1) Jon Rahm
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29 years old | Spain
Attendance at the Masters: 8e
Best result: Defending champion (2023)
Number of rounds under par: 16 (out of 28)
Top 5: 3
Top 10: 5
Cleavers saved: 7 out of 7
Statistics 2023:
Greens hit on regular shots: 52/72 (72.22%)
Avg. Tee shots: 298.7 yards
Accuracy from the tees: 48/56 (85.71%)
Par rescue from a pit: 3/5 (60%)
Number of putts: 115 (avg: 1.6/hole)
“Rahmbo” offered a masterful performance in the marathon to obtain the green jacket against a fierce rival, Brooks Koepka, last year. Having moved to LIV Golf this winter, the Spaniard will be on his first official outing outside the Saudi circuit. In his first four tournaments of 2024, he has three top 10s and two top 5s while offering a point game.
2) Scottie Scheffler
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27 years old | UNITED STATES
Attendance at the Masters: 5e
Best result: 2022 Champion
Score relative to par: -21 (16 rounds)
Best round: 67 (-5)
Avg. Score: 70.69
Top 5: 1
Top 10: 2
Cleavers saved: 4 out of 4
It’s difficult to bet against the leader of the PGA Tour rankings and winner at Augusta in 2022. He already has two victories this season, having won the titles at Bay Hill and Sawgrass. He missed the top 10 in just one of his eight outings in 2024. In his 31 rounds this season, he has played under par 30 times. At ANGC, he played 12 of his 16 rounds under par.
3) Jordan Spieth
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30 years | UNITED STATES
Attendance at the Masters: 11e
Best result: Champion (2015)
Number of rounds under par: 23 (out of 38)
Avg. of putts per round in 2015: 27 (3e)
Avg. Score: 70.66
Top 5: 6
Top 10: 6
Cleavers saved: 9 out of 10
The champion of the 2015 edition knows how to make sparks on the sacred Georgian land. In 2021 and 2023, he finished in the top 5. The Texan is having a checkered start to the season while he is capable of the best and the worst. His performances at Phoenix and Bay Hill are more significant and revealing than his poor performance at Sawgrass during the Players on a course he hardly liked.
4) Brooks Koepka
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30 years | UNITED STATES
Attendance at the Masters: 8e
Best result: 2e (2019, 2023)
Number of rounds under par: 14 (out of 28)
Avg. of putts per green 2023: 1.61 (23e) (29 rolls per round)
Avg. Score: 71.46
Top 5: 3
Top 10: 3
Cleavers saved: 6 out of 7
The man for special occasions. Like Scheffler, it is difficult to bet against Brooksy in the context of a major tournament, he who has five titles since 2017. Since that time, at Augusta, he has always been dangerous. The captain of Smash GC on LIV Golf started his season rather quietly without much fanfare in his first four tournaments, a bit like 2023 before he showed his teeth in the days leading to Augusta, where he took the 2e rank.
5) Cameron Smith
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30 years | Australia
Attendance at the Masters: 8e
Best result: 2e (2020)
Number of rounds under par: 14 (out of 28)
Avg. of putts per green 2023: 1.51 (2e) (27 rolls per round)
Avg. Score: 71.61
Top 5: 3
Top 10: 4
Cleavers saved: 7 out of 7
The 2022 British Open champion is dangerous at the ANGC. He often finds himself marauding near the lead, but he has to find a way to make everything click at the same time in his game. Last year, he had great success with his putter, but he finished at last place, among those who resisted the ax, for its rate of greens achieved in regular shots (50%). In that regard, it’s not his best start to the season for the Australian who lines up with LIV.
6) Victor Hovland
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26 years old | Norway
Attendance at the Masters: 5e
Best result: 7e (2023)
Number of rounds under par: 7 (out of 16)
Avg. greens hit on regular shots in 2023: 11 per round (61.11%) (29e)
Avg. Score: 71.69
Top 5: 0
Top 10: 1
Cleavers saved: 4 out of 4
The young Norwegian won the amateur player title during the 2019 edition. Like many, he started in 2024 rather silently, but his record in Grand Slam tournaments over the past two years is frankly impressive. In his last five starts on such occasions, he has three top 10s and has never been excluded from the top 20. That said, disappointing final rounds have cost him at least two titles.
7) Xander Schauffele
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30 years | UNITED STATES
Attendance at the Masters: 7e
Best result: 2e (2019)
Number of rounds under par: 12 (out of 22)
Avg. greens hit with regular shots in 202: 13 per round (72.22%) (3e)
Avg. Score: 71.32
Top 5: 2
Top 10: 3
Cleavers saved: 5 out of 6
The reigning Olympic champion is a regular in the main draw at Augusta. Since 2017, he has finished in the top 20 of a major 18 times in 25 appearances. Overall, he flirted with victory four times without ever tasting it. Building on an excellent start to the season, this moment could come as early as next weekend for the 30-year-old American who has not won since the Scottish Open in July 2022.
8) Will Zalatoris
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27 years old | UNITED STATES
Attendance at the Masters: 3e
Best result: 2e (2021)
Number of rounds under par: 6 (out of 8)
Number of birdies in 2022: 19 (3e) (10 on par 4s)
Avg. Score: 70.50
Top 5: 1
Top 10: 2
Cleavers saved: 2 of 2
Back in shape after undergoing a microdiscectomy on his back last April, “Willy Z” has a gift on this holy land. He finished 2e in his first presence in 2021 where he demonstrated the full extent of his talent. In his 9 career major tournament appearances, he has 6 top 10s and finished 2 three times.e rank, especially during an extension at the 2022 PGA Championship. If he succeeds in mastering his putter, his Achilles heel, he is extremely dangerous.
9) Rory McIlroy
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34 years old | North Ireland
Attendance at the Masters: 16e
Best result: 2e (2022)
Best round at ANGC: 64 (R4 2022)
Avg. greens hit on regular shots in 2022: 12.5 per round (69.44%) (2e)
Avg. Score: 71.50
Top 5: 4
Top 10: 7
Cleavers saved: 12 out of 15
Rory has been trying to put on his green jacket for a decade! This is the last major to win to complete your Grand Slam. Since his catastrophic final round of 79 (+7) which kept him away from the title in 2013, he has no less than seven top 10s at the ANGC. In 2021 and 2023, he fell under the ax. If he finally wants to get his hands on this devilish jacket this year, he must manage to put together four good rounds. What he is incapable of doing this season.
10) Hideki Matsuyama
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32 years old | Japan
Attendance at the Masters: 13e
Best result: Champion (2021)
Number of rounds under par: 23 (out of 46)
Avg. of putts per green 2023: 1.60 (17e) (28 rolls per round)
Avg. Score: 71.54
Top 5: 4
Top 10: 7
Cleavers saved: 12 out of 15
Winner of the Genesis Invitational in February, he finished in the top 10 at Sawgrass. Champion of the 2021 edition, the Japanese is back after a disappointing 2022-2023 season. He is ranked 3rd in the rankings on the PGA Tour. Excelling on par 4s, he knows how to navigate effectively at ANGC where he has finished in the top 15 six times.