2024 Masters Power Rankings: Tiers & Field Preview

It's Masters week, which may be the first golf tournament of the year for many sports fans. If you haven't been watching pro golf lately, hopefully this power ranking will help you get a feel for the golfers who can win the green jacket this weekend.

I've ranked every player in the field below and have some analysis on each golfer I believe can win the Masters this weekend. I've included Strokes Gained: Total (per round) numbers for every golfer on the PGA Tour so far in 2024.

LIV Golf players, amateurs and older past champions do not have PGA Tour data, so I have also included the DataGolf's Index (DG Index) and ranking for every golfer. The DG Index also uses data from earlier than January of this year as it factors in roughly the last 150 rounds each golfer has played, so it helps paint a larger picture of PGA Tour golfers' play as well as golfers not on Tour.

The DG Index is DataGolf's estimate of the quality of each golfer's recent performances relative to the average PGA Tour field, and it is measured in units of Strokes Gained per round.

Tier 1: Tiger Territory

1. Scottie Scheffler

• DG Index (Rank): 2.77 (1)
• 2024 SG: Total (Rank): 2.812 (1)
• Scottie Scheffler is far and away the best golfer in the field this week because his unparalleled ball-striking puts him into rarefied air that is unmatched since Tiger Woods. His outright odds are significantly shorter than anyone else’s at roughly +400, and if he putts well, he likely drives down Magnolia Lane on Sunday evening with a second green jacket. It's shocking that he hasn't won more over the last year, but his wins may be coming in bunches after taking consecutive signature events and coming up one shot short of a playoff in Houston two weeks ago.

Tier 2: Top Contenders

These golfers all have high floors, high upside and the ability to run away from the field to a coronation at Butler Cabin.

2. Rory McIlroy

• DG Index (Rank): 1.96 (3)
• 2024 SG: Total (Rank): 1.052 (14)
• McIlroy hasn’t won at Augusta National, but he has seven top-10 finishes in his last 10 appearances at the Masters. McIlroy makes enough birdies to win, but he needs to avoid short-siding himself and putting squares on the scorecard. If he can pick his spots this weekend, he should benefit as much as anyone from the generous landing areas at Augusta.

3. Jon Rahm

• DG Index (Rank): 1.89 (4)
• 2024 SG: Total (Rank): LIV
• Like McIlroy, Rahm’s driver is an elite weapon that's emphasized by Augusta National’s wide fairways. The Spaniard was on an absolute heater to start 2023 when he won four PGA Tour events, with the final win coming here at the Masters. The defending champion doesn’t have a win since then, but he can prove that he still belongs in the conversation as the best golfer in the world this week.

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4. Brooks Koepka

• DG Index (Rank): 0.062 (68)
• 2024 SG: Total (Rank): LIV
• Koepka beat just seven golfers who finished the weekend at LIV Miami, but the five-time major champion’s form outside of the majors has historically not been worth reading much into. His long iron play gives him an edge in major championships, but keep an eye on his putter this week, as he has been flirting with moving to a mallet from his trusty blade.

5. Xander Schauffele

• DG Index (Rank): 2.18 (2)
• 2024 SG: Total (Rank): 1.934 (2)
• I wrote in my "24 Storylines for the 2024 Masters" article that this may be Xander Schauffele’s best shot at winning a major championship because he has been so consistent as the second-best golfer on the PGA Tour this season despite not owning a win since 2022. He’s been a top-10 machine this season with six of them in eight starts. His putter has been the only aspect of his game (outside of closing tournaments) that has not been elite this season, but given his past history with the flatstick, I’m still confident in him rolling the rock. I missed the chance to bet Schauffele at 22-1 on Sunday night (he’s around 15-1 now), but I'm very optimistic about his chances this weekend. Augusta National favors his right-to-left ball flight even more with the added length on the second hole that also makes the tee shot play more around the corner.

6. Ludvig Åberg

• DG Index (Rank): 1.58 (6)
• 2024 SG: Total (Rank): 1.116 (12)
• Ludvig Åberg is making his Masters debut, and I believe he has a great shot at becoming the first debutant to win at Augusta since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979. He is a potentially generational driver of the golf ball with no real weakness, and his long-iron numbers are impressive. He’s playing with Jordan Spieth and Sahith Theegala on Thursday and Friday and may not see them between the tee and the green on several holes. I bet Åberg at 33-1 to win outright.

