Ginger Joe presents his Masters 2026 selections featuring five contenders vying for the Green Jacket.
The Masters 2026
The Masters is nearly here and my squad is now finalised. Before getting into that though, let’s take a look at this year’s event.
As it does every year, The Masters takes place at Augusta National, one of the most unique courses in the world, and one the players return to year after year in search of a Green Jacket. Tiger Woods once described Augusta as “the course you learn to play over time,” and that pretty much sums it up and that’s also why you very rarely see debut winners here, because it’s such a unique test compared to anything else they face on tour.
It’s not just about finding fairways, it’s about finding the right sides of them. Positioning off the tee is absolutely key, and if you’re on the wrong side, it becomes very difficult to hold the greens. That’s when you start bringing trees and bunkers into play. It’s a proper test of golf, and more often than not, the cream rises to the top.
I think the most likely winner is obviously Scottie Scheffler, but if you’re backing him, you almost need to go all in on him, or maybe just one more so you’re not eating too much into the price. Personally, I’ve decided to take him on with a three man squad.
It’s worth mentioning I’ve already advised two ante-post picks Justin Rose, and Tyrrell Hatton. Now we’re at the event, I’d say Rose would have made this a four-man squad if I hadn’t tipped him already, but Hatton wouldn’t make it now, because his game just looks way off.
As it’s The Masters, I’ll also mention the two players who just missed out on my squad this year for those interested, and it was Min Woo Lee and Ludvig Aberg, then clear of the rest.
So it’s a three man squad from here, and alongside Justin Rose, I think that gives us the best chance of landing the winner this year. Best of luck if you follow me in, and don’t forget to check out my player by player guide, and stay locked in for my daily bets as we go through the tournament.
Ginger Joe's Masters 2026 Tips
- JUSTIN ROSE 2pts ew at 33/1 (ANTEPOST) >>>> See article here.
- TYRELL HATTON 1.5pt ew at 50/1 (ANTEPOST) >>>> See article here.
- BRYSON DECHAMBEAU - 2pt each-way & 2pt win at 11/1 (8 places)
- JON RAHM - .2pt each-way & 2pt win at 12/1 (6 places)
- XANDER SCHAUFFELE - 1.5pt each-way & 1pt win at 16/1 (6 places)
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Bryson DeChambeau 2pt WIN at 12/1
Bryson DeChambeau 2pt EW at 11/1 (Eight Places)
There’s no player coming into this year’s Masters in better form than Bryson DeChambeau, and he sits tied at the top of my squad with one other player. He’s won his last two starts heading into Augusta taking the title in Singapore, before beating Jon Rahm in a playoff in South Africa.
His game is in outstanding shape, and what I really like is how well he’s adapted back to 72 hole golf. It hasn’t affected him at all, whereas it’s clearly caught out a fair few of the other top LIV players this season.
Bryson has a huge advantage at Augusta when he is striking the ball well. He’s one of the longest off the tee, but he’s also incredibly accurate looking like he has his driver on a string at times. That gives him an advantage over most in the field as it makes his second shot so much less demanding and gives him a better opportunity at getting closer to the hole in two.
Over the four days, that is a big advantage that he holds with just a handful of other players. Over the years Bryson had never really contested at Augusta, but he has been solid in the last two seasons
finishing with a T6 in 2024 and solo 5th last year, looking like a completely different player to earlier seasons. He’s now legitimately one of the best players in the world.
He went out in the final group with Rory last year and it didn’t go to plan, but he is improving every time he comes here, and I think that experience last year, plus the fact that he comes into this year off the back of two wins, gives Bryson every bit of confidence he needs this time around. He ticks all the boxes this year!
BRYSON DECHAMBEAU - 2pt each-way (8 places with Betfred) & 2pt win at 12/1 (AKBETS)
Jon Rahm 2pt WIN at 12/1
Jon Rahm 2pt EW at 11/1 (Eight Places)
The other player right at the top of my list is Jon Rahm, who as mentioned, finished second to Bryson DeChambeau in South Africa after being beat in a playoff.
That’s no negative at all though, if anything, it highlights just how well Rahm is playing right now. The 2023 champion is one of the most natural fits for Augusta in the entire field, and the numbers back that up too. He’s never missed a cut here and has recorded six top 10 finishes, consistently performing at a very high level around this course.
He’s perfectly suited to Augusta with plenty of power off the tee, but with the control to match. That combination makes him more likely to get more birdie opportunities over four days than the majority of the field, and that makes him a constant threat in an event like this.
Rahm is also one of the most long standing consistent players in the game. In his last 28 LIV starts, he’s finished inside the top 10 on 27 occasions, with the only exception being a tie for 11th. That level of consistency, across different courses and conditions, is genuinely remarkable.
It’s very hard to pick holes in Jon Rahm’s chances this week. He looks certain to be in the mix come Sunday and has as strong a chance as anyone of adding another Green Jacket to his resume.
JON RAHM - 2pt each-way at 11/1 (8 places) (Various) & 2pt win at 12/1 (AKBETS)
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Xander Schauffele 1pt WIN at 16/1
Xander Schauffele 1.5pts EW at 16/1 (Eight Places)
The final player in this year’s squad is Xander Schauffele, another remarkably consistent performer. As mentioned, that’s a huge factor at Augusta, and it’s something Xander has shown throughout his career.
He’s now a two-time Major champion, having won both The Open and the PGA Championship, yet he still feels slightly underappreciated. I do think that will change though when he wins more Majors, and I genuinely believe Xander Schauffele could became a Grand Slam winner. He needs the Masters and the US Open, and he has a chance in both.
He’s also just a great fit for Augusta. In his last few starts here, he’s posted finishes of T7, T3 and T4, which again highlights his class. If you can consistently contend at Augusta, you’re clearly among the elite in the game, because good numbers here are no fluke.
I really like his shot shape for this course, and he’s excellent tee to green. On top of that, he limits mistakes, putts solidly, and rarely drops away from the leaderboard. He’s a relentless competitor, and I fully expect him to be right in the mix come Sunday.
XANDER SCHAUFFELE - 1.5pt each-way & 1pt win at 16/1 (8 places) (Betfred)
