Masters 2026 tips: 90/1 outsider backed to beat Rory McIlroy to major title

The Masters returns for its 90th edition at Augusta National as Rory McIlroy looks to defend his crown against a formidable field of contenders. The Northern Irishman secured his first green jacket in 2025 with a gripping playoff victory over fellow PGA Tour star Justin Rose.

McIlroy became just the sixth player to complete the career Grand Slam with his Masters triumph last year, joining an illustrious group of golfing greats that includes the likes of Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus. Now with another Ryder Cup to his name, the 36-year-old will be eager to secure back-to-back victories at the iconic Georgia course. McIlroy will face stiff competition from a host of Masters hopefuls this year, with familiar rival Bryson DeChambeau targeting an improvement on his best finish of tied-fifth place.

Scottie Scheffler is gunning for a third green jacket at Augusta National, with both his previous victories coming in even years — 2022 and 2024. Several Team Europe stars from the 2025 Ryder Cup have also hit impressive form ahead of the Masters.

Competitors from both the LIV Golf and PGA Tour circuits are priming themselves for what could be a breakthrough year at one of the most demanding courses on the major championship circuit.

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Here, Express Sport has the latest odds from Bet365 on who could win the Masters outright, plus our tips on who will take the glittering crown in the United States.

Winner - Jon Rahm - 9/1 to win outright

The sensible pick based on current form is Spain's Jon Rahm. The 31-year-old has already triumphed at Augusta National in 2023 and also holds a US Open title he clinched in 2021 - a year before he switched to the Saudi-backed league LIV Golf.

Despite going without victory in 2025 - aside from an outstanding display at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York - the Spaniard represents a strong pick for the green jacket. This season, Rahm has claimed one tournament victory in Hong Kong and three runner-up finishes at Riyadh, Adelaide and South Africa, losing the latter in a playoff to Bryson DeChambeau.

His prior triumph at a challenging venue like Augusta National, combined with a resurgence in form in recent months, suggests that he could be on course for glory this year.

Ludvig Aberg - 14/1 to win outright

An emerging talent in his own right, Ludvig Aberg has already caught the eye at Augusta National since making his debut on the course in 2024. The Masters marked Aberg's maiden major tournament, and he astonished everyone by finishing in outright second place behind world number one Scottie Scheffler.

The following year, the Swede was level for the lead with Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose at 10-under with just two holes remaining in the final round. A late wobble ended his challenge but demonstrated just how significantly he'd progressed in merely a year.

At the 2025 Ryder Cup, Aberg was the sole Team Europe member to claim victory in his singles match on the final day. He overcame Patrick Cantlay to add a vital point to the scoreboard and help the Europeans seal a 15-13 overall triumph.

This year, the 26-year-old has been steadily working his way up the leaderboard across various tournaments, with his standout result being a tied-third-place finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. With two further top-five finishes in recent weeks, Aberg will be eager to clinch his maiden major title at one of the most challenging venues in the sport.

Shane Lowry - 90/1 each-way or 55/1 to win

Whether an unlikely outsider or an inspired selection, Shane Lowry has come agonisingly close to securing a green jacket of his own previously. The Irishman was on hand to celebrate McIlroy's historic 2025 victory and also played a crucial role in Team Europe's Ryder Cup triumph.

Lowry sank a six-and-a-half foot birdie putt at the 18th at Bethpage Black to clinch a half point against Russell Henley, ensuring the Europeans would retain the trophy — which they subsequently went on to win outright.

So far in 2026, the 39-year-old has recorded three top-10 finishes, including a tied-second place at the Cognizant Classic in February. With his finest Masters showing being a third-place finish in 2022, the Irishman could well prove to be a dark horse in this year's title race.

Rory McIlroy - 16/1 E/W or 11/1 to win

McIlroy's name will be eternally linked to Masters history following his landmark triumph at Augusta National last year. The 36-year-old has secured two top-five finishes in 2026, placing tied-third at the Dubai Invitational and joint-second at the Genesis Invitational.

While he has yet to scale spectacular heights thus far, McIlroy acknowledged after the Masters that he needed to "look for another mountain to climb" after conquering "my Everest" in April 2025.

Scottie Scheffler - 15/2 E/W or 11/2 to win

Scottie Scheffler has captured the Masters twice during his career, both in 'even years' during 2022 and 2024. Given that 2026 follows this sequence, those of a superstitious nature may be tempted to place their wagers on the American.

Scheffler opened 2026 with victory at The American Express tournament in January, defeating his closest rival by four strokes. However, the 29-year-old has slipped down the rankings since, most recently finishing tied-24th at The Players Championship in March.

Despite this dip in form, Scheffler remains world number one and has demonstrated previously that he can master the challenging layout of Augusta National.

Bryson DeChambeau - 16/1 E/W or 11/1 to win

Bryson DeChambeau is always a contender for a major, despite claiming his most recent significant trophy in 2024 at the US Open. The American's finest showing is tied for fifth at last year's Masters, where he drew considerable attention for his surprise at McIlroy's frosty attitude during their final round.

In 2026, the 32-year-old secured two LIV Golf victories - South Africa and Singapore - and finished joint-third in another at Adelaide. The former PGA Tour standout will be hungry for further major success and is yet to slip on the green jacket, making him an attractive option to back when the stakes are high.

Robert MacIntyre - 35/1 E/W or 25/1 to win

Some might scoff at this selection but Robert MacIntyre has been steadily climbing the golf rankings in recent months, displaying no indication of easing off. After finishing runner-up at last year's US Open, with top-20 results at all the other major championships, the Scotsman could scarcely be nearer to his maiden big triumph.

With three top-five placings already in 2026, the PGA Tour professional appears to be building momentum towards something significant - and this could be Augusta. The 29 year old is moving up the bookmakers' odds and could prove an excellent selection to finish strongly on the leaderboard - or even claim outright victory.

Matt Fitzpatrick - 25/1 E/W or 18/1 to win

Matt Fitzpatrick is fresh from a PGA Tour triumph at the Valspar Championship, finishing 11-under to edge out David Lipsky by a single stroke. The Englishman has two additional top-10 results this year at the Players Championship (runner-up) and the Phoenix Open (ninth position).

His finest showing at the Masters came a decade ago when he finished joint-seventh in 2016, before placing joint-40th in 2025. With recent strong performances, the 31-year-old could be in contention to feature towards the upper end of the leaderboard.

Justin Rose - 40/1 E/W or 28/1 to win

A gut-wrenching playoff defeat to McIlroy in 2025 overshadowed Justin Rose's extraordinary display at the Masters last year. The Englishman clawed back seven shots during the final round to force sudden death in 2025, marking the second occasion he had shared the lead at Augusta National only to fall short in a playoff.

The 45-year-old has remarkably claimed just the US Open throughout his career, finishing runner-up at The Open Championship and the Masters on no fewer than five occasions. With glory so tantalisingly close last year, the seasoned campaigner will be desperate to go one better in 2026. So far this season, Rose has claimed victory at the Farmers Insurance Open and finished tied-13th at the Players Championship.

Cameron Young - 25/1 E/W or 18/1 to win

Cameron Young stunned the golfing world by claiming just his second PGA Tour title at the Players Championship in March, edging out Fitzpatrick by a single stroke. The American has recorded two further top-10 finishes this season, at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Genesis Invitational.

The 28-year-old climbed to fourth in the official world golf rankings following his Players triumph and also featured for Team USA as one of the captain's picks last year. He may be considered an outsider for overall Masters glory, but Young has demonstrated he can more than hold his own against the game's biggest names in recent months.