7. Joaquin Niemann

• DG Index (Rank): 1.47 (7)
• 2024 SG: Total (Rank): LIV
• In on a special exemption this week, Joaquin Niemann has a chance to make a statement as one of the truly elite golfers in the world. He has been the best LIV Golfer this year and also won the Australian Open on the DP World Tour in early December. He hasn’t faced the likes of Scheffler and McIlroy in his run of great play, but he now has a chance on golf’s biggest stage to prove that he's among the top tier of players in the world. However, he's still looking for his first top-10 finish at a major championship in his 20th start (although Wyndham Clark had significantly less major success before winning the U.S. Open last year).

8. Hideki Matsuyama

• DG Index (Rank): 1.35 (13)
• 2024 SG: Total (Rank): 1.140 (11)
• Hideki Matsuyama is so solid. He isn’t flashy off the tee, and his putter is often more of an obstacle than an asset, but he has one of the best around-the-green games in the world and has been truly elite on approach for over a decade. He leads the Tour in Strokes Gained: Around the Green this year, and that will be a weapon this weekend as he looks for a second green jacket.

9. Wyndham Clark

• DG Index (Rank): 1.37 (11)
• 2024 SG: Total (Rank): 1.726 (3)
• Wyndham Clark moves the ball almost exclusively from left to right, but his game should suit Augusta National well in his first visit down Magnolia Lane. Clark bombs it off the tee, and his short game and putting are world-class. He has some Spieth-like characteristics that could be electric this weekend.

10. Jordan Spieth

• DG Index (Rank): 1.22 (20)
• 2024 SG: Total (Rank): 1.203 (8)
• Speaking of which, Jordan Spieth returns to Augusta, which fits his game like a glove. He's coming off his best performance in terms of SG: Approach in 2024 this past weekend at the Valero Texas Open and also had his best week in SG: Off the Tee since last May. The former Texas Longhorn has uncharacteristically lost strokes around the green in three straight starts, but if he hits the ball like he did last weekend, we could be in store for a beautiful roller-coaster of Spieth in contention this weekend (and hopefully some “This one’s on me, Michael” as well).

11. Will Zalatoris

• DG Index (Rank): 0.71 (60)
• 2024 SG: Total (Rank): 0.487 (52)
• Zalatoris has shown that he has what it takes to contend at majors consistently with his elite ball-striking. He has a solo second and a tie for sixth in his two Masters starts, and in his 10 overall major appearances, he has six top-10 finishes, including three second-place finishes. However, his ball speed and driving distance aren’t quite what they were before his back injury when he was among the top 25 on Tour in Driving Distance in 2021 and 2022. Now, he sits 90th. Consequently, I’m not shocked that Tiger was blowing it by him during practice rounds this week. That lack of elite distance is why he’s not in my top six, but he's otherwise built to contend at majors, as his new and improved torqueless broomstick putter has helped tremendously on shorter putts (even if he doesn’t hit them exactly square).

Tier 3: Secondary Contenders

These golfers all have high-level upside, but there's some uncertainty because of underwhelming recent form or past course or major history (or lack thereof). These golfers could all make it up a tier for the next major if they start firing on all cylinders, and they have the ability to hang with Scheffler if they have their A-game.

12. Justin Thomas

• DG Index (Rank): 1.12 (25)
• 2024 SG: Total (Rank): 0.449 (56)
• Thomas undoubtedly has the upside to win now that his approach play has rebounded from a rough 2023. However, he has been better on approach from inside 150 yards than outside 150 yards, and his mid-to-long irons will be needed to win this week. His short game is all-world, and if he can hit enough fairways, he’ll be a factor. His putter has been his biggest weakness, and each time he has lost strokes putting in a tournament this season, his putter has been very poor, losing at least 0.96 strokes per round. He has one of the widest ranges of outcomes of anyone in the field this week, so if you want to bet him, do it outright or in the top-five or top-10 market.

