All 95: The contenders, pretenders and debutants at the 2025 Masters
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The 2025 Masters starts on Thursday and as you can tell, I’m pretty geeked up about it.
Bob Weeks and the Golf Talk Canada crew is live on location and will have you covered all week with all the storylines you need to follow until the final putt is dropped on Sunday.
Today, I’m here to give you my personal power rankings on every player in the field. Starting at the top, I’ll give you a few sentences on why I have placed players in their category and I’ll list one major concern I have for them as well.
As we get lower on the chart, I’ll start to zoom out on the breakdowns and give more of a general overview of the tier because I simply don’t have the time to write about all 95 players this week.
Buckle up because we have a long way to go.
His to lose: Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy
This is his tournament to lose. Nobody in the world right now is on his level, and everyone else around him at the top has a very reasonable question mark attached to them. Rory obviously does too; this is his 11th attempt to win the Masters and complete the career grand slam. No player has taken more than three attempts to achieve this feat. If not this year, he might never.
Main Concern: Old scar tissue
High floor: Scottie Scheffler, Colin Morikawa, Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele
Scottie Scheffler
Has been elite, but not his 2024 self to start the season. The floor is still incredibly high as his worst finish is T25 at WM Phoenix. I would be pretty surprised if he wasn’t inside the top 15 at the end of Sunday.
Main Concern: Left miss off the tee
Collin Morikawa
Collin feels like the safest option on the board this week after the two big guys at the top. At this point, I might trust him more than Scheffler, if I’m being truthful. Morikawa has made five starts this year and has finished inside the top 20 in all of them, has terrific course history, and is flushing his irons. Currently, he leads the PGA Tour in SG: Approach and SG: Tee to Green.
Main Concern: Putter can turn ice cold on Sunday
Jon Rahm
Our first LIV name on the list, Rahm is an interesting option this year. I don’t put very much stock in LIV results, so the fact he has top-10’d in every LIV event or the fact he’s failed to win one of them doesn’t really move me. I think Rahm’s stock is low right now, and it’s a good time to buy. His title defence in 2024 went about as poorly as it could with a tie for 45th, and for someone with as much pride as Rahm has, I’m thinking he’ll respond this year with a good showing, which would reflect more of his previous course history that includes four top 10s from 2018-2022 before winning in 2023.
Main Concern: LIV has taken the edge away, and he’s not sharp
Xander Schauffele
It’s incredible to think Xander is a win away this week from needing the U.S. Open to complete the grand slam. Just 12 months ago, we were wondering if he was ever going to win one of these. A rib injury kept him away for a few months this year, and he has been pretty hot and cold since returning. He just had the best week of his career with his irons (gained 11.21 on approach) at Valspar, but hasn’t contended, and his short game has been very meh.
Major Concern: Short game could get leaky
Wildcards: Bryson DeChambeau, Ludvig Aberg, Hideki Matsuyama, Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas, Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, Joaquin Niemann, Daniel Berger
Bryson DeChambeau
In 2024, he showed up to this tournament with poor course history and tied for sixth despite not playing his best on the weekend. His LIV stuff has been fine in 2025, and statistically, he was the second-best player in the majors last year. All that being said, his best finish at the Masters before last year was a T21 in 2016, and he might be haunted on this property after calling it a Par 67 in 2020.
Major Concern: Might be haunted
Ludvig Aberg
His history in majors is limited, but shows a lot of boom/bust with a solo second at Augusta last year, a tie for 12th at the U.S. Open, and two missed cuts. He enters this week on the heels of two missed cuts and a win four starts ago. I’m tempted to buy on him after the missed cuts as he continues to drive it well. Last week, he gained over 1.5 strokes tee to green but lost 2.45 putting to miss the cut.
Main Concern: Short game
Hideki Matsuyama
It’s been very quiet for Hideki since his win to start the year at Sentry—a little too quiet. The 33-year-old has missed two straight cuts, despite gaining strokes tee to green in both, and hasn’t had a top 10 since his win in January. I wouldn’t be surprised if he contends or is a non-factor. It’s also worth noting that Hideki had to withdraw from a Wednesday Pro Am last month with a neck injury that seems to pop up at the worst of times.
Major Concern: Could WD at any point
Brooks Koepka
Brooks didn’t have a top 20 in the majors last year, something he’s only done once before in 2022, when he bounced back in 2023 with a tie for second at the Masters and a PGA Championship win. The LIV results are very meh this year, but it’s a Ryder Cup year, and maybe he’s trying to get points through the majors to qualify.
