2025 Masters picks to win: SB Nation selects Inexperienced Jacket winners

The best match on the planet is now upon us.

Ninety-six of the most effective gamers on the planet have descended upon Augusta Nationwide for the 89th enjoying of The Masters Match, the primary main of the 2025 season. It’s additionally a reunion of kinds, as 12 gamers from LIV Golf will tee it up alongside the most effective from the PGA Tour this week.

Two-time champion Bernhard Langer will say goodbye to enjoying competitively this week, and Fred {Couples}, who gained in 1992, is perhaps doing the identical. 5-time Masters winner Tiger Woods shouldn’t be enjoying this week after struggling an Achilles harm in early March. Nevertheless, his greatest adversary all through the 2000s, Phil Mickelson, is eyeing one other cost up the leaderboard. Mickelson tied for second in 2023 however tied for forty third final yr.

After all, this yr’s area is headlined by Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, the 2 greatest gamers on the planet. Scheffler arrives because the defending champion, however maybe no participant within the historical past of this match has arrived at Augusta with extra strain on their shoulders than McIlroy. Having gained twice already in 2025, at Pebble Seashore and TPC Sawgrass, McIlroy is enjoying higher than he ever has main into The Masters. A win this week would give him the profession Grand Slam, one thing he has been chasing for 11 years.

Different intriguing storylines embrace the likes of Xander Schauffele, who eyes a 3rd main title in his final 4 tries. Can Ludvig Åberg declare his first main victory after ending in solo second a yr in the past? What concerning the 2023 winner, Jon Rahm? Or 2024 U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau? Perhaps Tommy Fleetwood can win for the primary time on U.S. soil. Golf followers shouldn’t sleep on Maverick McNealy both. Though ranked tenth on the planet, McNealy is making his Masters debut this week after successful the RSM Basic final November.

At any charge, the 2025 Masters guarantees to be one other unbelievable match. The chances are infinite, which is what makes this match so enjoyable year-in and year-out.

Let’s get to our picks.

Enjoying Via’s Picks:

Jack Milko — Workers Author, Golf

For the primary time in 23 years, I’m calling for a repeat winner at The Masters. Scottie Scheffler will win his third Inexperienced Jacket in 4 years, becoming a member of Jack Nicklaus as the one different participant in historical past to take action.

Right here’s what I like about Scheffler: regardless of being the most effective participant on the planet — and the defending champion — loads of different gamers arrive at Augusta with extra strain than he does. Rory McIlroy most definitely does. You could possibly argue that Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau do as effectively. Collin Morikawa additionally has loads of weight on his shoulders.

That is all to say that the World No. 1 is flying considerably below the radar this week.

And by the best way, his putter is catching some fireplace too. Two weeks in the past on the Texas Youngsters’s Houston Open, Scheffler gained greater than seven strokes on the greens, good for sixth among the many area. He was additionally sixth in strokes gained from tee-to-green, which is proof that Scheffler is heating up on the proper time.

Though he has not gained but in 2025, Scheffler will get the job executed this week at a spot the place he has had unimaginable success. He is aware of find out how to win on this golf course — simply watch how he orchestrated his remaining spherical a yr in the past.

FanDuel Odds: Scheffler to win at +400

Photograph by Ben Jared/PGA Tour through Getty Pictures

RJ Ochoa — Senior Producer, Running a blog the Boys

When the week started I went into it wanting to choose Rory McIlroy for apparent causes, however I used to be terrified to take action. These causes are apparent as effectively.

As I’ve gotten older in life and skilled various things I’ve acknowledged that large issues really feel various kinds of large relying on what stage of life I’m in. After I was youthful I was obsessive about the phrase “epic” and tried to do and stay every thing in an epic manner.

However what was epic then shouldn’t be epic anymore. What was regular then is past epic now. Life modifications. Issues occur. We develop. We adapt. We evolve. Issues like what epic is or isn’t strikes and adjusts with us.

