The 2026 Masters Tournament is less than two weeks away, and Augusta National is already the most searched golf destination on the internet. Scottie Scheffler arrives as the clear favorite, Rory McIlroy is chasing his career Grand Slam again, and the field of 86-plus players is stacked deeper than any Masters in recent memory. Here is everything you need before the first tee shot on April 9.
Masters 2026 Key Dates
Full Odds: Who Wins the Green Jacket?
Bookmakers have been updating their boards daily as players compete in the run-up events. Here is the current betting landscape heading into Masters week:
Scheffler vs McIlroy: The Storyline That Defines 2026
Scottie Scheffler has been the best golfer on the planet for two years running. He won the 2024 Masters by a comfortable margin, and his ball-striking statistics at Augusta National are historically elite. His ability to drive it long and straight on the narrow corridors, combined with an ice-cold short game, makes him the logical favorite at +480.
But the tournament belongs to Rory McIlroy's narrative. The Northern Irishman has won every other major — the US Open, The Open Championship, and the PGA Championship — multiple times. Augusta has been his white whale since 2011, when he led by four shots going into the final round and collapsed to a back-nine 80. He came tantalizingly close in 2022. At 36, his window is narrowing, but his iron play and putting have never looked better entering a Masters.
- World number 1 ranked player
- Won 2024 Masters by 4 shots
- Best strokes-gained stats at Augusta
- Calm under pressure, clinical short game
- Career Grand Slam still missing
- Emotional + motivational edge
- Iron play improved significantly in 2025-26
- Has Top-10 in 6 of last 8 Masters
Sleeper Picks Worth Your Attention
Cameron Young at +2200 is the value play most sharp bettors are circling. Young is a massive hitter who has repeatedly contended in majors without winning one. Augusta suits bombers who can control the back-nine par-5s, and Young now has the wedge game to match. Tommy Fleetwood at +2000 is another serious contender — his iron play is tailor-made for Augusta's undulating greens, and he finished inside the top five last year.
For those who like a longer shot, Hideki Matsuyama (+3500) cannot be discounted on his home course. He became the first Japanese major winner when he won here in 2021 and always plays Augusta with a focused, comfortable game. Brooks Koepka (+3000) is a perpetual major threat regardless of course, even as his LIV Golf schedule limits his preparation.
- Augusta National field is capped around 88 players (invitation only)
- Past Masters champions are exempt for life
- Scheffler has gained strokes on the field in every Masters round since 2022
- McIlroy's last major win was the 2022 Open Championship
- The cut falls after Round 2 (low 50 scores + ties advance)
- Sunday's final round historically decides on the back nine, holes 11-15
How to Watch Masters 2026 — Every Broadcast Option
The Masters has one of the most complicated broadcast splits in major sports, but there are genuinely free options for every round.
Round 1 & 2 (Thursday-Friday, April 9-10)
- Amazon Prime Video streams two hours of exclusive early-round coverage before handing off to ESPN
- ESPN carries the main broadcast from the first tee shots through the afternoon
- Masters.com and the Masters app provide free live streams of every shot, featured groups, and hole-specific cameras — no subscription required
Round 3 & 4 (Saturday-Sunday, April 11-12)
- CBS takes over for the weekend broadcast, starting around noon ET Saturday
- Paramount+ streams CBS's coverage live, including Sunday's final round starting at 12 PM ET before the main broadcast window. A free trial is available for new subscribers.
- Masters.com continues its free all-access digital coverage all four days
International Viewers
For viewers outside the US: BBC Sport streams the Masters free in the UK and Ireland across its website and app. TSN and RDS carry Canadian coverage. Sky Sport Golf handles Australia and New Zealand. In mainland Europe, Sky Sport and Eurosport share regional rights, with some markets offering Masters.com as a free fallback.
The Augusta National Course: Why It Matters
Augusta National plays differently from any other major venue. The course famously plays out on the front nine and comes home on the back — the stretch from Amen Corner (holes 11-13) through the par-5 15th is where Masters are won and lost every single year. Players who drive the ball far and straight have a significant advantage because the back-nine par-5s (13th and 15th) are reachable in two for the longest hitters, creating eagle and easy birdie opportunities that mid-length hitters simply cannot match.
The greens at Augusta are among the fastest in professional golf. Putting from the wrong side of the hole — even by a foot — can result in putts running 20 feet past the cup. Course management, not just raw talent, separates Masters champions from contenders.
Prediction: The 2026 Green Jacket
Scheffler wins his third Masters title. His statistical dominance at Augusta National is simply too complete to bet against, and the field, while excellent, lacks anyone who has shown the ability to beat him head-to-head over 72 holes in 2025-26. McIlroy finishes second again — close but not close enough. Åberg, quietly building toward his first major, sneaks inside the top five. The Sunday drama will be real, but Scheffler is built for Sunday at Augusta.
Mark your calendar: Thursday, April 9, 8:00 AM ET. The 2026 Masters begins.
