The Masters 2025 starts on Thursday! Here, we have predicted how many of the biggest names will play.
From Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy to Jon Rahm and Joaquin Niemann, the best PGA Tour and LIV Golf players will tee it up this week.
And everyone has at least one strong opinion on who they think will do well (or not) at Augusta National.
The Golfing Gazette’s experts have assessed 15 players’ chances, from missing the cut to winning the Green Jacket
Phil Mickelson
- World ranking: 1009
- Masters appearances: 31
- Best finish: Winner (2004, 2006, 2010)
Lee Connor – Make Cut
A lot is being said about Phil Mickelson’s game and him actually being in contention to win but for me, he just makes the cut and plods through the weekend without threatening.
Jordan Harris – Top 20
Mickelson will not win The Masters for a fourth time, but I would not be shocked to see him lead at some point during the week.
James Shearman – Miss Cut
Everyone wants Mickelson to have another great week at The Masters, but I just don’t see it happening, unfortunately.
Peter Lynch – Miss Cut
He has built momentum at just the right time going into The Masters, but I think it might be a step too far to make the weekend for the veteran.
Antony Martin – Make Cut
Phil obviously knows how to get around Augusta National. His experience will be crucial here, but he simply hasn’t got the game to win around there anymore.
Brooks Koepka
- World ranking: 249
- Masters appearances: 9
- Best finish: 2nd (2019, 2023)
Lee Connor – Winner
My winner for The Masters. The man for the big occasion and already has five majors in the bag. Nobody is talking about him with so much focus on Scheffler and McIlroy, and that will help him win.
Jordan Harris – Miss Cut
It could be anything for Brooks Koepka, but just going by his form on LIV, he is not the player who has won five major titles. Having said that, it is usually when you write Koepka off that he really steps up.
James Shearman – Make Cut
Koepka lives for major championships, but his winning mentality alone won’t be enough for a top 20 finish.
Peter Lynch – Make cut
Plenty of experience, but could find that being a LIV Golf regular catches up with him at Augusta. Should still do enough to make the weekend.
Antony Martin – Miss Cut
Has he still got the hunger he once had? I can see Brooks missing the weekend here.
Joaquin Niemann
- World ranking: 89
- Masters appearances: 6
- Best finish: 16th (2023)
Lee Connor – Top 20
He’s one of the most in-form players – on LIV anyway – in the last 12 months and I think he’ll make a decent fist of things before slipping away on the Sunday.
Jordan Harris – Make Cut
Joaquin Niemann is playing well this year, but he is yet to take that next step and really contend in a major. Another respectable finish looks likely.
James Shearman – Make Cut
Niemann has been the best player on LIV in 2025 but his poor performance in Miami and disappointing major record suggest he won’t finish too high at Augusta.
Peter Lynch – Sunday contender
There is rightfully plenty of buzz around him right now, and I think the LIV Golf leader has what it takes to be a contender.
Antony Martin – Top 20
The in-form Niemann should really be up and around the top 10. His lack of competition in four-round tournaments may well hold him back, though.
Jon Rahm
- World ranking: 80
- Masters appearances: 8
- Best finish: Winner (2023)
Lee Connor – Top 20
Jon Rahm has won here before and is good enough to make a run for winning again. He won’t quite be in contention, but I expect him around the top 20.
Jordan Harris – Make Cut
Rahm should contend this week unless he gets in his own way, and he does not appear to be firing on all cylinders right now.
James Shearman – Sunday Contender
People will dismiss Rahm now that he plays on LIV, but he’s still one of the best in the world and enjoys Augusta.
Peter Lynch – Sunday contender
He knows how to succeed at Augusta, and I can see him contending on the final day but just falling short.
Jordan Spieth
- World ranking: 65
- Masters appearances: 11
- Best finish: Winner (2015)
Lee Connor – Make Cut
He’ll sneak over the cut line but then plod through the final two rounds before finishing down the leaderboard.
Jordan Harris – Make Cut
Jordan Spieth will threaten to challenge at some stage before it all falls apart over the weekend. His game is just not quite at the level to win majors – yet.
James Shearman – Make Cut
Spieth has shown flashes of great golf this season and it wouldn’t be overly surprising to see him win a tournament soon, but it won’t be this one.
Peter Lynch – Make Cut
Too soon, I think, to be back really challenging again given his injury issue, but I think a respectable finish is still on the cards.
