. (As an aside, Adam Scott will play well — just wanted to get that in here.)

Lowest round: 66 (-6)
Winning score: 278 (-10)
Winner’s Sunday score: 70 (-2)

Robby Kalland, golf writer

Winner — Jon Rahm (9-1): Rahm’s been playing at a high level on LIV, but most importantly, he got that taste of contending again in majors last year. He talked after the PGA about how much he missed that feeling, and I believe that rekindled some of the fire that made him one of the most feared competitors in golf. He’s always loved playing at Augusta National, and this is the week he picks up a second green jacket, fully reasserting his presence as one of golf’s dominant forces. 

Sleeper — Min Woo Lee (53-1): Lee has made all seven cuts to start this season, including three top 10s and a T12. It’s been by far his most consistently excellent season to date, and with a pair of top 25s in his history at Augusta National, he’s fairly comfortable on the grounds. The way he’s been playing this year, I anticipate him hanging around the first page of the leaderboard for most of the week. He may well contend for his first major title. 

Top 10 lock — Ludvig Åberg: Åberg is two for two in top 10s at the Masters, and I don’t expect that trend to change this year. He’s playing the best golf we’ve seen from him in a full calendar year in the lead up to this year’s Masters, and when he’s in a rhythm as a ball-striker, there are few better in the world. His biggest issue has been closing out wins on Sunday. That remains a concern (and is why he’s not my pick to win), but I’d be fairly shocked if he’s not on the first page of the leaderboard all weekend. 

Star who definitely won’t win — Collin Morikawa: There’s never a good time for a back injury as a golfer, but Morikawa’s came at a particularly brutal moment. He was off to a flying start and looked close to the form that made him a two-time major champion before having to withdraw at The Players. Now, he’s coming in off a long layoff and is talking about not being able to hit all the shots he might’ve hit in the past, which is a concern at a course that demands precision in ball-striking. Before the injury, Morikawa would’ve been a player I considered picking to win, but now, it’s hard to see him reaching that level. 

Low debutant — Jacob Bridgeman: I’ll take the guy with four top 10s already this season. Bridgeman’s the best putter on the PGA Tour, and while the greens at Augusta National always take time to figure out completely, he should have a bit of a head start there given his fantastic touch with the putter. His iron play is another strength, which is vital at the Masters, and he’s gotten enough experience this year consistently playing under final-round pressure that he’ll be equipped to handle the nerves if he’s in the mix on the weekend.

Scottie Scheffler vs. Rory McIlroy: Let’s go with McIlroy, though I am curious to see how both play this week. Neither has competed since The Players, and neither performed particularly well at TPC Sawgrass, either. Scheffler’s ball-striking hasn’t been at the elite level we’re accustomed to seeing, and he’s been lost with the driver. McIlroy’s back shouldn’t be a concern at this point, but he’s had an odd propensity for playing aggressively this season and putting big numbers on the card.  Perhaps the layoff will work in their favor. Scheffler skipped his tune-up in Houston for the birth of his second child, and time focused on family rather than the minutiae of the golf swing could do him well. McIlroy has been basking in his first chance to come to Augusta National in a green jacket and is finally freed from the burden of wondering if he can ever win here. It’s more likely both have ups and downs this week, though. While McIlroy just edges out Scheffler on the leaderboard, I’m not so sure they’ll be in the conversation late Sunday afternoon. 

Bryson DeChambeau vs. Jon Rahm: Rahm’s my pick to win, so this one’s pretty simple. I am interested to see how DeChambeau performs this week after his disappointing finish last year in the final pairing on Sunday. He certainly seems to have figured out some of the puzzle of Augusta National, but I do wonder if there’s going to be any scar tissue from faltering on a Sunday afternoon. 

Surprise prediction — Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy both miss the top 10: The only time we’ve ever seen both McIlroy and Scheffler finish outside the top 10 at the Masters was in 2021. The depth of the field this year and the form of a lot of the other top players is going to make it an incredibly competitive leaderboard. Neither Scheffler nor McIlroy has been their best of late, and they both will be finishing up earlier on Sunday afternoon than is considered typical for men of their talent level. 

