Bryson DeChambeau has won back to back events on LIV Golf and you would have to say that he is the form player heading to Augusta National at the moment. But does that make him the favourite?
The bookies have him pencilled in as joint third favourite with his Saudi backed tour compatriot Jon Rahm, tucked in behind defending champion Rory McIlroy and world number one Scottie Scheffler.
Bryson has a chequered history at the Masters. He infamously branded Augusta National a par-67 ahead of the 2020 edition and subsequently reeled off results of T34, T46, MC, MC. He had become the April Fool.
But lately, the scientist has figured out the formula for Augusta and finishes of 6th and 5th – the latter where he was in the final group on Sunday – shows that he is a form horse at the Masters.
Approach play was an issue for Bryson throughout last season and in previous Masters editions, but certainly now after back to back wins in Singapore and South Africa, everything is firing on all cylinders and after holding off Rahm on both occasions he is battle hardened too.
McIlroy hasn’t been his free flowing best, at least not compared to his start to the 2025 season when he had won twice and Scheffler is a little off colour although any talks of a slump are wide of the mark.
But Bryson playing well adds juice to any major championship, whether he is the favourite or not, nobody can energise a venue like him and it would be great for the tournament if he was in contention again.
This Masters feels particularly open as McIlroy and Scheffler appear closer to the pack than at any stage over the last two years. Xander Schauffele is trending nicely as are the likes of Jordan Spieth, Hideki Matsuyama, Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka and there will be a lot of eyes on Chris Gotterup and Cameron Young.
But many would probably still have Scheffler as the man to beat. A slump of a win, two top fives and three top-25 finishes should strike fear not confidence into his opponents and while McIlroy, Rahm and Bryson have shown their hand he has one more opportunity to fine tune himself for Augusta this week in his home state of Texas.
Last month at the Genesis Invitational, Tiger Woods offered a promising Masters update. But on Tuesday during TGL Woods said he’s “working on it,” adding, “the body doesn’t quite heal like it was when I was 24. Doesn’t quite bounce back. So I have good days when I can pretty much do anything, and other days where it’s hard to just move around.”
If he was going to play I feel he would have already committed. Let’s put the silliness to bed and just announce the WD.
It would be great to have him there but the Masters lost nothing without him there last year and does anybody really want to see him slug around battling to make the cut or worse, battling to break 80?
Age isn’t the issue for Tiger. He turned 50 in December and if he was fully healthy there is no doubt that he could still be a competitive force. But he isn’t, so he’s not.
There have been teasers: His private jet was spotted at Augusta Regional Airport; on the official Masters website in the players’ biography section of the site it also says that Woods “is making his 27th start at the Masters in 2026”. Is he?
Even his last Masters appearance in 2024 was nothing but a teaser. At the halfway stage he was two shots outside the top-10, had shot the same Friday score (72) as eventual winner Scottie Scheffler and yeah, there was hope that he could mount another unlikely charge.
But what showed up on Saturday was a body broken, decrepit and tired. A weary Woods slumped to an 82 – a career worst score in a major championship and one the television gave too much coverage to.
If anyone can make time slow down it is Bernhard Langer, but even he gave up the ghost before last year. Augusta is a great reminder that time waits for no man. Jack Nicklaus made his last Masters appearance aged 65 and his biggest accomplishment was breaking 80 on both days. Green Jacket winners are welcome back to Augusta National for a lifetime, but it was clear that at that stage he had overstayed his welcome to playing rights. Tiger is heading the same way at a much earlier stage.
What good does it do him playing?
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