Photography courtesy of Augusta National Golf Club
The hottest golfers in the professional ranks. The most accomplished players in the game today. The field for this year’s Masters is rich in talent, skill and legacy, with several players chasing their own piece of history. Will Scottie Scheffler continue his domination of professional golf? Will Bryson DeChambeau overpower Augusta National Golf Club? Will Rory McIlroy break through and capture that elusive Green Jacket? During the first week in April, nestled between the Southern pines and blooming azaleas, one of these players might just be ready to lay claim to the title of Masters Champion.
World Golf Rankings as of February 19, 2025
Scottie Scheffler
Official World Golf Ranking: 1
There may never be another Tiger Woods, but Scottie Scheffler is doing his part to carve out his own legendary niche. The top golfer in the world is coming off one the best seasons in PGA Tour history, compiling eight wins in 2024 including his second Green Jacket and the TOUR Championship, which propelled him to the crown for the season-long FedExCup. Scheffler earned his second Masters victory in 2024 in his fifth start at Augusta National, becoming the second-fastest player to reach two wins. His historic season also included wins at THE PLAYERS Championship, Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Memorial Tournament as well as a gold medal at the Olympics. At just 28 years old, the former Texas All-American looks to continue his reign at the top of the World Golf Rankings and has a chance to become the youngest player since Tiger Woods to win three times in Augusta.
Rory McIlroy
Official World Golf Ranking: 3
When Rory McIlroy won the 2014 Open Championship and PGA Championship — giving him four major titles in three years — it seemed like the Northern Irishman was locked in to earn a career Grand Slam before turning 30. Now, it’s been more than a decade since his last Major win, with Augusta’s Green Jacket still proving elusive. That’s not to say he hasn’t come close to winning the Masters; he has recorded seven top-10 finishes, including a second place in 2022 and top-five finishes in 2020, 2018 and 2015. That gap between Major wins, however, is no knock on McIlroy’s pedigree as he’s cemented himself as one of the greatest players of his generation. The No.3-ranked golfer in the world, McIlroy has won a record three FedExCups, captured another Race to Dubai crown thanks to a 2024 win in the DP World Tour Championship and kicked off 2025 by winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, giving him the second-most career victories for active players, trailing only Tiger Woods.
Bryson DeChambeau
Official World Golf Ranking: 13
Bryson DeChambeau took a hero’s turn in 2024, becoming one of the most popular players in professional golf through a fan-first attitude and stellar performance in the year’s Majors. In fact, DeChambeau has proven to be one of LIV Golf Tour’s most successful players when he tees it up in the four Majors — in 2024, he won the U.S. Open in dramatic fashion on the 18th hole, finished second at the PGA Championship and sixth at the Masters. With booming distance and an ever-improving short game, the unconventional 31-year-old California native has all the tools needed to win his first Green Jacket. After missing the cut in Augusta in 2022 and 2023, DeChambeau stormed to a first-round lead last year, carding a 7-under 65. Can he take the next step and find himself at the top of the leaderboard on Masters Sunday?
Xander Schauffele
Official World Golf Ranking: 2
Xander Schauffele doesn’t have to answer questions if he’s going to finally win a Major. The 31-year-old, from La Jolla, Calif., won the PGA Championship and Open Championship in 2024, vaulting him to No. 2 in the World Golf Rankings. In most years — a.k.a. ones that didn’t involve Scottie Scheffler — that would have earned him PGA Tour Player of the Year honors. Schauffele recovered from a rib injury in early 2025 and should be in top shape for this year’s Masters. He has tallied four top 10s in the past six years at Augusta National, including a runner-up finish to Tiger Woods in 2019 and third in 2021. He ranks second in strokes gained and first in scrambling on the PGA Tour, both of which could serve him well as he tries to win his first Green Jacket on his eighth try.
Collin Morikawa
Official World Golf Ranking: 5
Collin Morikawa has been the definition of steady play on the PGA Tour. After bursting onto the scene with six PGA Tour wins, including a pair of Major titles, he’s settled into a mainstay on tournament leaderboards and is ranked fourth in the World Golf Rankings. He feels poised for a breakthrough, possessing all the tools needed to win at Augusta National, as his short game is one of the best on the PGA Tour. In 2024, the California native ranked second in putts per round and ninth in scrambling. At 28 years old, he’s never missed the cut at Augusta National and is coming off three straight top-10 finishes, so expect Morikawa’s name to be on the leaderboard again.
Ludvig Åberg
Official World Golf Ranking: 4
Åberg debuted at the Masters in 2024 and finished second behind Scheffler. The Swede may have been a bit off the radar when he arrived in Augusta the first time, but he didn’t emerge out of nowhere. In 2023, he wrapped up a stellar collegiate career at Texas Tech University as the top-ranked amateur in the world and the recipient of the Fred Haskins, Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus Player of the Year awards. He earned his first DP World Tour win that September in Switzerland and was part of the winning European Ryder Cup team in Italy in October 2023. This year, he’s already got a win under his belt with a dramatic victory at the Genesis Invitational; now the 25-year-old gets a second date with Augusta National, and performing better than he did in his debut would mean only one thing: a Green Jacket.
Hideki Matsuyama
Official World Golf Ranking: 6
It’s hard to believe, at just 31, Hideki Matsuyama is making his 14th Masters appearance. The 2021 Masters winner from Japan has posted top 20s in eight of the past 10 years at Augusta National. He became Japan’s first male Major champion and strengthened his personal connection to the Masters, one that already included the Silver Cup as Low Amateur at Augusta National in 2011. He is one of seven Low Amateurs to go on to win the Masters. After a winless PGA season in 2023, Mastsuyama won the FedEx St. Jude Championship and the Genesis Invitational in 2024, which moved him into the top 10 of the World Golf Rankings. He currently sits fifth on the list after kicking off the 2025 season with a win at The Sentry.
Wyndham Clark
Official World Golf Ranking: 7
Few players on the PGA Tour play with the passion and purpose of Wyndham Clark. He enjoyed a breakout 2023 season that allowed him to capture his first win on the PGA Tour, as well as the U.S. Open in a thrilling duel against Rory McIlroy. His performance dipped slightly in 2024 in Major play, as he missed three cuts last year, including his first Masters Tournament. But he’s still the seventh-ranked player in the world and won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in 2024, tallied a top 10 in the TOUR Championship and competed for the U.S. at the Presidents Cup. If he continues near the top of the field in driving accuracy and putting average, he could be a contender looking to do more than make his first cut at Augusta National.
Seen in the April 2025 issue of Augusta magazine and the Augusta magazine Tournament Guide.
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