The thought of Rory successful The Masters has all the time felt epic, and that concept nonetheless does in some ways. However what I’ve realized probably the most at this level in life is that I can expertise that epic-ness within the journey, too. Selecting Rory is all the time epic. It has resulted in solely losses when it has come to Augusta, however that doesn’t imply that it hasn’t been epic.

Rory spoke this week and mainly summed up my ideas on life, golf, him and the phrase epic suddenly. I’ve informed myself many occasions that I’ll by no means decide him to win The Masters once more as a result of it feels so silly on its face (these causes are apparent, too).

However I need to choose Rory. That is what’s epic for me now. And if I’ve realized something as I discussed it’s that I’m the creator of what I really feel is epic.

Rory McIlroy goes to win The Masters on Sunday. I stated it. I imagine it. I need it.

It’s occurring.

FanDuel Odds: McIlroy to win at +650

Mark Schofield — Workers Author, NFL and System 1

He could not in the end win the Masters, however probably the most proficient particular person on the grounds at Augusta Nationwide this week? That’s a straightforward prediction.

That’s Jack Milko.

When you have not already learn his piece from Monday at Augusta, it’s a should, and a preview of the form of protection you’re going to see from him all week lengthy from the Masters. There are moments as a author the place you sit again and ponder whether or not you possibly can have written one thing so well-done, and once I learn this from Jack, this was one such second for me.

As for who wins the match? I’m going to stay with my penchant of selecting longer photographs, and for that purpose I’ll go together with Russell Henley. Augusta is basically about fairways, greens, and placing, and that’s the a part of his recreation that stands out. Henley has 4 high ten finishes in seven occasions this yr, together with a win on the Arnold Palmer Invitational. His strategy recreation has been phenomenal this yr, as he ranks third in greens in regulation, and sixth in common distance from the entire.

FanDuel Odds: Henley to win at +5000

Photograph by Harry How/Getty Pictures

Jed Meshew — Workers Author, MMA Combating

I do know that is the half the place I’m supposed to write down one thing insightful and sensible, perhaps embrace an esoteric factoid that reveals “and THIS is why Participant X will win this yr!” However I’ve no such knowledge level, no statistic that reveals the longer term. All I’ve is a query: What sort of particular person do you need to be?

Me? I need to be the form of one who is aware of that good issues do occur to good folks. I need to be the form of one who believes in a righteous order that ultimately involves the world. I need to be the form of one who, within the phrases of the prophet Commander Peter Quincy, famously stated, “By no means quit, by no means give up.”

I’ve picked and guess Rory McIlroy to win The Masters yearly for almost a decade. I’ll proceed selecting him till he dies or he wins (or I suppose I die). As a result of ultimately he’ll win, and when that day comes, I need to money the ticket.

FanDuel Odds: McIlroy to win at +650

Photograph by Richard Heathcote/Getty Pictures

Jared Mueller — Producer, Dawgs By Nature/Cleveland Browns

Whereas I want I might go in one other route, Rory McIlroy getting his profession Grand Slam is one thing that should occur lastly and could be an ideal story arc for golf normally. Whether or not McIlroy can end out on Sunday with all of that using on the road is tough to say, however he appears able to placed on the inexperienced jacket in Augusta.

FanDuel Odds: McIlroy to win at +650

David Fucillo — Senior Director of NFL, NBA, & Sports activities Betting (and really a lot not an everyday golf-watcher)

Effectively, I suppose I can’t decide Tiger Woods this yr? I believe that alone suggests the form of weight to offer my Masters decide. The final time I watched golf might need been final yr’s Masters. Really, no. It was in all probability the PGA Championship, shortly after Scottie Scheffler was arrested. So, it’s fairly clear what sort of golf-watcher I’m. That is very a lot the “I didn’t watch a second of faculty basketball” bracket prediction sort of decide.

Scottie Scheffler could be the simple decide and Rory McIlroy wouldn’t be too far behind for enjoying this recreation on the simplest stage. I’m going to go together with Collin Morikawa. He tied for third final yr and completed tenth and fifth the earlier two years. He’s acquired three top-ten finishes and two runner-ups this season. Let’s go together with the previous Cal Bear!

FanDuel Odds: Morikawa to win at +1600