We head again to Augusta Nationwide for the ninetieth Masters match. In 2025, Rory McIlroy ended his 10-year wait to finish the Grand Slam.
It got here after a sudden-death playoff with England’s Justin Rose. It additionally made him the 57th participant to win the match, and the eleventh European to take action.
2026 has been regular thus far for the defending champion, with one prime 10 end at The Genesis Invitational, the place he tied second place with USA’s Kurt Kitayama.
He tied for 14th on the AT&T Pebble Seashore Professional-Am; his efficiency at The Gamers Championship was not his greatest, ending T46.
Can he discover his type once more as he makes an attempt to defend his Inexperienced Jacket?
Scheffler On THE Prowl
The world primary, who gained the title in 2022 and 2024, is aiming to hitch Phil Mickelson, Sir Nick Faldo, Gary Participant, Sam Snead, and Jimmy Demaret with three Inexperienced Jackets.
At Royal Portrush in July 2025, Scottie Scheffler gained his first Open Championship with a powerful -17.
He has had an unbelievable 2026 to this point with a victory at The American Categorical, aka The Desert Traditional, in La Quinta, California.
He completed with a powerful -27, two photographs away from Austria’s Sepp Straka. This was additionally his twentieth PGA Tour win in his profession.
He additionally joined an illustrious record which included Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus as the one gamers to ever report 20 PGA Tour titles and 4 Main championships earlier than the age of 30.
The win in La Quinta additionally gave him a lifetime PGA Tour membership, which is a uncommon feat for a participant of their 20s.
Can he rule Augusta once more?
Can Dechambeau Ship Once more
The 2024 champion was a part of an enthralling playoff spherical with McIlroy final yr. Since dropping out on his second inexperienced jacket after a disastrous last spherical, DeChambeau’s type has been strong.
In final yr’s Open Championship, he completed tenth together with Corey Conners(CAN), Brian Harmon(USA), and Russell Henley(USA), on -9.
He additionally tied second with fellow Individuals Harris English and Davis Riley on -6 behind Scheffler, who gained the PGA Championship final yr, with a rating of -11.
When it comes to his type in 2026 to this point, it has been fairly strong.
Apart from Hong Kong and Riyadh, the place he completed T24 and T17, coming third within the LIV Golf Adelaide and successful the LIV occasions in Singapore and South Africa could have solidified his confidence.
The fascinating factor in regards to the LIV occasions was the one in South Africa, the place the play-off win in opposition to Spain’s Jon Rahm at Steyn Metropolis.
Can he get his third Inexperienced Jacket?
Can Younger Rise To The OCCASION?
After successful The Gamers Championship at TCP Sawgrass, the 28-year-old might be heading into Thursday’s first spherical filled with confidence.
It got here after Matt Fitzpatrick didn’t benefit from a one-shot lead on the seventeenth. The Englishman ended the ultimate spherical with a par-bogey end, and Younger bettered it with a birdie and a par.
The win at Sawgrass made him skyrocket from fifteenth to fourth within the Official World Golf Rankings.
Although he’s but to win a serious, his greatest efficiency got here on the 2022 Open Championship at St Andrews, the place he was runner-up to Australia’s Cameron Smith.
He was additionally named the PGA Tour Rookie of the 12 months in 2022 for his performances in high-pressure moments.
In 2025, he didn’t make the reduce within the second spherical at Augusta, lacking out by two photographs.
Nevertheless, in August 2025, he captured his first PGA title on the PGA Wyndham Championship.
With Younger about to succeed in his peak, can he deal with the strain of Augusta Nationwide?
How A lot Does Rose Have Left In The Tank?
The 2025 runner-up is having a little bit of a renaissance by way of type. In February, Justin Rose captured the Farmers Insurance coverage Open at Torrey Pines, California.
He led each spherical, at that match, taking pictures scores of 36, 54, and 72.
His seven-stroke victory was the most important of his PGA Tour profession.
Shedding to McIlroy within the Play Off final yr meant that it was his third time as runner-up of The Masters.
The 2 earlier events have been in 2015, through a play-off with the USA’s Jordan Spieth, and in 2017, through one other play-off with Sergio Garcia.
Can he go one step additional and declare his second Main Championship?
In order that’s it for our preview of the 2026 Masters.
Who will take dwelling the Inexperienced Jacket?.
Discover out, on World In Sport
