Masters Predictions 2024: Who is our expert panel backing for Augusta glory?
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Today’s Golfer speaks to some of the best broadcasters in the business to get a steer on who, if anyone, can stop Scottie Scheffler from pulling on a second Green Jacket.
Golf reunites at Augusta National for the 88th edition of The Masters where defending champion Jon Rahm and his band of brothers from the LIV breakaway tour target a smash-and-grab job at the first Major of the season.
Rahm, along with LIV’s leading player in 2024 – Joaquin Niemann, and five-time Major winner Brooks Koepka are the most likely to disrupt the PGA Tour party in the eyes of the bookmakers, who have the irrepressible Scottie Scheffler as the nailed on favorite at 4/1.
And what for Rory McIlroy’s chances of completing the career Grand Slam? Rory goes off at the second favorite (10/1), ahead of Rahm (12/1), to win the Green Jacket in what will be his 16th Augusta appearance.
That’s what the bookies are saying, but what about those in the know? We’ve asked the all-important questions to our expert panel from Sky Sports and the BBC to find out how they expect things to pan out when the action gets underway come April 11. The team here at TG also couldn’t resist getting involved as Masters fever builds across the globe.
Paul McGinley (Sky Sports)
On 2024’s Masters Champion: Scottie Scheffler. He’s shown a lot of early-season form and his statistics are very strong. The fact he’s won here before combined with so many of the chasing pack being off form makes him the stand-out favorite. It’s hard to get a gauge on where the LIV guys are going to be competitively, but I wouldn’t rule any of those guys out.
Scheffler’s game is so well suited to Augusta which has moved over the years away from being a putting competition. The biggest challenge he’s got is the expectation. It’s a heavy burden and coming into a Major championship it gets accentuated.
On the leading rookie: Ludvig Aberg is the guy I would highlight. He’s come out this year with a lot of early-season form. He has a superb game, but also a great mental game as well.
I love how quickly he plays. He doesn’t hang around and plays reactively without getting stuck in his own thoughts. I think it comes naturally to him and he seems unfazed by all the attention.
On the key hole to look out for: Statistically, the importance of the par 4s is key. You have a combination of strong, difficult par 4s like 5 and 11, and then you have shorter ones which you can take advantage of like 3 and 9, so the ability to not leak oil is crucial as the par 5s definitely give you chances.
The holes you have to highlight though are the ones that have the most danger because you can crash and burn around Augusta very easily. The 15th hole for example – you can make 3, but you can also make 7 or 8 which makes it such a brilliant hole with its shallow green.
On the game reuniting at Augusta: The game has a lot of challenges, and in terms of unification – I’m hopeful but I think it’s going to be a while before it happens.
Golf viewing figures are down 20 percent this year and the public has switched off somewhat. Are we going to see the same decline at Augusta too, because if that’s the case there is obviously a public apathy towards golf. The business model has a problem as when viewing figures go down, it causes collateral damage all over the place. The Masters will be a good gauge to see where the public is at.
On favorite Masters memory:
Watching Nicklaus win in 86. I was 20 years old and was so excited to see him come through that back 9 the way he did and take on the golf course. Know when to hold and know when to fold as the saying goes.
Then to see Ballesteros, Norman, Kite all try to chase him down – that is my standout Masters memory and I really do hope it comes down to the wire again. The game needs an exciting Masters this year.
Dame Laura Davies (Sky Sports)
On 2024’s Masters Champion: Easy this one – Scottie Scheffler is playing at another level at the moment and he already has a jacket which takes the pressure off.
On the leading rookie and amateur: I’ll go with Nick Dunlap, he’s had a great year already and knows how to win although I think he’s more a top 10 contender than a winner this year. And Christo Lamprecht – he’s a real prospect and had a great start to last year’s Open so showed he could play.
On the key hole to look out for: I always think the key hole for the leaders on Sunday is the 12th, many leads have been blown on that hole on Sunday afternoon.
On the game reuniting at Augusta: I think it’s great to see all the best players playing against each other as we’ve been robbed of it for a few years now, so when they do come together it’s always an added edge to the event.
