The Masters has arrived to kickstart the PGA Tour’s Major season, and The Masters always brings plenty of dramatic moments.

From Jack Nicklaus’ tee shot on the 16th hole in 1986, to Tiger Woods’ incredible chip-in in 2005, every moment is heightened to an elevated status, and the truly great moments become golf history.

The iconic chip shot from Tiger Woods on the 16th hole at the 2005 Masters. What a shot. 🐯 ⛳️ #MastersRewind pic.twitter.com/Vpgd31z0s8

— Golfing with Ralph (@GolfingRalph) April 10, 2020

A number of golfers will be vying for that first Major championship, while others will be planning on adding to their trophy case, and their closet since the winner gets a green jacket, too.

One man that should be gunning for that green jacket is Rory McIlroy, as McIlroy is just one Masters victory away from completing the “Grand Slam”, winning all four Major tournaments.

In last year’s Masters, John Rahm came out victorious with a score of 12-under, and the two men that finished tied for second were the LIV Tour pros, Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson (8-under).

Rahm has since joined the LIV Tour himself, putting three LIV golfers atop the 2023 Masters leaderboard.

Surely, McIlroy would like to end the LIV Tour’s recent dominance down in Augusta, Georgia.

Augusta National Golf Course may host the Masters, but these hallowed grounds will never be mastered.

A variation of slopes will alter shots, perfectly-placed water hazards will swallow shots, and pine tree-lined fairways will have swingers testing their mettle and creativity.

Augusta National can be a mental grind, and one errant shot could dismantle a golfer’s major championship hopes, which could also lead to the golfer placing the club back into the bag in a different shape than it was when it was pulled out.

This inaugural major will feature a field of 89 golfers, with 67 PGA pros and 12 representatives from the LIV Tour, alongside five amateurs, four Senior past winners, and one from the DP World Tour.

After 36 holes, the top 50 and ties will make the cut and swing it on the weekend, and for PGA legend Tiger Woods, making the cut in the 2024 Masters would be a big deal.

Were the 48-year-old, five-time Masters champion make the cut, it would be the 24th consecutive time he’s made the weekend at Augusta National; which would set the Masters’ record.

Just another record in the never-ending encyclopedia of PGA records for Woods, but as the current 950th-ranked golfer in the world, there’s no guarantee for Woods at this stage of his career.

The best odds for Tiger to make the cut is +120 at DraftKings, and the best odds for Woods to miss the cut is -118 at FanDuel.

Let’s check out the betting boards for The Masters and pinpoint a few golfers that could come away as major champions in Augusta.

Top Of The Board

The Players Championship – 10 Shortest Odds

Golfers	Best Odds to Win – The Players
Scottie Scheffler	+450 FanDuel
Rory McIlroy	+1000 bet365
John Rahm	+1100 Caesars
Xander Schauffele	+1600 DraftKings
Brooks Koepka	+2200 bet365
Hideki Matsuyama	+2200 FanDuel
Jordan Spieth	+2500 DraftKings
Joaquin Niemann	+3000 FanDuel
Ludvig Aberg	+3000 Caesars
Viktor Hovland	+3500 DraftKings

Rory McIlroy (+1000)

Showing up on golf’s grandest stages is second nature to McIlroy at this point of his career, but donning the green jacket at The Masters’ end is the one achievement that has failed to attain.

But, it’s not like McIlroy has never been in contention at Augusta National, claiming six top-10s in 15 trips, and finishing as high as second place in the 2022 edition.

In 2022, McIlroy came into the final round at 1-over, and fired an 8-under, 64, a career-best round at Augusta to climb all the way into solo second at 7-under.

🚨 What’s the lowest-ever final-round score at The Masters?

64 (-8) has been posted in the final round on eight occasions. Most recently Rory McIlroy posted the score as he charged through the field to a runners-up finish behind Scottie Scheffler in 2022.pic.twitter.com/Datd68oIb1

— TRACKING RORY (@TrackingRory) March 30, 2024

Frustratingly, that runner-up finish is sandwiched between two missed cuts in 2021 and 2023.

McIlroy’s track record at The Masters may be a little sporadic, but his current form has been strong, finishing at T21 or better in each of his last four tournaments, including a solo third last week in San Antonio at the Valero Texas Open.

McIlroy is currently 14th in strokes gained: total, while also sitting No. 1 in strokes gained: off-the-tee.

Hitting the fairways should be little issue for McIlroy, but he’ll need to dial in the irons, currently ranked 62nd on Tour in strokes gained: approaching the green.

McIlroy is gaining strokes on the field in putting and scrambling, so his short game should save him a few shots against his competitors.

With a Grand Slam title on the line, and reestablishing the PGA’s strength in Augusta, McIlroy should be going all out this week.

Pick: McIlroy – Outright Winner (+1000) bet365

McIlroy For Top 20 | Best Odds: (-200) DraftKings

Xander Schauffele (+1600)

When discussing the best players in the game today that have yet to win a major, seven-time PGA Tour-winner Xander Schauffele’s name has to be at the top of the list.

