2026 Masters: 5 Golfers With A Real Chance To Put On The Green Jacket

Masters champion Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland celebrates on the No. 18 green after a sudden death playoff against Justin Rose of England to win the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (Photo by Kieran Cleeves/Augusta National/Getty Images) Augusta National/Getty Images The 2025 Masters delivered yet another unforgettable moment in golf history.

As we turn our attention to 2026, one thing remains clear: Augusta National Golf Club consistently rewards a very specific profile of player. Recent history tells us as much. Every winner over the last decade was ranked inside the top 25 in the world—eight of them inside the top 15, and six inside the top 10.

Age plays a role as well, with most champions falling between 27 and 36 years old. Course history matters too: nine of the last ten winners made the cut the previous year, and eight had already posted a top-10 at Augusta. Form is equally important.

Eight of the last ten winners had already won either that season or the prior fall, and all ten ranked inside the top 30 in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green heading into the tournament. When you combine all of these factors, Augusta doesn’t leave much to chance—it points directly to the most complete players in the game. So, with those trends in mind, here are five players (outside of Rory and Scottie) who actually check the boxes and have the tools to slip on the green jacket on Masters Sunday: Ludvig Aberg PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 15: Ludvig Aberg of Sweden plays his shot from the ninth tee during the final round of THE PLAYERS Championship 2026 at THE PLAYERS Stadium course at TPC Sawgrass on March 15, 2026 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.