13. Patrick Cantlay

• DG Index: 1.46 (8)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.069 (91)
• Cantlay has all of the components necessary in his game to win a major championship but hasn’t put the pieces together yet. He’s finished in the top 14 in five of the last six majors but feels like a forgotten man this week. Maybe that’s exactly where he wants to be. Since fading in the final round of the Genesis Invitational, Cantlay had two underwhelming showings in Florida where he lost strokes on approach at TPC Sawgrass and Bay Hill.

14. Matt Fitzpatrick

• • DG Index: 1.32 (15)
  • 2024 SG: Total: 0.657 (41)
  • Fitzpatrick has been above the field average driving accuracy in all of his six tracked starts at the Masters, but his added length has helped him finish among the top 11 in SG: Off the Tee in each of the last three Masters. He enters off of back-to-back top-10 finishes at the Valero Texas Open and THE PLAYERS Championship, and he also has back-to-back top-14 finishes at Augusta. He could ride a hot putter to put him over the top this weekend after finishing second in SG: Putting at Sawgrass.

15. Cameron Smith

• DG Index: 0.72 (59)
• 2024 SG: Total: LIV
• Speaking of potentially riding a hot putter, Smith can roll the rock as well as anyone, and he can also flash on approach like when he was second in the field in SG: Approach at the 2022 Masters. The question for Smith is if his driver will cooperate, as he's not as accurate as he should be off the tee and doesn’t have elite length like most other contenders in the top tiers.

16. Viktor Hovland

• DG Index: 1.58 (5)
• 2024 SG: Total: -0.177 (119)
• Hovland has said that he believes he maxed out his swing in 2023 and that it wasn’t enough to win a major. That means he’s chasing a swing change while also working with a different short-game instructor than last year (when he made real strides around the green).Additionally, his ball-striking numbers aren’t at his elite standard in 2024, and his short game has also regressed, making me feel like this is not the time to back him. Nonetheless, if he can put the pieces together, the upside is clearly there for the reigning FedExCup champion.

17. Dustin Johnson

• DG Index: 0.85 (44)
• 2024 SG: Total: LIV
• Dustin Johnson enters the Masters with the biggest disparity between his Official World Golf Ranking (336!) and my power ranking. While his Masters victory isn’t held in the highest esteem because it was held in November without fans present, it was still a dominant five-shot victory At 39 years old, DJ still has a few runs left at major championship contention.

18. Tony Finau

• DG Index: 1.12 (26)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.811 (28)
• If Finau’s putter wasn’t a liability in San Diego and Houston this year, he could have two wins and a significantly shorter outright price than the 40-1 available given his impressive ball-striking this season.His putter may have the lowest upside of anyone in my top-three tiers, and his floor with the flatstick is also relatively low. However, his short game is underrated, and he clearly has a fondness for Augusta National as he has three top 10s and has never finished lower than 38th.Finau has the upside to beat just about anyone in this field if his putter cooperates.

19. Tommy Fleetwood

• DG Index: 1.35 (12)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.012 (98)
• Yeah, we know Fleetwood hasn’t won on the PGA Tour, but he has three top-five finishes in his last seven major championships. He doesn’t have elite length (though he is still above average in driving distance), but Fleetwood has the ability to lead the field on approach, around the green or on the greens this week.

20. Sahith Theegala

• DG Index: 1.31 (17)
• 2024 SG: Total: 1.422 (5)
• Theegala is similar to the current version of Jordan Spieth in that they can both spray it off the tee but can make birdie or double bogey from just about anywhere. Seeing Spieth and Theegala in the same group will be electric on Thursday and Friday, and the contrast with Åberg will also be fun.I called my shot on Theegala last summer on the Links + Locks podcast when I bet him at 100-1 as I noted the Spieth comp and similarly strong fit at Augusta. Now that everyone is coming around on him at 45-1, that ticket is likely destined to be doomed to the Land of Forgotten CLV.His short game has been below his standard so far this season on the PGA Tour, but I still have confidence there. He also ranks among the top 15 on Tour in SG: Putting and Off the Tee.