Schauffele has recorded a T5 or better finish in three of his last four tournaments, including a 19-under, T2 result at the Players Championship, and he may be trending upward at the right time.

There may not be a more well-balanced golfer on Tour today than Schauffele, as seemingly every shot to be found on the course can be found in Schauffele’s bag.

Schauffele is currently second in strokes gained: total, eighth in strokes gained: off-the-tee, and 19th in strokes gained: approach.

On top of that, Schauffele is seventh in greens in regulation and 15th in scrambling, so even if the steady golfer misses the green, he is one of the best at minimizing mistakes just off the dance floor.

Schauffele is playing well right now, he’s been knocking on the door for a major championship for years now.

It’s time.

Pick: Schauffele – Outright Winner (+1600) DraftKings

Schauffele For Top 20 | Best Odds: (-160) bet365

Middle Of The Board

Will Zalatoris (+4500)

Will Zalatoris’ comeback from back surgery has been filled with ups and downs.

Zalatoris recorded a T13, T2, T4 stretch this season, then has since followed that with back-to-back 4-overs; a missed cut at the Players, and a T74 at the Houston Open.

Despite the shaky recent results, Zalatoris’ game is rounding back into form, and his limited history at Augusta is impressive, making the cut in both trips and finishing solo second in 2021, and T6 in 2022.

WILLY Z!!! 🔥🔥🔥

The hole out gets the 2021 Masters Runner Up to -2 where he sits T5!

LIVE:

Will Zalatoris Outright Winner +2200https://t.co/2yQeQpPuyX#TheMasters

pic.twitter.com/HZk1Ks7gAg

— Coolbet Canada 🇨🇦 (@CoolbetCanada) April 9, 2022

In his eight career rounds at Augusta National, Zalatoris has finished under par six times, proving that he can score with regularity on this track.

This course is mainly known as a second shot course, and with Zalatoris sitting eighth on Tour in strokes gained: approach and a more than respectable 30th in proximity, he’ll just need to clean up on the greens to contend.

Pick: Zalatoris – Outright Winner (+4500) DraftKings

Zalatoris For Top 20 | Best Odds: (+130) FanDuel

Shane Lowry (+6000)

Shane Lowry is one man that has yet to win the Masters, but has frequently had his name near the top of the leaderboard, finishing at T25 or better in his last four trips, including a best T3 in 2022.

Look what Shane Lowry did here at 15.

91 players in The Masters, and he's the SECOND name on the leaderboard pic.twitter.com/x6vVEe7W8O

— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) April 8, 2022

Lowry has been on a heater in his last three events, recording a T4, sold 3rd, T19.

The 37-year-old Irishman seventh in strokes gained: total, third in strokes gained: approach, 26th in greens in regulation, and 27th in proximity.

The big difference for Lowry will be whether he can get the flatstick rolling, currently 100th on Tour in strokes gained: putting.

The track record, the current form, the pedigree, it’s all there for Lowry.

Plus, the Irish just look more natural in a green jacket.

Pick: Lowry – Outright Winner (+6000) DraftKings

Lowry For Top 20 | Best Odds: (+175) DraftKings

Bottom Of The Board

Jason Day (+7500)

At another point and time in Jason Day’s career, it felt like the Aussie would eventually come away with the green jacket.

Now, at the age of 36, Day could be flying under the radar.

Day has missed just two cuts in eight events this season, and each time he has made the weekend, he has finished T36 or better with three top 10s.

While Day’s ball-striking is not in the greatest place (141st in strokes gained: approach), he’s gaining strokes on the field in almost every other category.

Also, Day may be putting better this year than he ever has, sitting 43rd in strokes gained: putting and he’s currently ninth on Tour in scrambling as well.

Day’s elite short game may be the reason why he is seventh on Tour in bogey avoidance.

Limiting squares on the scorecard will be a key to success at Augusta, and not many are limiting mistakes quite like Day at the moment.

Pick: Day – Outright Winner (+7500) Caesars

Day For Top 20 | Best Odds: (+180) FanDuel

Sam Burns (+8000)

Sam Burns has made two trips to Augusta National, missing the cut in 2022, and finishing T-29 in 2023.

Burns is gaining strokes against the field in nearly every statistical category except strokes gained: around the green, currently ranking 142nd on Tour.

Despite that, Burns is still 37th in scrambling and eighth in bogey avoidance, so he could clean up and go low this week.

Burns is 21st in strokes gained: putting, 40th in strokes gained: off-the-tee, 56th in strokes gained: approach, 24th in proximity, and 35th in greens in regulation.

Other than the fact that Burns has a limited track record at The Masters, his game is built to contend on this track.

Burns has four top 10s in eight events this season and he can catch fire at a moment’s notice.

Pick: Burns – Outright Winner (+8000) FanDuel

Burns For Top 20 | Best Odds: (+200) DraftKings