Major Concern: I liked him to win the Masters six months ago, so there’s no way I was right
Justin Thomas
He already has four top 10s in 2025, something he didn’t do until May in 2024 and September in 2023, so his level is definitely higher than his last few trips here, which might explain why he’s missed the previous two cuts at Augusta. He’s 15th on the PGA Tour in SG: Tee to Green and second in birdie-or-better percentage. If he can avoid a blowup day, his name should be near the top of the leaderboard on Sunday.
Major Concern: Might not break 80 on Friday
Viktor Hovland
Viktor can win this tournament. He also could come dead f***ing last. Hovland has been very vocal about the swing issues he’s dealing with, and yet he found a way to win in his most recent start at Valspar on the heels of three straight missed cuts. The last time he won in his final start before a major was in 2023, when he finished 19th at the U.S. Open after winning at Memorial.
Major Concern: Might not know where the golf ball is going
Tyrrell Hatton
The case for Hatton is pretty simple: ignore anything you see on LIV. Hatton won the Dubai Desert Classic in January and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in November 2024. In five starts on the DP World Tour since September 2024, Hatton’s worst finish is a T18 at the British Masters, with four other top 10s. Meanwhile, on LIV, Hatton hasn’t exactly looked inspired and has failed to finish inside the top 10 in four of his last five starts, losing strokes off the tee in all five. But he’s driven it well at Augusta in his career and could be extra inspired this week with Ryder Cup points up for grabs at the year’s first major.
Major Concern: Hasn’t had a good result on LIV since early February
Joaquin Niemann
One of these days, Joaquin is going to make some noise on Sunday at a major; he is far too talented not to. Will this be the week he does? He already has two wins on LIV this year but couldn’t top 20 at a major last year despite lots of success in 2024 on LIV.
Major Concern: Poor resume in majors
Daniel Berger
Has trailed off a touch since a T2 at the WM Phoenix Open but has still been very solid. He enters the week 14th in SG: Tee to Green and eighth in par-4 scoring. It’s his first time back at Augusta since 2022. Could be a fun storyline.
Major Concern: Course history isn’t great—one top 25 in five appearances
Course horse: Will Zalatoris, Jordan Spieth, Cameron Smith
Will Zalatoris
Zalatoris has played in three Masters; his worst finish is a tie for 9th last year after a solo sixth in 2022 and finishing as runner-up in 2021. This year, he ranks inside the top 25 in SG: Approach and is 28th tee to green but has failed to finish inside the top 10 in any of his seven starts. He has lost strokes putting in more than half of his events in 2025.
Major Concern: Lost 1.489 strokes putting at the Masters last year after gaining both years prior; the broomstick putter might not be the answer for Willy Z.
Jordan Spieth
His iron play has been poor, outside of gaining seven strokes on approach at Valspar, and he ranks outside the top 120 on the PGA Tour in SG: Approach and par-3 scoring this year. He’s also outside the top 100 in 3-putt avoidance and putts from 4-8 feet. His recent history is interesting at Augusta, with two top 5s and two missed cuts over the last four years. It’s Spieth at Augusta—expect the unexpected.
Major Concern: Anything can happen
Cameron Smith
Another LIV golfer with questionable results entering this week, Smith has just one top 10 on tour this year, but it did come in his most recent start thanks to a Sunday 70 at Doral, which saw him gain over three strokes on the field. Last year, the Aussie tied for 6th at the Masters, adding his fifth finish of 10th or better at this event to his resume.
Major Concern: Hasn’t missed a cut at Augusta in eight trips; might be due for regression
Loveable losers: Tommy Fleetwood, Patrick Cantlay, Corey Conners, Cameron Young
Tommy Fleetwood
Outside of a weird T62 at Valero, it’s been a very good 2025 for Tommy lad with six top 25s to start the year. He has gained strokes tee to green in all 12 starts between the PGA and DP World Tour and 15 of his last 16 dating to the 2024 Olympics in France.
Major Concern: I’m having a hard time finding one
Patrick Cantlay
Cantlay has played in seven events this year and has made the cut in all seven, with two top-5 finishes. He is 19th in SG: Tee to Green and eighth in greens in regulation. It’s been almost three years since his last win, and he has just six top-3 finishes since; however, his most recent T3 was at the 2024 U.S. Open.
