POLL: Who will win Masters 2026 title? Vote here as Rory McIlroy out to defend title
The Masters is here and every golfer is out for Rory McIlroy's crown. The Northern Ireland star clinched a career Grand Slam 12 months ago, winning at Augusta for the first time in his career, but this year the race is wide open despite McIlroy being considered the man to beat.
However, he has not been in the best form entering the tournament and has also dealt with injury over the past month. But the defending champion does lead a very strong European charge in 2026 alongside the likes of Jon Rahm, Ludvig Aberg, Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood.
But going against them is the American contingent desperate to wrestle back the trophy. Scottie Scheffler will be heavily backed, given his previous victories at Augusta in 2022 and 2024.
He is the undisputed best player in golf at the moment and won The Open last time out, in addition to last summer's PGA Championship and six total wins in 2025.
Scheffler won the American Express title in January and is a Masters crown away from joining McIlroy as a Grand Slam champion.
The world No. 3 will have plenty of competition, however, with both Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau in red-hot form heading into the Major.
DeChambeau will be fired up after back-to-back LIV Golf wins in Singapore and South Africa recently, and has improved at Augusta in the previous two years.
Rahm, another LIV star, is in imperious form heading into the Masters. The 2023 champion won in Hong Kong and has enjoyed a string of strong finishes on the breakaway series.
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But there are plenty of other options capable of winning in an open field.
Aberg has finished second and seventh in his two Masters so far, but he is without a win since February 2025.
Xander Schauffele, too, has bounced back with a strong season even though he remains trophyless - perhaps he will break that duck this week.