2026 Masters: Three Golfers Built To Conquer Augusta Include Xander Schauffele

Five years ago, I would've called you crazy if you told me I'd be more excited about The Masters than any other sporting event besides the Super Bowl. Before I started betting on it religiously, my golf fandom consisted of only watching Tiger Woods highlights on Sportscenter. However, since the legalization of sports betting in America, the PGA TOUR is my favorite league to gamble on. 

Is it going well for me this season? No, absolutely not. I've only hit one outright this season (Nico Echavarria at the Cognizant Classic), and my 2026 PGA TOUR bankroll is -10.06 units (u). Nonetheless, it's time to clock in because the golf season starts with the Masters for most people. Plus, I hit Rory McIlroy to win the green jacket last year, so I, like Rory, have a title to defend. 

That said, below are the three shortest-priced golfers I bet to win the green jacket this year, along with my One-And-Done pick. I'll circle back to give out my longshots and a few random other Masters bets via OutKick or X. Without further ado, here are my first three clicks for Augusta. 

My 3 ‘Horses for the Course’ at the 2026 Masters

The following odds are based on my previous bets on the golfers listed below. Subject to change. 

Xander Schauffele (+1800) & Top-10 with ties (+139)

Ron Klos from Betsperts Golf published a graphic on X called "The 2026 Masters Winner Trends," and Xander was one of three players to fit 17 of the 19 trends, which is the most in the field. A few of the prominent trends he fits:

• 15 of the last 17 winners had at least four previous wins.
• 14 straight winners have gained at least 18 strokes tee-to-green in their four events before the Masters.
• 14 of the last 16 winners have a top-six finish at a major within the two years leading up to their Masters win.

Schauffele is a 10-time PGA TOUR winner, including two major victories: The 2024 PGA and Open Championships. He has three T7-or-better finishes in his last four starts: T7 at The Genesis Invitational ("signature event"), third at THE PLAYERS Championship, and T4 at the Valspar Championship in his last outing. 

Xander Schauffele putts during a practice round for the 2026 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. (Photo Credit: Katie Goodale-Imagn Images)

Xander has three straight top-10s at the U.S. Open, and six T17-or-better finishes in his eight career Masters, including three consecutive top-10s. He’s gained across the board at Augusta (driving, on approach, chipping, and putting) over the last three years, and his best finishes at the Masters are a T2 in 2019 and a T3 in 2021. 

Essentially, Schauffele is a two-time major champion and will win more majors because he excels at all facets of golf. Xander pounds the driver, is dialed in with his irons, has touch around the greens, and is a lights-out putter. With that in mind, I’m betting one unit on his outright and another unit on this "top-10 with ties" at Kalshi.

Cameron Young (+3200)*

This is a future I placed a few weeks ago when Young won THE PLAYERS and went on record via X. Young’s price has since drifted to +2300 at DraftKings, but you could argue he should have shorter odds than Schauffele and Ludvig Åberg (+1700), who Cameron ran down to win THE PLAYERS. 

Young is the hottest golfer on TOUR entering the Masters. Before a win at THE PLAYERS in his last start, Cameron finished T3 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and T7 at The Genesis. The 2021-22 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year missed the cut at the Masters last year and as a debutant in 2022, but he finished T7 in 2023 and T9 in 2024.

Cameron Young hits an approach shot during the first round of the 2025 Masters at Augusta. (Photo Credit: Michael Madrid-Imagn Images)

Also, the driver is one of the biggest differentiators at Augusta, and Young leads this field in Total Driving, which blends distance with accuracy, and ranks second in Strokes Gained (SG): Off-the-Tee (OTT) this year, per Betsperts Golf. Augusta is considered a "second shot golf course," and he ranks seventh in this field for SG: Approach over the last 12 rounds.

Min Woo Lee (+5400)*

This is another future I placed weeks ago, and the price has shortened to +3500 at DraftKings. My bad, but I probably saved you money if you see his current price and don't want to bet him since I suck at golf betting. Regardless, I built these models, which gives me false confidence, and Min Woo is third on my Bet The Number model and sixth on my one from Betsperts Golf. 

Lee has made the cut in three of his four Masters, with a T14 as a debutant in 2021 and a T22 in 2024. The Aussie hasn’t missed a cut this season and has three T6-or-better finishes. This includes a T2 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and a T6 at the Arnold Palmer, both of which are "signature events," and a T3 at the Texas Children’s Houston Open in his last start. 

Min Woo Lee lines up a putt in a practice round for the 2026 Masters at Augusta. (Photo Credit: Grace Smith-Imagn Images)

Furthermore, he is gaining strokes across the board this season. Min Woo is second in this field for Total Driving and third in SG: OTT this season. Precision with your long irons is another way to be in the mix at the Masters, and Lee is eighth in this field for strokes gained on approach shots from 175+ yards this season, according to Bet The Number. 

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Masters ‘One-And-Done Pick’: Xander Schauffele

2026 Mayo Cup Season Standings: 4,554th with $1,602,642

Besides World No. 1 and betting favorite, Scottie Scheffler (+490), whom I already used for the Arnold Palmer, Xander has the highest floor for the Masters. I'm not going with the second-betting favorite, Jon Rahm (+910), because he will be the most popular pick this week, and I need to make up ground in the Mayo Cup. 

Bryson DeChambeau, the third-betting favorite (+1075), just isn't consistent enough with his irons, comparatively speaking. So, I'm saving him for the PGA Championship or U.S. Open, two majors he's already won. Reigning Masters champions usually struggle to defend their titles, which crosses off Rory (+1175), who I can use for any other signature event or major. 

Since I have already used Young at The Genesis, I'm left with Åberg (+1700), Schauffele (+1800), Tommy Fleetwood (+2300), and Matthew Fitzpatrick (+2350) as my other options for the Masters. Ludvig and Fitzpatrick always fail me when I bet them, and Fleetwood doesn't drive the ball far enough for Augusta. That said, god willing, Xander will win the green jacket this year. 

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Follow me on X @Geoffery-Clark, and check out my OutKick Bets Podcast for more betting content and random rants. I'll add bets to my PGA Tour 2026 betting record via X throughout the entire season.