Lowest round: 65 (-7)
Winning score: 273 (-15)
Winner’s Sunday score: 69 (-3)

Adam Silverstein, senior director of editorial

Winner — Rory McIlroy (13-1): The dam broke. McIlroy finally claimed his green jacket and completed the career grand slam 12 months ago, doing so in euphoric fashion — a Masters moment that will be remembered forever. Considering all the factors that kept McIlroy major-less for a decade before his crowning moment, the biggest was the space between his ears. The Ulsterman was absolutely crushing it before his back got tweaked at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, leading to a withdrawal and T46 at The Players a week later. Watching him through the first three days of this week, it’s apparent that a weight has been lifted off his shoulders. So why, exactly, can he not go back-to-back? Simply because it hasn’t been done since Tiger?

Tier 1 players have four straight green jackets, and while this field is stacked, I have concerns about the three oddsmakers have ranked ahead of Rory. Scheffler has gotten off to a slow start and had his focus diverted with the birth of his second child. DeChambeau, who I was previously going to pick to win, is still fixated on his equipment. Rahm (despite dominating LIV Golf alongside DeChambeau lately) has finishes of T27, T45 and T14 in three of his last four Masters. (He won the other, of course.) Given the rest of the options, give me the guy who had the weight of the world lifted off his shoulders 12 months ago and appears as poised as ever to play care-free golf at Augusta National.

Sleeper — Jordan Spieth (45-1): He’s not that far down on the odds board, sure, but dude hasn’t won a tournament in four years and has missed the cut at two of his last four trips around Augusta National. What Spieth brings to the table is simple: He knows this course, and he’s finally healthy. Spieth has six top-four finishes at the Masters in his young career, and he’s finished inside the top 15 across three of his last five tournaments. Tell me you believe Russell Henley or Viktor Hovland have a better chance to win this than Jordan.

Top 10 lock — Scottie Scheffler: Just because Scheffler is not the pick to win does not mean he will not contend. As we have seen time and again this season, no matter how poorly Scottie plays on a Thursday, he will power through to the weekend. At that point, any tournament is up for grabs. During his white-hot streak, Scheffler has registered four straight top 10s with two wins. But even before that, the first two times he played Augusta National, he finished T19 and T18. If that’s not a guy who appears to be a mortal lock on paper, well, I’m not sure how else you would describe him.

Star who definitely won’t win — Brooks Koepka: This might be cheating a bit as Koepka is 45-1, but he has not shown the ability to overcome a field this large and talented since returning to the PGA Tour. If you want someone with shorter odds, I’m not buying the momentum behind Fitzpatrick, who is seventh on the odds board.

Low debutant — Chris Gotterup: The Oklahoman is crushing it of late. He has already registered two wins this season, four since July 2025 (Scottish Open) and placed third at The Open that same month, the last major he played. It’s tough not to like his game and momentum, though the list of talented first-timers is significant. Don’t be surprised if one of them legitimately contends.

Scottie Scheffler vs. Rory McIlroy: The pick to win clarified this head-to-head battle, though both should do exceedingly well. 

Bryson DeChambeau vs. Jon Rahm: The most dominant players on LIV Golf this season, these guys have combined to win four tournaments already this year. DeChambeau’s close call in 2025 may be a part of a trend for him given Augusta National does not necessarily reward risk takers, even if it encourages players to take those risks. Rahm is much more composed and trustworthy.

Surprise prediction — Justin Rose is in the final pairing over the weekend: Rose is the heart play this week. A playoff loss last year would have been crushing had it not been to McIlroy; still, it was the third time Rose has finished runner-up at Augusta National. He has four other top 10s at this course, which has been feast or famine for him over the last seven playings (three missed cuts, four top 25 finishes). It’s precisely that “famine” aspect that makes Rose being in contention across consecutive Masters surprising.

Lowest round: 65 (-7)
Winning score: 276 (-12)
Winner’s Sunday score: 69 (-3)

Who will win the 2026 Masters, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard, all from the model that’s nailed 16 golf majors heading into the weekend, including the past four Masters, and find out.