On favorite Masters memory: My favorite memory is when Jack holed that putt on 17 raising his putter into the air on his way to the 1986 masters.
Iain Carter (BBC)
On 2024’s Masters Champion: Brooks Koepka – reserves his best for the biggest events and will want to avenge last year where he finished runner-up.
On the leading rookie and amateur: Ludvig Aberg – a special talent who could go close. As for the leading amateur – I’ll go with Santiago de la Fuente.
On the key hole to look out for: Taking advantage of 14’s gathering pin on the final day can, between the two gettable par 5s, turn into a potential back 9 charge. 12 is also so important but is an obvious choice.
On the game reuniting at Augusta: The Masters is always the biggest talking shop in golf, all the bosses are there. Will Yasir be there is the biggest question at this year’s tournament? If he is, there could be a sign of progress on the merger.
On favorite Masters memory: Tiger’s chip-in at 16 is obvious but nothing beats Jack on 17 in 1986.
Andrew Cotter (BBC)
On 2024’s Masters Champion: Scheffler is the obvious choice, but will be fascinated to see how Koepka does and if the majors still lift him. Outside? Joaquín Niemann has gotten better in every one of the three years he has played and has shown good form on the LIV tour.
On the leading rookie and amateur: There are going to be some incredibly talented rookies this year when you think of Ludvig Åberg, Eric Cole, Mathieu Pavon, and Nicolai Høgaard all making their debuts. But Wyndham Clark has to be a good bet – and astonishing that some of these players are making their debuts.
Not such a rich crop of amateurs without Sargent, Thorbjornsen, Dunlap, or Surratt, but I’ll choose Christo Lamprecht to bomb his way round and make the cut.
On the key hole to look out for: Any one of them. Perhaps the 11th as a par there sets you up nicely for Amen Corner.
On the game reuniting at Augusta: The majors are everything that people are waiting for at the moment and their importance has never been greater. All the best players competing against each other and prize money being relegated to a footnote. Perfect.
On favorite Masters memory: It would have to be commentating on Tiger Woods chip-in at the 16th in 2005. I was working for BBC Radio that year and the commentary position was by the 15th green. There was a real electricity in the air before he hit it and in terms of a crescendo in the atmosphere, the shot itself will never be bettered.
Iona Stephen (Sky Sports)
On 2024’s Masters Champion: Scottie Scheffler.
On the leading rookie and amateur: Ludvig Aberg for leading rookie and I’ll go with Christo Lamprecht as the leading amateur.
On the key hole to look out for: The par-3 12th hole (Golden Bell).
Read our comprehensive hole-by-hole guide to Augusta National for more insight into why Iona and our panel selected the holes they did.
On the game reuniting at Augusta: Very happy indeed. There’s real excitement amongst all golf fans in this year’s build-up to The Masters, as there was last year too. I think the game is stronger when the best players reunite because, with that, golf fans reunite too.
On favorite Masters memory: Sitting on the 6th tee on the Wednesday practice day with Ken Brown watching every player come through. Also watching Tiger’s putt on 18 from just five meters away before greeting his son at the back of the green.
Today’s Golfer Picks
Rob Jerram, Digital Editor:
To win: Brooks Koepka. He’s a Major machine and he’s going to have a point to prove after falling away on Sunday last year. He’ll blow off any cobwebs at LIV Miami and arrive in Georgia fresh and with a laser focus. Everyone’s going to back Scheffler, but Tiger Woods remains the only pre-tournament favorite to ever win The Masters and if the 2022 champ is to join the great man and add a second Green Jacket to his wardrobe so much will depend on how he putts.
Each way I’ll be going for Joaquin Niemann and Jordan Spieth – two players in very different form. Niemann has had a brilliant season on LIV and has improved his result in each of his last three Masters starts, finishing T16th last year. Spieth’s enduring a tough start to 2024 but this tournament brings something different out in the 2015 champ and a Sunday charge from the Texan is almost as common a sight as pimento cheese sandwiches at Augusta.