21. Max Homa

• DG Index: 1.33 (14)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.709 (37)
• Homa’s biggest weakness on Tour this season is his driving accuracy, but the wide fairways at Augusta should help with that. His approach play, specifically with his mid and long irons, hasn’t been elite this season — that will need to be on this week.He has all the pieces of his game necessary to win this week but only has one top-10 finish in 17 major starts, which came in his most recent start at Royal Liverpool. Perhaps that gives him the confidence to build on it this week.It’s a matter of when and not if Homa contends at the Masters, but his lack of success here and at other majors remains surprising given how well he’s played at the more demanding PGA Tour stops like Bay Hill, Riviera, Quail Hollow and Muirfield Village.

22. Sam Burns

• DG Index: 1.31 (16)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.875 (22)
• Burns’ path to victory could be similar to Wyndham Clark’s last year. Neither has historically been great with long irons, but one decent week there supplemented by excellent play off the tee and with the putter could culminate in a major championship victory.However, I have a lot more faith in Clark around the green (although those numbers are relatively down this year for him) than Burns. I need to see meaningful improvement in Burns either around the green or with his mid to long irons to bet him at a major (unless the right price at 80-1 or longer pops – after all, Clark won at 100-1 at LACC).

23. Bryson DeChambeau

• DG Index: 1.22 (21)
• 2024 SG: Total: LIV
• DeChambeau has had four consecutive top-nine finishes on LIV Golf, but it’s been a rough go for him recently at Augusta with consecutive missed cuts in 2022 and 2023 and no top-20 finishes in seven starts overall at the Masters.He has lost strokes around the greens in each of the last three years here — the only three years with Strokes Gained data — and hasn’t had a strong week on approach in that span either. Is it time to buy the dip on his iron play at Augusta, or are the uneven lies on approach a persistent issue?His around the green numbers were never elite on the PGA Tour, and perhaps his fortunes at Augusta won’t change until he figures that out.

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24. Cameron Young

• DG Index: 1.18 (22)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.808 (30)
• Young ranks in the top 17 on Tour in SG: Off the Tee and Approach, but he’s also outside the top 100 in both SG: Around the Green and Putting. I think he needs to be better around the greens than he currently is to win at Augusta.Although his putter gets the majority of the blame for him not winning, it can get pretty hot when he’s on. Consequently, he has a wide range of possible outcomes this week, and his small sample of two tournaments here illustrates that as he has a tie for seventh and a missed cut.

25. Akshay Bhatia

• DG Index: 0.99 (32)
• 2024 SG: Total: 1.522 (4)
• His shoulder isn’t 100%, but I’m optimistic about Bhatia. He could be next in the lineage of lefties with success at Augusta.His driver is an absolute weapon as he is long and straight off the tee, and his approach play is emerging as elite. The long putter has made a glaring weakness a strength, but his game around the green may need to improve for him to win at Augusta.But then again, if he puts on a ridiculous ball-striking clinic like he did last week in San Antonio, he could absolutely win this week without an elite short game. Bhatia gaining 1.57 strokes per round around the green last week at the Valero Texas Open was his best tournament ever by SG: Around the Green, so there is reason to be optimistic about seemingly the biggest (only) weakness remaining in his game.

26. Collin Morikawa

• DG Index: 1.27 (19)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.052 (94)
• Morikawa’s elite iron play has historically helped make up for him being short (although very accurate) off the tee, average around the greens and below average with his putter. His around the green play has improved, but his iron play has fallen back to the pack as he is now 80th in SG: Approach this season.In his four prior seasons on Tour, he’s ranked second, first, third and second in SG: Approach. I bet Homa against Morikawa in a matchup at even money this week and am also sprinkling Morikawa to miss the cut at +250 (bet365/FanDuel).Nonetheless, I respect Morikawa too much to rule him out as a contender.

27. Tyrrell Hatton

• DG Index: 1.41 (10)
• 2024 SG: Total: LIV
• Hatton’s metrics are very intriguing as he ranks 10th in DataGolf’s rankings. Like Max Homa, he has the pieces necessary in his game to compete at Augusta but hasn’t put them together yet.Unlike Homa, he has noted his disdain for the course and also has just one win compared to Homa’s six.

Tier 4: Dark Horses

These golfers have legitimate upside to win but have to overcome some question marks in their game to do so.