Antony Martin – Top 20
Augusta National always seems to bring out the best of Spieth. I expect him to start well but fade away over the weekend.
Bryson DeChambeau
- World ranking: 19
- Masters appearances: 8
- Best finish: 6th (2024)
Lee Connor – Make Cut
I was going to back him to contend, but he showed once again he can have a meltdown, and I think Bryson will slip away after not winning LIV Miami.
Jordan Harris – Top 20
After a surprising performance on Sunday at LIV Golf Miami, there is not the same confidence in DeChambeau’s game. He will win The Masters one day, but not this year.
James Shearman – Make Cut
DeChambeau seemingly hit form at the right time with his first two rounds at LIV Golf Miami, but a three-over-par final round wouldn’t have given him much confidence ahead of The Masters.
Peter Lynch – Make Cut
A man for the big occasion, but I don’t think his form is good enough to mount a serious challenge.
Antony Martin – Sunday Contender
Despite Sunday’s poor final round at LIV Miami, DeChambeau still has the ability to overpower any golf course on any given day. He will contend here deep into Sunday.
Patrick Cantlay
- World ranking: 16
- Masters appearances: 7
- Best finish: 9th (2019)
Lee Connor – Miss Cut
I think he’ll be an early big name to go. Not really done well at Augusta over the years and isn’t exactly top of his game right now either.
Jordan Harris – Make Cut
Patrick Cantlay has not got the most impressive record at The Masters over the years. With that, a decent, unspectacular finish is probably on the cards
James Shearman – Make Cut
Patrick Cantlay has done nothing recently to suggest that he will contend for the Green Jacket on Sunday.
Peter Lynch – Sunday Contender
There have to be a few surprises at Augusta this year, and I think Cantlay will be one of them, with a strong finish going his way.
Antony Martin – Miss Cut
Cantlay just hasn’t got going this season, and he will struggle at Augusta.
Tommy Fleetwood
- World ranking: 12
- Masters appearances: 8
- Best finish: 3rd (2024)
Lee Connor – Miss Cut
He’s just not got it for some reason and he’s not playing very well this year either. Misses the c,ut unfortunately.
Jordan Harris – Miss Cut
It has been a solid start to the year for Tommy Fleetwood, but there have been some poor rounds along the way, too. I’m going to say he will be just the wrong side of the cut line.
James Shearman – Top 20
Fleetwood still hasn’t won on the PGA Tour and it feels like that needs to happen before he can win one of the biggest prizes. He’s always a good bet to play well at any event, though.
Peter Lynch – Make Cut
Zero wins for Fleetwood is one of the most surprising PGA Tour stats going, and I don’t think that will change at Augusta, where I think he’ll make the cut and no further.
Antony Martin – Make Cut
I can see Tommy making the cut, but then not featuring during the weekend.
Justin Thomas
- World ranking: 8
- Masters appearances: 9
- Best finish: 4th (2020)
Lee Connor – Miss Cut
He’s playing well, but for me, Justin Thomas will miss the cut as one of the big names dropping at the first hurdle
Jordan Harris – Sunday Contender
That big win for Justin Thomas is coming, but there may be a little more disappointment first at Augusta – maybe even another second-place finish.
James Shearman – Sunday Contender
Thomas’ game is trending in the right direction, and he’ll come close to winning his third major championship at Augusta.
Peter Lynch – Top 20
He’s certainly enjoying himself on the PGA Tour in 2025, and I think a satisfactory top-20 finish is on the cards for Thomas at Augusta.
Antony Martin – Top 20
Thomas has been in decent form this season, and his imaginative approach to the game will serve him well around Augusta.
Hideki Matsuyama
- World ranking: 6
- Masters appearances: 13
- Best finish: Winner (2021)
Lee Connor – Top 20
He’s always there or thereabouts in big tournaments, and having won before, I think he’ll be in the mix somewhere but fall short.
Jordan Harris – Make Cut
Hideki Matsuyama is one of those players who could finish absolutely anywhere on the leaderboard, particularly at Augusta. He has only missed one cut over the years, but he is not playing well enough to add a second green jacket
James Shearman – Miss Cut
Matsuyama’s Masters record is great, but missed cuts at the Valero Texas Open and Players Championship don’t bode well.
Peter Lynch – Make Cut
I can see a satisfactory performance from Matsuyama this time around, but nothing special.