Major Concern: He ranks outside the top 100 in par-3 scoring, scrambling, and putts from 4-8 feet
Corey Conners
Playing some of the best golf of his career, Conners enters this week with five straight top-25 finishes, including a solo third at Bay Hill and a tie for sixth at The Players. His last two trips to The Masters have been disappointing with a T38 last year and a missed cut in 2023; however, before that, he had three straight years with top 10s.
Major Concern: Par-5 scoring (ranks 115th)
Cameron Young
After starting with a strong T8 at The Sentry to begin the year, 2025 has been pretty ugly for Cam Young. The 27-year-old has missed five cuts this year and has some of the worst approach numbers in the field this season. That said, he gained over 3.5 strokes tee to green in his last start at Valero while tying for 18th. He has two top 10s in three Masters appearances and has been the 13th-best player in majors tee to green since 2022.
Major Concern: Irons could go sideways early and often
Can they win a second major? Shane Lowry, Wyndham Clark
Wyndham Clark
Shane Lowry
Lowry is 7th on tour in SG: Tee to Green and has three top 10s already this year. He hasn’t missed a cut at The Masters since 2019. He has a top 25 in 13 of his last 17 majors.
Major Concern: N/A
Wyndham Clark
The 2023 U.S. Open champion is always a threat to pop up and get in the mix. After a neck injury forced him to withdraw from the Players Championship, he made his return at the Houston Open with a tie for fifth. His second-best result this year came in his first start with a tie for 15th at The Sentry.
Major Concern: Missed cut last year in his first Masters
Recent winners playing well: Min Woo Lee, Russell Henley, Sepp Straka
Min Woo Lee PGA Tour
Min Woo Lee
Coming off his first PGA Tour win at the Houston Open, Min Woo must be riding high entering this week. His accuracy issues off the tee shouldn’t punish him too much, and his elite long-iron play and short game could make him a fun subplot on the weekend.
Major Concern: Outside the top 125 on tour in GIR; could force him to lean on his short game too much
Russell Henley
Picked up his first win in three years at Bay Hill and hasn’t played since a T30 at the Players Championship. He has a solid history at this event with seven straight made cuts and a T4 in 2023. He ranks inside the top 25 this year in SG: Approach, SG: Around the Green, and SG: Putting.
Major Concern: Lack of distance off the tee will test his long irons more than others
Sepp Straka
A winner earlier this year for the third time on the PGA Tour, Sepp Straka seems to be making a leap in 2025. The 31-year-old Austrian who graduated from the University of Georgia should feel right at home this week as he looks to build on a solid Masters resume, which features three made cuts and a T16 last year in his third appearance in the event.
Major Concern: Has never contended in a major (T2 at 2023 Open was six shots off the lead)
LIV Longshots: Patrick Reed, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia
Patrick Reed
Since 2020, only five players (with a minimum of two tournament appearances) have been better than Patrick Reed on this golf course, and that doesn’t even go back to his win here in 2018. Reed’s game seems to be in good shape this year with two top 10s on the DPWT and a solo second a few weeks ago in an Asian Tour event to secure his status for the 2025 Open Championship.
Major Concern: He should’ve won LIV Miami but leaked oil the last two days
Sergio Garcia
Playing in his 100th major championship, Sergio Garcia enters playing some of the best golf among anyone on LIV Golf. He is currently third in the league in points and won in February. In five major starts since moving to LIV, Garcia has one top 20, and both of his missed cuts have come at the Masters.
Major Concern: Do the LIV results matter?
Flying under the radar: Robert MacIntyre, Nicolai Hojgaard
Robert MacIntyre
Lefties love Augusta National, so it’s not shocking to see Bobby Mac with some good course history in two starts at The Masters (T12, 23). The 28-year-old finished solo ninth at The Players, tied for 11th at Bay Hill, and tied for sixth at the WM Phoenix Open this year. He also tied for ninth in his most recent start, the Porsche Singapore Classic on the DPWT. Earlier this season, he tied for 15th at The Sentry, which can often be a good indicator of performance later that year at the Masters.
Major Concern: Almost feels too good to be true
Nicolai Hojgaard
T16 in his first appearance in this event last year, and he has two top 20s this year. He leads the PGA Tour in putting inside of 10 feet and is second in putting from 20-25 feet. He also ranks 15th in greens in regulation. However, he enters with three straight missed cuts.
