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The 2025 Masters is almost here, and that means the best golfers will be back together again soon. For a little while, at least.
The sport's first major always carried additional meaning, with the tournament returning to the idyllic scene at Augusta National Golf Club year after year to create many of the game's most iconic moments. But it is also now the first event of the year in which the best golfers in the world are competing against one another on the same course since the split between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
The four majors matter more than ever and the 2025 Masters offers a slew of intriguing storylines to savor. Scottie Scheffler will attempt to join Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods as the only golfers to win the Masters in back-to-back years. Rory McIlroy, after winning the Players Championship last month, resumes his quest to win the only major title to elude him, and his first major title in 11 years. They'll also be tested by Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and other top golfers on the LIV Golf roster competing around the world outside the bigger spotlight of the PGA Tour.
Picking a winner is always tricky at the Masters. Scheffler and McIlroy are the favorites. This, however, is golf's ultimate proving ground. It's even more so in recent years because of how scattered golf's best players are without a merger in sight yet. There's also nothing quite like the pressure of closing out the back nine at Augusta National.
USA TODAY Sports is here to help with some of the favorites that have the best chance to win based on BetMGM odds, a sleeper pick with favorable odds and an early prediction for the winner of the 2025 Masters.
Tiger Woods pulls April Fools' prank, says he's playing in 2025 Masters: 'Can't wait!'
BetMGM odds as of April 2
Picking Scheffler is a pick for history, and it would be his third Masters win in four years. The defending Masters champion has yet to win a PGA Tour event after his return from a hand injury that required surgery this season, but he still has three top-10 finishes. That includes a second-place showing at the Texas Children's Houston Open in his most recent appearance, when the two-time Masters winner noted he "liked the way my swing started to feel over the weekend" after carding a 7-under 63 in the final round.
The Masters has proven to be an elusive title for McIlroy and he still has last year's collapse at the U.S. Open and more than a decade's worth of frustration hanging over him after going so long since winning his last major. He's finished in the top 10 seven times here, but not since his his second-place showing in 2022. McIlroy is still among the game's best, ranking first in strokes gained on the PGA Tour this season, and he's coming off a win over the stacked field at The Players Championship. He would become the sixth golfer to complete a career grand slam at the majors if he were to win The Masters.
The Masters traditionally rewards the best ball strikers and strong iron play each year, and Morikawa is off to a career-best start in relation to those facets of the game. Morikawa currently ranks second behind only McIlroy in strokes gained tee-to-green in 2025. It's perhaps gone under the radar because Morikawa is searching for his first win in more than 18 months and fell short again with a chance to win this year's Arnold Palmer Invitational. But he has three top-10 finishes in five starts this season, in addition to winning the PGA Championship and British Open previously. Maybe he's ready to prove his mettle at The Masters.
Rahm was mostly a non-factor at the majors during his first year with LIV Golf and finished T-45 at the Masters after his 2023 win at Augusta National. But he seems to be playing the best of the major champions not playing on the PGA Tour. Though Joaquin Niemann has stormed to the top of the LIV Golf standings this season with two tournament wins, Rahm is the only LIV golfer with top-six finishes in every event in 2025. When Rahm's on, his iron play is as pure as anyone in professional golf and he showed just two years ago it lines up well for a Masters run. He surely wants to show he's still among the game's elite despite being outside the PGA Tour orbit.
The 31-year-old Austrian is having the best season of his PGA Tour career at the moment, ranking in the top 10 in shots gained from tee-to-green and sitting in second place in the early FedEx Cup standings. Straka had a T-16 finish at The Masters in 2024, and he's been in big spots before at the Ryder Cup and Open Championship. If his putter cooperates, he could be undervalued.
Collin Morikawa is due for a win, and he's playing as well as anyone despite not being able to get over the hump. Next week, he does.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2025 Masters: Predictions, sleeper picks, odds at first golf major
Continue reading...