Antony Martin – Top 20
The 2021 champion has great imagination around the greens, and that’s why he’s had so much success at Augusta.
Ludvig Aberg
- World ranking: 5
- Masters appearances: 1
- Best finish: 2nd (2024)
Lee Connor – Top 20
Second on his debut, and he might even win i,t but I think he’ll come up just short again. He will win it eventually, though; he’s too good.
Jordan Harris – Top 20
It would not be a surprise to see Ludvig Aberg win, but he is still not quite the finished article, so it may be another very respectable finish after ending up second last year.
James Shearman – Make Cut
Most players improve with experience at Augusta National and Aberg finished second on debut last season, suggesting that he could go all the way this time. That seems unlikely, however, as he’s been too inconsistent in 2025.
Peter Lynch – Top 20
He has had a roller-coaster 2025 season so far and has, of course, previously impressed at Augusta, with a top 20 finish potentially now up next for the Swede.
Antony Martin – Sunday Contender
Aberg is so naturally gifted in almost every single department, and his game is tailor-made for Augusta.
Collin Morikawa
- World ranking: 4
- Masters appearances: 5
- Best finish: 3rd (2024)
Jordan Harris – Winner
What better place for Collin Morikawa to end his wait for a win than at Augusta? He has been knocking on the door for some time, and he knows how to win majors.
James Shearman – Sunday Contender
Morikawa’s next win won’t be far away with how well he’s playing at the moment, however, it won’t quite come at Augusta.
Peter Lynch – Sunday Contender
He keeps pushing and pushing for more success, and I think that will be the case this time out once more, with Morikawa just falling short.
Antony Martin – Sunday Contender
Morikawa’s ball-striking is almost unrivalled, but there are still too many question marks around his chipping for him to win at Augusta right now.
Xander Schauffele
- World ranking: 3
- Masters appearances: 7
- Best finish: 2nd (2019)
Jordan Harris – Top 20
Schauffele has a superb record at Augusta, but that may only be enough for a reasonable finish this time around, given his injury problems
James Shearman – Make Cut
Schauffele is surely too good to miss the cut, but the world number three has been out of sorts since returning from his rib injury. This isn’t his year to win the Green Jacket.
Peter Lynch – Top 20
Not an ideal start to the season, given his injury issue, so I think a decent finish is on the cards rather than a superb one.
Antony Martin – Make Cut
He’s still rusty following his recent injury. A scrappy performance, but a top 30 is incoming for Xander.
Rory McIlroy
- World ranking: 2
- Masters appearances: 16
- Best finish: 2nd (2022)
Lee Connor – Make Cut
He’s in great form, but I just think he’s destined never to do it. Too much pressure. He’ll make the weekend, go chasing, and then fall away.
Jordan Harris – Sunday Contender
Form-wise, no one is performing better right now, but Rory McIlroy’s fifth major is going to come elsewhere. It should still be a good showing at Augusta.
James Shearman – Winner
It feels like we say this every year about McIlroy but he really is in great shape to do well at Augusta this time around. He’s already won two Signature events this season, and nobody can stop him if he plays his best golf.
Peter Lynch – Winner
It’s been such a long time coming, and if it doesn’t come now, then it may never come. He’s relaxed, in form and winning titles, so why not add another at Augusta?
Antony Martin – Winner
It’s surely Rory’s time, what with his exceptional ball-striking and vastly improved putting.
Scottie Scheffler
- World ranking: 1
- Masters appearances: 5
- Best finish: Winner (2022, 2024)
Lee Connor – Top 20
Too much pressure to win three out of four. Scottie Scheffler will play well enough to be somewhere but isn’t in good enough form at the moment to push on and really be in contention.
Jordan Harris – Sunday Contender
Scheffler is not quite in good enough form to make it three wins in four years, but a solid top-10 finish is definitely still on the cards.
James Shearman – Top 20
Scheffler will definitely make the cut and produce a solid performance over the weekend but it won’t be enough to retain his Green Jacket or come particularly close.
Peter Lynch – Top 20
Time for someone else to spend some time with the Green Jacket. He’s started the season well, given his injury, but I think that stops him from really contending.
Antony Martin – Sunday Contender
It’s impossible to ever back against Scottie, isn’t it? He will be desperate to defend his title here but may come up just short in the end.
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