2026 Masters Picks: Experts Split, Scheffler Favored
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- Scottie Scheffler enters the 2026 Masters as the betting favorite, followed by Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and defending champion Rory McIlroy.
- ESPN's 12-expert panel split their picks: Bryson DeChambeau received three selections, while Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, and Justin Rose each drew two, with single picks for Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, and Ludvig Åberg.
- Pamela Maldonado's pick to win is Ludvig Åberg (+1700), citing his No. 1 ranking in strokes gained at Augusta, No. 2 in strokes gained total and tee-to-green, No. 6 in approach, and back-to-back top-7 finishes at the course.
- Maldonado recommends betting against McIlroy, noting he withdrew from Bay Hill with back spasms, finished T46 at the Players describing himself as 'unbelievably rusty,' and ranks 46th in putting — making his pricing 'not reflect the actual risk.'
- Maldonado also steers bettors away from a Scheffler win, citing his time off after his wife's second child was born and a 35th-ranked iron play, though she calls top 5 (+106) defensible given two consecutive top-4 Augusta finishes.
- Patrick Reed (+4400) is Maldonado's long shot, with five top-12 finishes in seven Masters starts since his 2018 win, including T4 in 2023 and third last year, plus two 2026 Euro Tour wins.
- Conditions favor precision players: Maldonado notes calm, warm, firm, windless conditions will produce 'a pure talent contest' rewarding elite iron play and creative scrambling over chaos variables.
Why it matters: Bettors following the public money on McIlroy or Scheffler may be mispricing real risk: McIlroy's back injury and T46 at the Players, plus Scheffler's rust from family time and 35th-ranked iron play, sit in direct tension with their short odds. The expert panel's spread (7 different golfers across 12 picks) signals genuine uncertainty at the top of the Masters market.
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