Early favourites to win The Masters 2025: Scheffler and McIlroy to do battle at Augusta as star names lurk

The 2025 Masters is just around the corner as Augusta gets set to host the world’s top golfers for the first major of the year. The Masters kickstarts golf’s grand slam season and remains a highlight of the sporting calendar each year. Scheffler will return to Augusta as the reigning Masters championGetty All you need to know about the 2025 Masters A glittering field, with the exception of Tiger Woods, will line-up to take their swing at claiming a famous Green Jacket. Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion after the American romped home to claim his second title last year. Here, talkSPORT.com runs through the favourites, courtesy of the latest odds from talkSPORT Bet at the time of writing. Scottie Scheffler – 9/2 It’s no surprise to see the defending champion as the favourite, having won by four shots last year. He has won two Green Jackets during his last three visits to Augusta, but his rivals do have cause for optimism ahead of his return. Scheffler only managed to finish T10 during his Masters title defence in 2023 and has admitted himself to not being on top form. The World No. 1 also returned from a hand injury in February and was visibly frustrated with parts of his game at TPC Sawgrass. Despite this, the 28-year-old has returned to form in timely fashion, finishing runner-up to Min Woo Lee at the Houston Open last time out. Scheffler’s mixed form is a credit to the high bar the World No.1 has set for himself Rory McIlroy – 13/2 Could this finally be the year? Well, as the producer of Netflix’s Full Swing told talkSPORT, the Northern Ireland star is on the warpath. As is well-documented by now, McIlroy is still striving for Masters glory as he seeks to complete the coveted career Grand Slam. McIlroy has entered golf’s most famous tournament 16 times, finishing second in 2022, but only was tied-for-22 at 4-over last year. His 2024 season saw him come close to ending his major drought before his highly publicised late meltdown at the US Open last summer. He has since proven there hasn’t been a lasting hangover from that disappointment, having confessed to studying Scheffler’s game. McIllroy won the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in January and a month later, claimed his second Players Championship, but Augusta will be the true test to the overall improvements he’s made to his game. McIlroy has made big changes to the most important part of his gameGetty Getting it right Rory McIlroy career PGA wins: 28 PGA Tour earnings: $99.7 million Major wins: 4 (2011 US Open, 2012 PGA Championship, 2014 Open Championship, 2014 PGA Championship) 2025 victories: 2 (Players Championship, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am) Best Masters finish: 2nd (2022) Masters entered: 16 Ludvig Aberg – 14/1 The prodigious Swede almost pulled off the unthinkable during his Augusta debut, so he will relish the chance to go one step further. Aberg mounted a stunning assault on the Masters leaderboard but ultimately finished second at 7-under, four strokes back of Scheffler. The world No.5, who only turned professional in the summer of 2023, admitted he was shaking with nerves during Augusta’s final round. Twelve months on, Aberg can now use such an experience to ensure his second bid for a green jacket isn’t derailed by a double bogey. The 25-year-old won the Genesis Invitational in February after a scorching back nine before suffering a poor showing at The Players. Aberg missed the cut after recording five double bogeys, which has somewhat quietened the buzz surrounding him. Aberg had a major debut to remember and finished secondGetty Collin Morikawa – 14/1 Morikawa is already halfway to achieving the career Grand Slam having claimed glory at the PGA Championship in 2020 and The Open a year later. While his victories have been harder to come by in recent years, the 28-year-old remains one of the very best in the game. His supreme ball-striking and temperament are a great fit for Augusta and he has finished fifth, T10 and T3 in his last three apperances. Morikawa had a chance to win the Masters last year but a disastrous run of holes around the turn on Sunday scuppered his hopes. He has performed well in every tournament his played so far this year and will be looking for another good run at Augusta. Jon Rahm – 16/1 The Spaniard became the fourth Spanish winner in Masters history with his victory at Augusta in 2023. But following his controversial switch to LIV golf, his dreams of emulating Tiger Woods’s 2002 heroics went up in flames last year. He finished in joint 45th place at the Masters, which proved to be a sign of things to come with a dismal run at the rest of the majors. Rahm didn’t make the cut at the PGA Championship, tied for seventh at the Open, and missed out on a medal at the Paris Olympics. His overall record in Georgia can’t be denied, however, last yea

Apr 4, 2025 - 19:36

Early favourites to win The Masters 2025: Scheffler and McIlroy to do battle at Augusta as star names lurk

The 2025 Masters is just around the corner as Augusta gets set to host the world’s top golfers for the first major of the year.

The Masters kickstarts golf’s grand slam season and remains a highlight of the sporting calendar each year.

Scheffler will return to Augusta as the reigning Masters champion

All you need to know about the 2025 Masters

A glittering field, with the exception of Tiger Woods, will line-up to take their swing at claiming a famous Green Jacket.

Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion after the American romped home to claim his second title last year.

Here, talkSPORT.com runs through the favourites, courtesy of the latest odds from talkSPORT Bet at the time of writing.

Scottie Scheffler – 9/2

It’s no surprise to see the defending champion as the favourite, having won by four shots last year.