28. Jason Day

• DG Index: 0.92 (39)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.741 (34)
• Jason Day has a wide range of outcomes this week. He can be elite in any aspect of the game on any given week, but he hasn’t been very consistent.In nine starts from 2011 to 2019 at the Masters, Day finished worse than 28th just once and had three top-five finishes. He can win without elite approach play this week, but his mid and long iron proximity numbers are concerning.

29. Shane Lowry

• DG Index: 1.08 (29)
• 2024 SG: Total: 1.323 (7)
• Lowry has four consecutive top-25 finishes at Augusta, including when he somehow tied for third in 2022 when he lost strokes on approach. He has been incredibly accurate this season (second on Tour) as he is also third in SG: Approach on Tour and fifth in SG: Tee to Green.He has what it takes to win this week, but it feels like his outright price has reached the top of the market, and his lack of distance and average putting are a lot to overcome at 40-1.

30. Brian Harman

• DG Index: 1.14 (23)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.935 (20)
• Harman’s lack of distance really hurts him at Augusta, and he has just one finish in the top 40 here in five tries. However, his approach play, short game and putting are all solid and have elite upside, and he won’t flinch in the biggest moments.

31. Patrick Reed

• DG Index: 0.61 (69)
• 2024 SG: Total: LIV
• Reed is similar to Harman in that their games off the tee don’t have elite upside, but they can grind with their short game and putter. Reed’s irons also haven’t been as strong as Harman’s over the last few years, but Reed’s history at Augusta is significantly better with four top-10 finishes in his last six starts here, including his win in 2018.

32. Corey Conners

• DG Index: 1.13 (24)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.694 (38)
• Conners has upside because of his driver and his irons, but I don’t think he has staying power for four days at the top of the leaderboard because of his short-game and putting weaknesses. On a course with less demand around the green, Conners can contend and potentially win a major because his ball-striking is that strong.

33. Russell Henley

• DG Index: 1.42 (9)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.878 (21)
• Like Si Woo Kim, Henley has the rare upside to win a green jacket despite being a short hitter off the tee. Unlike Kim, Henley has made major strides with his putter, which is not only not a liability, but it's now a real strength. Henley is 30th on Tour in SG: Putting this season at +0.440 SG per round, which is his best SG: Putting value on Tour since 2015. However, on the heels of a great showing in San Antonio, Henley’s odds to win the Masters have shrunk from 100-1 to 60-1, so I’m passing on him in the outright market. He does possess a ton of safety and some legitimate upside, so I’ll try to back him if I can find the right matchup.

34. Si Woo Kim

• DG Index: 1.11 (28)
• 2024 SG: Total: 1.083 (13)
• Si Woo Kim could follow the Patrick Reed formula to winning at Augusta National as a shorter hitter if his putter cooperates. However, his putter rarely cooperates, as he has gained strokes putting just three times in nine tournaments this year, and only once in those nine starts has he gained more than one total stroke on the greens for the week, per DataGolf. He has gained strokes both on approach and off the tee in every start this season, so he does have a relatively high floor this week when combining that with his strong play around the green. He’s worth backing in matchups or safety markets. In his last six starts at the Masters, he has finished between 12th and 39th in all six.

35. Byeong Hun An

• DG Index: 0.86 (42)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.737 (35)
• An’s weakness of poor driving accuracy will be mitigated this week by the wide fairways, and that will allow him to take advantage of his extreme length. Add in that he has upside on approach with his mid- and long-irons, and I’m willing to take a shot on him at 175-1 to win this week. Nick Bretwisch broke down in our best bets article this week that An has value at +280 for a top-20, and I have tailed this bet as well.

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36. Sergio Garcia

• DG Index: 0.60 (73)
• 2024 SG: Total: LIV
• Sergio Garcia’s ball-striking gives him legitimate upside because even at 44 years old, he still has above-average length and accuracy off the tee, and his approach play remains strong. His short game and putter are both question marks, however.

37. Tom Kim

• DG Index: 0.74 (57)
• 2024 SG: Total: -0.490 (142)
• Tom Kim enters on the heels of his best major finish at Royal Liverpool, where he tied for second despite playing on an injured ankle. He tied for 16th here, as he's a similar archetype to Henley, who's short off the tee but strong elsewhere, especially with his long irons. His short irons have been relatively poor this year, and I think this lends sneaky value for Kim in the top 30/40 market (+150/-125 at bet365), which I recommend depending on your risk tolerance.