The sport's first major always carried additional meaning, with the tournament returning to the idyllic scene at Augusta National Golf Club year after year to create many of the game's most iconic moments. But it is also now the first event of the year in which the best golfers in the world are competing against one another on the same course since the split between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
The four majors matter more than ever and the 2025 Masters offers a slew of intriguing storylines to savor. Scottie Scheffler will attempt to join Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods as the only golfers to win the Masters in back-to-back years. Rory McIlroy, after winning the Players Championship last month, resumes his quest to win the only major title to elude him, and his first major title in 11 years. They'll also be tested by Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and other top golfers on the LIV Golf roster competing around the world outside the bigger spotlight of the PGA Tour.
Picking a winner is always tricky at the Masters. Scheffler and McIlroy are the favorites. This, however, is golf's ultimate proving ground. It's even more so in recent years because of how scattered golf's best players are without a merger in sight yet. There's also nothing quite like the pressure of closing out the back nine at Augusta National.
USA TODAY Sports is here to help with some of the favorites that have the best chance to win based on BetMGM odds, a sleeper pick with favorable odds and an early prediction for the winner of the 2025 Masters.
Tiger Woods pulls April Fools' prank, says he's playing in 2025 Masters: 'Can't wait!'
The Masters 2025 favorites to watch
BetMGM odds as of April 2
Scottie Scheffler (+450)
Picking Scheffler is a pick for history, and it would be his third Masters win in four years. The defending Masters champion has yet to win a PGA Tour event after his return from a hand injury that required surgery this season, but he still has three top-10 finishes. That includes a second-place showing at the Texas Children's Houston Open in his most recent appearance, when the two-time Masters winner noted he "liked the way my swing started to feel over the weekend" after carding a 7-under 63 in the final round.
Rory McIlroy (+650)
The Masters has proven to be an elusive title for McIlroy and he still has last year's collapse at the U.S. Open and more than a decade's worth of frustration hanging over him after going so long since winning his last major. He's finished in the top 10 seven times here, but not since his his second-place showing in 2022. McIlroy is still among the game's best, ranking first in strokes gained on the PGA Tour this season, and he's coming off a win over the stacked field at The Players Championship. He would become the sixth golfer to complete a career grand slam at the majors if he were to win The Masters.
Collin Morikawa (+1400)
The Masters traditionally rewards the best ball strikers and strong iron play each year, and Morikawa is off to a career-best start in relation to those facets of the game. Morikawa currently ranks second behind only McIlroy in strokes gained tee-to-green in 2025. It's perhaps gone under the radar because Morikawa is searching for his first win in more than 18 months and fell short again with a chance to win this year's Arnold Palmer Invitational. But he has three top-10 finishes in five starts this season, in addition to winning the PGA Championship and British Open previously. Maybe he's ready to prove his mettle at The Masters.
Jon Rahm (+1600)
Rahm was mostly a non-factor at the majors during his first year with LIV Golf and finished T-45 at the Masters after his 2023 win at Augusta National. But he seems to be playing the best of the major champions not playing on the PGA Tour. Though Joaquin Niemann has stormed to the top of the LIV Golf standings this season with two tournament wins, Rahm is the only LIV golfer with top-six finishes in every event in 2025. When Rahm's on, his iron play is as pure as anyone in professional golf and he showed just two years ago it lines up well for a Masters run. He surely wants to show he's still among the game's elite despite being outside the PGA Tour orbit.
The Masters 2025 sleeper pick
Sepp Straka (+6600)
The 31-year-old Austrian is having the best season of his PGA Tour career at the moment, ranking in the top 10 in shots gained from tee-to-green and sitting in second place in the early FedEx Cup standings. Straka had a T-16 finish at The Masters in 2024, and he's been in big spots before at the Ryder Cup and Open Championship. If his putter cooperates, he could be undervalued.
2025 Masters prediction
Collin Morikawa is due for a win, and he's playing as well as anyone despite not being able to get over the hump. Next week, he does.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2025 Masters: Predictions, sleeper picks, odds at first golf major
Continue reading...