Leading rookie & amateur: With 19 players making their Masters debuts the battle for leading first-timer will be uber-competitive. However, it feels mad to be calling players like Ludvig Åberg, Wyndham Clark, Mathieu Pavon, Nicolai Høgaard, and Eric Cole rookies with all they’ve achieved in the game. And recent winners like Jake Knapp and Peter Malinati arrive in form and full of confidence. But I’m going for 31-year-old Denny McCarthy. He’s one of the best putters in the world and boasts an outstanding short game. He was poor from the tee in 2023, but if he can find fairways then I see him securing a high finish.
The amateur line-up isn’t as large or strong as previous years but Christo Lamprecht is the clear favourite to come out on top of the three in the field. The South African hits it miles and led after the opening round of the 2023 Open at Royal Liverpool, so I fully expect him to make the weekend.
Key hole: I’m interested to see how the changes to the greens on the front nine impact things, but it’s 10, 11, and 12 that will prove key. The 11th is historically the toughest hole on the course so it’s hard to look beyond that. Make par there across four days are you’ll be delighted.
Favorite memory: Picking one is tough with so many magical moments to choose from. I love Phil Mickelson’s shot from the pine needles on 13 in 2010. It’s one of the greatest shots of all time. To produce that quality when leading a Major by one heading towards the stretch is just incredible. It’s just a shame he missed the eagle putt! But I’m going to go for Sergio Garcia’s win in 2017. As a European it was fantastic to see Garcia and Justin Rose battling for the Green Jacket and for the Spaniard to finally win a Major on his 74th start and on what would have been Seve’s 60th birthday was extra special. It helped that I had both Rose and Garcia as each-way bets!
Golf reunited: I can’t wait to see all the world’s best players back together again (*Talor Gooch absent). When it was happening every week, I felt it lost the impact and excitement. I want the Majors to remain the only times we see everyone reunite in one field – it makes the biggest events even more special.
Simon Daddow, Equipment Editor:
To win: Jon Rahm. I just see him being fired and ready to show his switch to LIV was worth it. He will need a decent start to avoid blowing his stack early, so long as he does I think his game will sharpen up as the event goes on, even though he’s had plenty of time to prepare.
Leading rookie & amateur: Ludvig Aberg and Neal Shipley. I’m thinking Neal Shipley finishes higher up the leaderboard than Nick Dunlap the guy who beat him in the final of the 2023 US Amateur.
Key hole: 15 – Either it’s windy or the front fringe has been shaved so tight it’s impossible to keep anything on the green that pitches less than a couple of yards on to the putting surface.
Favorite memory: Tiger going out in over par for the first ever Masters he played as a pro. I remember him playing with defending champ Nick Faldo and everyone thinking he’s not so good as the hype. He turned it round on the back nine and went onto win his first major, utterly blowing the field away.
Golf reunited: Feels like it’s about time. It’s like the Masters is the first event of the year. I can’t remember ever having to wait until the Masters to see all the best players n the golf course at the same time. Just a shame we’ll need to wait for the US Open to see it happen again.
Michael Catling, Features Editor:
To win: Scottie Scheffler. I still feel like I could give him a good match in a putting competition, but the rest of his game is on a different level to every player in the world. He’s won at Augusta before and has finished 1, 1, 2 in his last three starts. Need I say more? The guy is incredible and deserves more credit for what he is doing.
Leading rookie & amateur: Even though he’ll be making his debut, Wyndham Clark is the biggest threat to Scottie Scheffler’s hopes of winning yet another title. He finished runner-up to Scottie at the Players and Arnold Palmer Invitational and should have recovered from the back injury that limited his practice ahead of the Houston Open. He also looks really attractive at 28-1.
I won’t pretend that I know a whole lot about Christo Lamprecht, except he looked mightily impressive at The Open and has since taken top spot in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. South Africans also have a habit of doing well at Augusta, don’t they?
Key hole: The 12th without question. Every year someone’s challenge sinks along with their ball. Francesco Molinari still hasn’t recovered from his tee shot in the final round five years ago!
Favorite memory: Everyone picks it, but I’d be lying if I said Tiger’s chip-in hasn’t been ingrained in my memory for the last 19 years. People forget that he backed it up with two bogeys, so it was actually pretty important in forcing a playoff.
