Masters Week is here! Pundits will hit you from all angles, pleading you to red-line 90 percent of the field, narrowing your list down to six to eight players who can actually win. I’m not that guy. Historical context beyond the most recent years provides us with ample data to support the case for firing a few bets further down the odds board.
Read The Line’s Joe Idone and John Haslbauer break down Rory McIlroy’s chances at the 2026 Masters:
Last year we witnessed a 125-1 Justin Rose force a playoff against Rory McIlroy. Two years prior, Phil Mickelson was 500-1 pre-tournament before his runner-up finish. Remember Danny Willett, Charl Schwartzel, Angel Cabrera, Trevor Immelman and Zack Johnson? In the past 20 years, five of the winners have made the drive down Magnolia Lane with odds greater than 80-1.
These longer shots must check boxes off a very defined and nuanced list of criteria. Without further ado, here are my five prime candidates that fill the bill, and CAN win the 2026 Masters.
At a very elementary level, the Masters is actually one of the easiest tournaments to handicap of the year. It’s due to the repeatability and year over year correlation to course history. Experience matters at Augusta, and Adam Scott will be making his 25th Masters start this year.
In 2013, Scott became the first Australian to win the Masters, and he’s made the cut in 21 of his 24 starts. At age 45, Scott has gotten longer off the tee. Averaging 185 mph ball speed, he still ranks comfortably inside the top 20 on the PGA Tour in distance.
The area that really has me intrigued is his domination this season on approach shots, which are so important at Augusta. He’s the second-best player with his irons in 2026, averaging nearly a stroke gained per round on approach in 2026. Father time stands no chance against Adam Scott, and my guess is that his jacket size hasn’t changed a bit.
Current best odds: 70-1, FanDuel Sportsbook
There is an interesting trend emerging for lefties at Augusta National. Despite less than 10 percent of the population being left-handed, 25 percent of Masters winners since 2000 have been lefty. That’s just one of the many boxes that Akshay Bhatia checks heading into Augusta National.
He’s also got his win this season, chasing down Daniel Berger a few weeks ago to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Bhatia has finished T-16 or better in each of his past five PGA Tour starts, showcasing remarkable consistency and steady form.
Lastly, he’s the only player in Masters history to graduate from the Drive, Chip and Putt to inside the ropes on tournament week. The lineage between Bhatia and Augusta National runs deep, with his confidence in himself at an all-time high ahead of the 2026 Masters.
Current best odds: 65-1, FanDuel Sportsbook
Let’s take a trip back in time, to 2024, where a young debutant named Nicolai Hojgaard held the lead at the Masters deep into Saturday afternoon. His hopes were derailed on 11, a familiar obstacle for new contenders, but Hojgaard ultimately held on for an impressive T-16 finish in his first Masters.
He arrives this week with confidence, form and a better understanding of the nerve required on these hollowed grounds. He also packs one of the most dominant drivers on tour, routinely bludgeoning golf courses with his power that happens to be a major asset at Augusta.
A solo second place in his last start at Memorial Park further illustrates the potential percolating around Hojgaard. If he can find a hot putter, the young twin from Denmark could be an ideal candidate when searching for a longshot.
Current best odds: 78-1, DraftKings Sportsbook
Runner-up in a pair of majors last season, Harris English is an under-the-radar option who I believe has the tools to win the Masters. He’s coming off his best career finish at Augusta in 2025 (T-12), and English serves up a level of consistency on tour that few can, notching top-30 results in nine of his past 10 tournaments.
He was born in Georgia, went to college at Georgia and currently resides in Georgia, so there’s no question how much a career-altering week at Augusta would mean to Harris English. At 36, this is his best chance to win it.
Augusta National puts a strict demand on precise long iron play, where English excels. He ranks first in the field in GIR from 200-plus yards, putting less stress on scrambling around the one-of-a-kind green complexes at Augusta. The odds are in your favor if you think this is the year for Harris English.
Current best odds: 100-1, FanDuel Sportsbook
I’m naturally drawn to flushers at this golf course, and Daniel Berger has caught my eye. A recent runner-up at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, one of the most demanding courses from a ball-striking perspective on tour, Berger is one of the most reliable iron players in the field.
This will be his seventh time competing in the Masters, making the cut in five of his previous six starts. A win would undoubtedly be asking a lot for a player who has not won a professional tournament in over five years, but Berger has an intangible self-belief and rhythmic swing that appears battle tested.
Joe Idone is a Read The Line contributor and host of the Preferred Lines podcast.
