The Picks Are In: Rick's Gehman's Best Bets for the 2026 Masters

It’s finally here. Spring has sprung in Augusta, Georgia, and the world’s best are going to be turning down Magnolia Lane all in an attempt to claim one of the most revered prizes in all of professional golf.

The host, Augusta National, needs no introduction. However, let’s break it down from a data perspective to help lay the foundation for who can find success this week at The Masters.

With only one cut of grass around the grounds, there are generous landing areas off the tee, but things are going to get much more difficult from there. The green complexes are often quadrants, meaning players will need to find the right section of the putting surface. The short-game areas are some of the most demanding in all of golf, and Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green has been one of the most highly correlated stats to success at Augusta National in the last 10 years.

We are looking for long hitters who can dial in their approaches and have the short game to avoid big mistakes. If they can work it both ways, even better. But let’s not get greedy.

Winner: Ludvig Aberg (+1750)

After THE PLAYERS Championship, Aberg definitely opened himself up to concerns about his closing ability, but there are plenty of other reasons to remain optimistic. Firstly, his two career Masters starts have yielded a runner-up and a seventh-place finish. That’s one of the best two-event starts in Masters history. He combines that record with elite ball-striking and a complete game. He finished up his preparation with a T5 in San Antonio to mark his third straight top-5 finish.

Winner: Matt Fitzpatrick (+2600)

The ascension of Matt Fitzpatrick to the top of the professional game has been incredibly impressive. He has two wins globally in his last eight starts, and he’s also peppered in a runner-up at THE PLAYERS Championship and a ninth-place finish at the Phoenix Open. He’s gained a staggering 1.67 strokes per round from tee to green this year, which makes him one of the best players in the world in that category. He’s no stranger to Augusta National — this will be his 12th trip around the grounds. He’s made the cut in 10 straight and has three top-22 finishes in the last four years.

Top 5: Tommy Fleetwood (+395)

There’s simply no denying that Tommy Fleetwood is one of the best players in the world. Since the start of 2025, he’s gained over 1.5 strokes per round, which is third in the world behind only Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. He has complete control of his game and has earned three top-25 finishes in his last four trips to Augusta National. His best finish was a T3 in 2024, and he seems poised to contend again.

Top 10: Russell Henley (+255)

There isn’t a big emphasis on accurate driving at Augusta National, which hurts Henley, but that hasn’t stopped him from finding success at the Masters. He has three top-15 finishes in his last six trips, highlighted by a T4 in 2023. He’ll enter this week as one of the better tee-to-green players in the world, and he’s proven that he can compete in and beat even the strongest fields in the world.

Top 20: Min Woo Lee (+134)

Driving distance has historically been one of the highest correlated stats to success at Augusta National. That’s good news for Min Woo Lee, who resides comfortably in the upper 180s of ball speed and is routinely one of the fastest players on TOUR. He’s started to improve the rest of his game and has now gained strokes on the field from tee to green in seven straight starts while gaining with the putter in five straight. That’s a diabolical combination as he makes his fifth trip to Augusta National.

Top 20: Akshay Bhatia (+154)

Prior to his missed cut at the Indian Open in his most recent start, Bhatia rattled off five straight top-16 finishes, including a win at Bay Hill. Those events were some of the strongest fields in the world this year, and Bhatia routinely lapped the field — particularly on the putting surfaces. His often wayward drives are not going to be a problem at Augusta National, and he’ll be rewarded for his deft touch on and around the greens.

Top Debutant: Chris Gotterup (+400)

They say “timing is everything,” and that certainly applies to Chris Gotterup. He has won four times on the PGA TOUR and is just now making his Masters debut. Armed with a driver that is better than nearly all of his peers, Gotterup has a more refined game compared to many long hitters. He’s gained strokes on approach in all but one event this season. Surprisingly, the only event in which he was below average in approach play was his victory at the Sony Open. Go figure.

Related: Read Alan Shipnuck's Recent Profile of Chris Gotterup

Prop: First-Time Major Winner (YES) +148

Over the last 50 years, 47 of them have produced a first-time major winner. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll happen at the Masters, but there is a roster of players who possess all the skills required to cement their name in history. Ludvig Aberg, Tommy Fleetwood, and Cameron Young alone are inside the top nine of the odds board. There are seemingly more questions around the top of the board than answers — this might be a nice time to sneak a first-timer across the finish line.