Rob McGarr, Contributing Editor:
To win: Scheffler is the obvious choice but I’m still not 100% convinced by his putting, even with recent signs of improvement. Aside from the world number one, Brooks Koepka seems back to his brutal best and I’ve got a strong feeling he’ll go one better than the two second-place finishes he’s had in the last five years.
I looked into a lot of stats and historical data to predict the winner, and Joaquin Niemann ticks all the key boxes, so I’ve got some money riding on him too.
Leading rookie: I was pretty shocked to realize that players like Akshay Bhatia, Nicolai Højgaard, and particularly Wyndham Clark are making their debut, as it seems they all would have played multiple Masters before. But Lucas Aberg has taken every new challenge in his stride during his short career so far and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him finish top-20 or even top-10 in his Major debut.
Key hole: 12 is an obvious one but I’m going to say 13. I just think the possibility for a huge swing is far greater there. You could have two players going head-to-head on Sunday and see one make eagle while the other walks off with a six or worse.
Favorite memory: Tiger’s chip-in, obviously, but aside from that, I’ll go for Bubba’s hooked wedge in 2012. I liked how unconventional and creative he was throughout the week, and to pull off a shot like that, in such a big moment, to win your first Major, just takes next-level cajones.
Golf reunited: To be honest, my interest in watching tour golf has been the lowest it’s ever been recently, but I cannot wait for The Masters to get going. I think we’re a long way off from it, but I’d love to see the game unified into some kind of world tour where the best players compete against each other more often.
James Hogg, Equipment Writer:
To win: My heart is always with Jordan Spieth at Augusta, every year since 2016 I’ve hoped he can add another Green Jacket to his collection. However, I just don’t think his game is quite there to actually win. I think it’s easy to pick Scottie Scheffler or Jon Rahm – understandably so – but I don’t see either of them winning the Masters in 2024. My main selection is Xander Schauffele who plays well around Augusta and has a brilliant start to the season. I also believe Ludvig Aberg could go close but his lack of experience around the course could be his downfall.
I’ve mentioned that I don’t think Rahm will win this year, but I do think a couple of LIV players could finish high up the leaderboard. Joaquin Niemann is the LIV golfer I can see finishing highest come Sunday afternoon, and Patrick Reed enjoys playing at Augusta so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him creeping into the top 10.
Leading rookie: Based on the fact that I think Ludvig Aberg has a chance of winning the Masters he has to be my pick for the leading rookie. However, there has to be an expectation for US Open Champion, Wyndham Clark to give the Swede a run for his money.
The field consists of five amateur golfers all bidding for the silver cup awarded to the lowest amateur. Based on the quality of the amateurs this year I wouldn’t be surprised to see none of them make the cut. If I had to choose a lowest amateur it would be Christo Lamprecht.
Key hole: There are a few obvious answers for this, the stand-outs being 11, 12, and 15, but I think it’s piecing that stretch from hole 11 to hole 15 together – especially on Sunday. Making your way through those 5 holes with par or better has to put you in a good position to claim victory at the end of the week.
Favorite memory: Personally, my favorite memory was watching Jordan Spieth win in 2015 because he was the main reason I first picked up a golf club. Flip side to that is my least favorite memory of the Masters was watching him lose his lead in 2016. Another memory I have etched into my mind forever is after Hideki Matsuyama’s victory in 2021, his caddie, Shota Hayafuji, bowing to the course as a sign of respect and appreciation.
Golf reunited: In all honesty, I don’t pay much attention to the fact that golf is reuniting at the Masters because it’s not the first time this has happened – it certainly won’t be the last. It’s going to make for a great spectacle watching the best players in the world battle it out for one of the most coveted prizes in golf and we just need to sit back and soak it all in.
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About the author
Ross Tugwood
Senior Digital Writer
Ross Tugwood is a golf equipment writer for todays-golfer.com, specializing in data, analytics, science, and innovation.
Ross is passionate about optimizing sports performance and has a decade of experience working with professional athletes and coaches for British Athletics, the UK Sports Institute, and Team GB.
He has post-graduate degrees in Performance Analysis and Sports Journalism, enabling him to critically analyze and review the latest golf equipment and technology to help you make better-informed buying decisions.
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Who the experts are backing to win the 2024 Masters?