Major Concern: Trending in the wrong direction
Expectations are low - Tom Kim, Keegan Bradley, Billy Horschel, Brian Harman, Byeong Hun An, J.J. Spaun- Justin Rose , Akshay Bhatia, Danny Willett , Dustin Johnson , Christiaan Bezuidenhout , Cameron Davis, Nick Taylor, Jhonattan Vegas, Stephan Jaeger, Adam Schenk, J.T. Poston, Denny McCarthy, Patton Kizzire, Chris Kirk, Tom Hoge, Lucas Glover, Harris English, Austin Eckroat, Nick Dunlap, Matthieu Pavon, Michael Kim
There’s a lot of players in the field this week coming in with not many expectations, here are a few names in this region I am keeping an eye on.
Tom Kim
An interesting case can be made for Tom Kim this week. He has finished inside the top 30 in both of his Masters appearances and has top-10’d two majors in his young career. That said, 2025 hasn’t been good, and his T7 at Pebble Beach in February is his only top 30 this year.
Major Concern: The putter
Justin Rose
Rose has played in six events this year. He has two top 10s and four finishes outside the top 40.
Major Concern: Par-3 scoring (ranks 164th)
J.J. Spaun
His three top-3 finishes this year match his total from 2019-2024, so it’s safe to say he’s playing some of the best golf of his career. He finished 23rd in his lone Masters appearance in 2022.
Major Concern: Missed the cut in his first start after losing a playoff at The Players
Trending the wrong direction: Tony Finau, Sahith Theegala, Jason Day, Matt Fitzpatrick, Sam Burns , Sungjae Im, Adam Scott , Max Homa
2025 hasn’t been kind to a few of golfers in this field, some players have failed to follow up strong 2024s, others plateaued and some have regressed. Still, here are a few guys I am monitoring.
Sungjae Im
The ultimate zig to everyone’s zag would be a play on Sungjae this week. Statistically, he’s been one of the worst ball strikers in the field this year and has lost strokes on approach in seven of his last nine starts. However, he has two top 5s this year, with one coming at The Sentry, and in five Masters appearances, he has three top 20s (and two missed cuts).
Major Concern: Could finish DFL
Jason Day
I am more interested in what Jason Day is wearing this week than his golf game at the moment. Day has two top 10s this year with a T3 at the American Express and a T8 at Bay Hill, but outside of that, it’s been pretty pedestrian. He ranks outside the top 80 on tour this year in driving distance, driving accuracy, greens in regulation, scrambling, and putts from 4-8 feet.
Major Concern: See above
Matt Fitzpatrick
His Augusta National course history is solid with four top 25s in his last six starts and a T7 in 2016, but that’s all there is to like this week about Fitzy.
Major concern: His last Top 20 was in June 2024
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Debutant - Maverick McNealy, Davis Thompson, Thomas Detry, Aaron Rai, Laurie Canter, Nicholas Echavarria, Max Greyserman, Joe Highsmith, Rasmus Hojgaard, Taylor Pendrith, Davis Riley, Kevin Yu, Jose Luis Ballester (A), Evan Beck (A), Brian Campbell, Rafael Campos, Justin Hastings (A), Noah Kent (A), Thriston Lawrence, Matt McCarty, Hiroshi Tai (A)
No Masters debutant has won since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979. Last year Ludvig Aberg gave it a good run with a solo second. Here are a few guys playing in this event for the first time I’m keeping an eye on.
Thomas Detry
It’s been pretty poor for Detry since his breakout win at the WM Phoenix Open with two missed cuts and two other finishes outside the top 20. That said, a tie for fifth at Sentry shows signs of this being a good fit. He also ranks inside the top 40 this year in driving distance and SG: Putting.
Major Concern: Lack of Augusta history
Aaron Rai
It feels surprising that Aaron Rai hasn’t played in this event before. Off the jump, I worry that his lack of distance will be an issue, but he has four top 20s in eight starts this year and made the cut in the three majors he played in 2024.
Major Concern: Lack of Augusta history
Maverick McNealy
The 29-year-old ended 2024 with a win at the RSM Classic and has followed it up with four top 10s in 2025. That said, he also has two missed cuts and has finished outside the top 30 in his four other events this year.
Major Concern: Lack of Augusta history
Finally, the best tradition in sports allows any previous winner to tee it up in this event for as long as they would like. Here is a list of players in the field this week that probably will enjoy themselves more Tuesday night at the Champions Dinner more than they will on the golf course.