38. Harris English

• DG Index: 0.92 (38)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.779 (33)
• English has high upside on and around the greens, but his ceiling off the tee may limit his ability to win. He posted top-10 results last year on big golf courses such as Bay Hill, Quail Hollow, Los Angeles Country Club and Olympia Fields Country Club, so he could be a factor this week.

39. Min Woo Lee

• DG Index: 0.77 (54)
• 2024 SG: Total: -0.152 (116)
• Min Woo Lee undoubtedly has upside because of his length, short game and putting. In his eight major championship starts with data, he’s gained strokes putting seven times and also gained strokes around the green seven of his eight times. When he gets more consistent on approach in the future, I’ll bet him to win the Masters. Instead, I’ve bet Corey Conners in a matchup against him this week at -125. Lee also broke his right ring finger 11 days ago and was just able to play nine holes without pain on Tuesday, so that will also be a factor this week.

40. Adam Scott

• DG Index: 1.03 (31)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.802 (31)
• The Australian’s recent results at Augusta aren’t anything special, but the 2013 green-jacket winner still has all the pieces necessary to win this week. His game around the green and long iron play need to be better than they have been in 2024, but I wouldn’t rule him out.

41. Stephan Jaeger

• DG Index: 0.93 (37)
• 2024 SG: Total: 1.014 (15)
• Jaeger bombs the ball off the tee and also does a great job of taking advantage of par-5s, ranking 19th in Par-5 Birdie or Better percentage. His short game and approach play are also solid, so if he putts well like he just did in his win at the Houston Open, the floodgates could open for the German Hammer. Jaeger gained more strokes putting at the Houston Open than he has in any tournament over the last five years, per DataGolf.

Tier 5. Wild Cards With Upside

These golfers have what it takes to put the pieces together and win this week, but they may need the top few tiers to falter.

42. Matthieu Pavon

• DG Index: 0.79 (49)
• 2024 SG: Total: 1.386 (6)
• Pavon is a gritty competitor who already has a win on the PGA Tour as a rookie at a bomber’s course in Torrey Pines (South) despite not being especially long or straight off the tee. I don’t know that he has the firepower off the tee nor the elite short game to compete at Augusta, but he could be a factor at a major championship soon. His putter and approach play are solid and get hot, and his mid- and long-iron numbers are impressive.

43. Denny McCarthy

• DG Index: 1.28 (18)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.828 (27)
• Denny McCarthy put together a legendary 28 on the back nine at the Valero Texas Open but fell short in a playoff to Akshay Bhatia despite gaining over 21 strokes on the field for the week. What’s even more unbelievable is that he gained basically nothing with his driver last week. His short game and putting are elite, so he has an outside shot. But the lack of elite play off the tee and with mid- to long-irons on approach make me skeptical that he can win.

44. Tiger Woods

• DG Index: N/A
• 2024 SG: Total: N/A
• If Tiger Woods thinks he can win this week, so do I — even if I think it’s very unlikely. He’s made 23 consecutive cuts at the Masters and is looking to set the tournament record with a 24th this week. As long as he can walk 36 holes, I think he makes it to the weekend. However, if thunderstorms delay play on Thursday, it's possible that Tiger's afternoon tee time would get pushed back and make him play up to 36 holes on Friday. I'd wait to bet on Tiger if you want to back him until the weather is more certain.

45. Rickie Fowler

• DG Index: 0.26 (103)
• 2024 SG: Total: -1.051 (162)
• Rickie Fowler surprisingly hasn’t played at the Masters since 2020. From 2014-20, he played in all seven Masters and finished in the top 29 in six of them. He doesn’t have a finish better than T35 in six starts this season, so I don’t feel too optimistic about him finding his game this week.

46. Chris Kirk

• DG Index: 0.80 (48)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.854 (25)
• Kirk has Patrick Reed potential as a short hitting righty off the tee who hits a draw and has a strong short game and approach play. His putter has gone cold since his win at The Sentry, but he should be a safe play this week because of his ball-striking.

47. Keegan Bradley

• DG Index: 0.77 (53)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.035 (95)
• Bradley’s mid and long irons are elite, so he has a real shot this week. However, his putter has been cold to start 2024, and he doesn’t have a top-20 finish in seven starts at Augusta.

