The golfing world witnessed history at Augusta National as Rory McIlroy finally captured the elusive Green Jacket, completing his career Grand Slam in dramatic fashion. The Northern Irishman needed a playoff to overcome a resurgent Justin Rose, ending his 11-year quest for Masters glory.
However, the golf world stops for no one. Bookmakers have already released odds for the 2026 Masters, and surprisingly, McIlroy isn't the favorite despite his breakthrough victory. That honor belongs to Scottie Scheffler at +360, with the newly crowned champion sitting second at +425.
Scheffler's positioning atop the odds makes sense given his remarkable consistency at Augusta. The world number one has never finished outside the top 20 in six appearances at the Masters, including four consecutive top-10 finishes. Though winless on the PGA Tour in 2025 so far, his form remains impressive with back-to-back top-5 finishes.
McIlroy's victory marks a significant turning point for the golfer who had previously shown inconsistent results at Augusta, with two missed cuts and a T22 finish mixed among three top-5 results since 2020. Now freed from the pressure of completing his Grand Slam, many expect his Augusta performances to become more consistent.
History suggests caution when backing favorites, though. Only two pre-tournament favorites or co-favorites have claimed the Green Jacket since Tiger Woods' victory as a +350 favorite in 2005. Most recent champions emerged from the +1,000 to +3,000 odds range.
Another interesting trend shows the rarity of back-to-back Masters champions – no golfer has accomplished this feat since Tiger Woods in 2001-2002. Age patterns are also telling, with most recent winners being under 40 years old at the time of their triumph.
According to data from Statbet, historical performance at Augusta National remains one of the strongest predictors of Masters success, with nine of the last 11 champions having played in at least three previous Masters tournaments before their victory.
The Masters field is traditionally comprised of past champions, recent major winners, high-ranking professionals, amateur champions, and special invitees selected by the Masters committee. This exclusive selection process helps maintain the tournament's prestige and competitive standards.
As golf enthusiasts process McIlroy's emotional victory, attention will gradually shift toward the 2026 tournament, where the world's elite golfers will once again battle for glory among the azaleas and pines of Augusta National.