He has won two Green Jackets during his last three visits to Augusta, but his rivals do have cause for optimism ahead of his return.

Scheffler only managed to finish T10 during his Masters title defence in 2023 and has admitted himself to not being on top form.

The World No. 1 also returned from a hand injury in February and was visibly frustrated with parts of his game at TPC Sawgrass.

Despite this, the 28-year-old has returned to form in timely fashion, finishing runner-up to Min Woo Lee at the Houston Open last time out.

Scheffler’s mixed form is a credit to the high bar the World No.1 has set for himself

Rory McIlroy – 13/2

Could this finally be the year? Well, as the producer of Netflix’s Full Swing told talkSPORT, the Northern Ireland star is on the warpath.

As is well-documented by now, McIlroy is still striving for Masters glory as he seeks to complete the coveted career Grand Slam.

McIlroy has entered golf’s most famous tournament 16 times, finishing second in 2022, but only was tied-for-22 at 4-over last year.

His 2024 season saw him come close to ending his major drought before his highly publicised late meltdown at the US Open last summer.

He has since proven there hasn’t been a lasting hangover from that disappointment, having confessed to studying Scheffler’s game.

McIllroy won the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in January and a month later, claimed his second Players Championship, but Augusta will be the true test to the overall improvements he’s made to his game.

McIlroy has made big changes to the most important part of his game

Getting it right

Rory McIlroy career PGA wins: 28

PGA Tour earnings: $99.7 million

Major wins: 4 (2011 US Open, 2012 PGA Championship, 2014 Open Championship, 2014 PGA Championship)

2025 victories: 2 (Players Championship, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am)

Best Masters finish: 2nd (2022)

Masters entered: 16

Ludvig Aberg – 14/1

The prodigious Swede almost pulled off the unthinkable during his Augusta debut, so he will relish the chance to go one step further.

Aberg mounted a stunning assault on the Masters leaderboard but ultimately finished second at 7-under, four strokes back of Scheffler.

The world No.5, who only turned professional in the summer of 2023, admitted he was shaking with nerves during Augusta’s final round.

Twelve months on, Aberg can now use such an experience to ensure his second bid for a green jacket isn’t derailed by a double bogey.

The 25-year-old won the Genesis Invitational in February after a scorching back nine before suffering a poor showing at The Players.

Aberg missed the cut after recording five double bogeys, which has somewhat quietened the buzz surrounding him.

Aberg had a major debut to remember and finished second

Collin Morikawa – 14/1

Morikawa is already halfway to achieving the career Grand Slam having claimed glory at the PGA Championship in 2020 and The Open a year later.

While his victories have been harder to come by in recent years, the 28-year-old remains one of the very best in the game.

His supreme ball-striking and temperament are a great fit for Augusta and he has finished fifth, T10 and T3 in his last three apperances.

Morikawa had a chance to win the Masters last year but a disastrous run of holes around the turn on Sunday scuppered his hopes.

He has performed well in every tournament his played so far this year and will be looking for another good run at Augusta.

Jon Rahm – 16/1

The Spaniard became the fourth Spanish winner in Masters history with his victory at Augusta in 2023.

But following his controversial switch to LIV golf, his dreams of emulating Tiger Woods’s 2002 heroics went up in flames last year.

He finished in joint 45th place at the Masters, which proved to be a sign of things to come with a dismal run at the rest of the majors.

Rahm didn’t make the cut at the PGA Championship, tied for seventh at the Open, and missed out on a medal at the Paris Olympics.

His overall record in Georgia can’t be denied, however, last year aside, with five top-10s (including his win) since making his debut in 2017.

Rahm’s lessened activity since quitting the PGA Tour may have hurt his chances with punters, but his game undeniably suits Augusta.

LIV aside, Rahm didn’t have the best season and handed his green jacket to Scheffler

Bryson DeChambeau – 18/1

DeChambeau enjoyed a stunning run at the majors last year culminating in his second US Open victory.

He finished T6 at the Masters before being runner-up at the PGA Championship and then went one better but beating McIlroy to glory at Pinehurst.

DeChambeau has revamped his game in recent years and is much more refined player then the one who missed back-to-back cuts at Augusta in 2022 and 2023.

He believes he is destined to claim a green jacket but isn’t in great form this season.

He has played four events on the LIV Golf tour so far this year with his best performance being T6 in Riyadh in early February.

The Masters 2025 winner odds full

All odds via talkSPORT Bet – Correct as of time of writing on April 1…

Scottie Scheffler – 9/2

Rory McIlroy – 13/2

Ludvig Aberg – 14/1

Jon Rahm – 16/1

Collin Morikawa – 16/1

Bryson DeChambeau – 18/1

Xander Schauffele – 20/1

Justin Thomas – 22/1

Scheffler and McIlroy headline a strong field next month

The Masters 2025: How to follow

The 2025 Masters Tournament will get going on Thursday, April 10.

It will take place at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia and will be played over four days until Sunday, April 13.

talkSPORT and talkSPORT 2 will have live coverage of all the action, with the event also set to be broadcast on Sky Sports in the UK.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream. You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.