48. Nick Taylor

• DG Index: 0.78 (52)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.800 (32)
• The Canadian has consistently excelled on approach this year, and his putter can get as hot as anyone’s, but the stars will need to align for him to make up for his short game and driving that don’t have a ton of upside.

49. Justin Rose

• DG Index: 0.38 (88)
• 2024 SG: Total: -0.598 (147)
• Justin Rose has had a slow start to 2024 at 147th in SG: Total and outside the top 100 in SG: Off the Tee and Approach. I’d be very surprised to see him turn both of those around so dramatically this week.

50. Sepp Straka

• DG Index: 0.61 (70)
• 2024 SG: Total: -0.372 (131)
• Straka can catch fire at any time, but I don’t like his chances of putting together four rounds at Augusta given that his driving accuracy advantage will be mitigated this week and his poor around the green play.

51. Taylor Moore

• DG Index: 0.77 (55)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.607 (45)
• Taylor Moore was in the top 20 of the Masters last year before blowing up in the final round, and I remain optimistic that he will have high-end success at Augusta at some point in his career because of his high ceiling and floor with both his putter and short game. For example, Moore just lost two strokes over the course of the Houston Open with his irons, yet he still tied for second because of his short game and putter (while also gaining some off the tee). I think he can build off of those strong first three days at Augusta last year and have bet him at +500 for a top-20 finish. I also have him at 250-1 to win outright.

52. Jake Knapp

• DG Index: 0.36 (91)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.734 (36)
• Knapp’s long, smooth and silky swing allows him to bomb the ball off the tee, which will be a major weapon this weekend as his poor driving accuracy won’t be as big of an issue as normal. His approach play is also strong, and he has been above average as a rookie with his putter and short game, so Knapp could have a chance if his driver isn’t too wayward – which has been his biggest issue. I’m very intrigued to see how he does in his Masters debut because this course could really suit his game if his short game is strong.

53. Adrian Meronk

• DG Index: 0.75 (56)
• 2024 SG: Total: LIV
• Meronk’s iron play has improved from being a huge weakness from 2022 and earlier to now being a strength. Add that to his length off the tee and strong putter, and it’s a recipe for success, especially given his strong form as he enters with top-10 finishes in five of his last eight tournaments across LIV Golf and the DP World Tour since December.

54. Adam Schenk

• DG Index: 0.83 (46)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.586 (47)
• Adam Schenk enters with momentum after finishing in a tie for fifth at the Valero Texas Open, and his short game and ignitable putter will be valuable this week at Augusta. His approach play needs to improve on his 2024 so far, but he is coming off of his best approach week of the year in San Antonio.

55. Nicolai Højgaard

• DG Index: 0.49 (81)
• 2024 SG: Total: -0.269 (124)
• Nicolai Hojgaard has tons of upside because he absolutely smashes the ball off the tee and is strong with his mid irons, but his short game isn’t nearly good enough for him to sustain four rounds of elite play at Augusta.

56. Sungjae Im

• DG Index: 0.73 (58)
• 2024 SG: Total: -0.130 (113)
• Sungjae Im has great course history with three top-16 finishes in four starts at Augusta, but he just shot an 80 to miss the cut at the Valspar Championship in his last start and has lost strokes on approach in seven of his last nine tournaments. It would be surprising to see Im find his form this week.

57. Erik Van Rooyen

• DG Index: 0.68 (62)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.856 (24)
• Erik Van Rooyen has upside because of his approach play and putting, but his poor short game and lack of high-end success on the more difficult golf courses on the PGA Tour mean it’s gonna take an incredible week for him to be in contention.

58. Emiliano Grillo

• DG Index: 0.78 (51)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.487 (52)
• Grillo’s weakness is around the green, and that along with his lack of length off the tee may be too much to overcome at Augusta. However, his approach play remains consistent, and his putter has made tremendous progress from being one of the worst on the PGA Tour to now being an undeniable strength of his game.

59. Cameron Davis

• DG Index: 0.35 (94)
• 2024 SG: Total: -0.657 (149)
• Davis has tantalizing upside as he showed last year when he tied for fourth at the PGA Championship. However, he’s losing strokes Off the Tee, on Approach and Around the Green this season, and his putter has only been barely better than average. He’ll pop up eventually, but I don’t have confidence in betting him until I see more signs of life.

60. Kurt Kitayama

• DG Index: 0.58 (74)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.599 (46)
• Kurt Kitayama won at Bay Hill last year in a signature event on the PGA Tour, and his combination of length and strong approach play give him an outside shot this week. His putter and short game will need to improve significantly from his first showing here last year when he lost nearly three strokes to the field per round with his flatstick.

61. Phil Mickelson

• DG Index: -1.08 (466)
• 2024 SG: Total: LIV
• It would be ridiculous if Phil Mickelson won this week, but I’m not in the business of counting him out given his win at the PGA Championship in 2021 and his second-place finish at Augusta last year. Mickelson tied for sixth at LIV Jetta last month, but he also hasn’t cracked the top 25 in any of his four other LIV Golf starts this season.

Tier 6: Golfers Who Can Compete But Won't Win

These players lack elite aspects of their game or have weaknesses that are too much to overcome to win this year. However, some have higher floors than golfers in Tier 5.

62. Austin Eckroat

• DG Index: 0.64 (67)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.838 (26)

63. Eric Cole

• DG Index: 0.86 (40)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.357 (63)

64. J.T. Poston

• DG Index: 0.95 (36)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.95 (36)

65. Ryo Hisatsune

• DG Index: 0.36 (93)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.060 (92)

66. Thorbjorn Oleson

• DG Index: 0.51 (80)
• 2024 SG: Total: -0.331 (129)

67. Adam Hadwin

• DG Index: 0.86 (41)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.171 (81)

68. Luke List

• DG Index: 0.41 (85)
• 2024 SG: Total: -0.137 (114)

69. Ryan Fox

• DG Index: 0.05 (143)
• 2024 SG: Total: -0.488 (141)

70. Lucas Glover

• DG Index: 0.79 (50)
• 2024 SG: Total: 0.557 (49)

71. Bubba Watson

• DG Index: -0.25 (202)
• 2024 SG: Total: LIV

72. Gary Woodland

• DG Index: 0.13 (128)
• 2024 SG: Total: -0.774 (155)

73. Nick Dunlap

• DG Index: 0.02 (154)
• 2024 SG: Total: -0.523 (144)

74. Peter Malnati

• DG Index: 0.02 (154)
• 2024 SG: Total: -0.523 (144)

75. Grayson Murray

• DG Index: -0.24 (199)
• 2024 SG: Total: -0.068 (108)

76. Lee Hodges

• DG Index: 0.37 (89)
• 2024 SG: Total: -0.458 (138)

77. Danny Willett

• DG Index: N/A
• 2024 SG: Total: N/A

78. Camilo Villegas

• DG Index: -0.85 (377)
• 2024 SG: Total: -1.973 (182)

79. Zach Johnson

• DG Index: -0.13 (174)
• 2024 SG: Total: -0.057 (105)

80. Charl Schwartzel

• DG Index: -0.52 (275)
• 2024 SG: Total: LIV

Tier 7: Thanks for Coming Out

Making the cut would be a major accomplishment.

81. Christo Lamprecht

• DG Index: -0.70 (336) | 8th on DG Amateur Index
• 2024 SG: Total: N/A

82. Stewart Hagestad

• DG Index: N/A | 26th on on DG Amateur Index
• 2024 SG: Total: N/A

83. Santiago De la Fuente

• DG Index: N/A | 29th on DG Amateur Index
• 2024 SG: Total: N/A

84. Neal Shipley

• DG Index: N/A | 59th on DG Amateur Index
• 2024 SG: Total: N/A

85. Jasper Stubbs

• DG Index: N/A | 266th on DG Amateur Index
• 2024 SG: Total: N/A

86. Fred Couples

• DG Index: N/A
• 2024 SG: Total: N/A

87. Vijay Singh

• DG Index: N/A
• 2024 SG: Total: N/A

88. Mike Weir

• DG Index: N/A
• 2024 SG: Total: N/A

89. Jose Maria Olazabal

• DG Index: N/A
• 2024 SG: Total: N/A

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