Masters Odds 2024: Breaking Down Best and Worst Selections in Augusta Field

The best male golfers in the world have consistently shown up at the top of major-tournament leaderboard over the last few years.

Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm are the last two Masters champions and both players finished in the top 10 at three of the four majors in 2023.

Both players are expected to be in contention for the green jacket on Sunday alongside a handful of top-tier golfers in search of their first major.

Xander Schuaffele is the top name on the without-a-major list going into August National Golf Club this week.

Schauffele has three top-10 finishes in the last five Masters and he has been a fixture on the weekend at the U.S.-based majors.

Not all of the top golfers in the field are worth backing, though, as a handful of previous major champions enter with some concerns from their recent performances.

Best: Scottie Scheffler

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AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 08: Scottie Scheffler of the United States hits his shot from the 11th tee during a practice round prior to the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 08, 2024 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

No one is betting against Scheffler being in contention for his second green jacket.

Scheffler is the best male golfer in the world right now and he has never finished outside the top 20 at the Masters.

Scheffler also holds the best string of recent results on the PGA Tour. He won the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Players Championship and took second at the Houston Open in his last three starts.

He landed outside the top 10 in just one of his eight starts and he has not shot worse than 71 in a single round in 2024.

There are no guarantees in golf, especially at major tournaments, but Scheffler feels like a lock to finish in the top 10 at worst.

Best: Jon Rahm

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DORAL, FLORIDA - APRIL 05: Captain Jon Rahm of Legion XIII plays his shot from the fifth tee during day one of the LIV Golf Invitational - Miami at Trump National Doral Miami on April 05, 2024 in Doral, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

Rahm won the 2023 Masters by six strokes over Brooks Koepka.

Since then, the Spaniard earned two more top-10 major finishes and joined the LIV Golf Tour.

Koepka and Phil Mickelson proved last year that time spent on the LIV tour does not significantly affect major-tournament performance.

Rahm is still one of the top five golfers in the world and the expectation is for him to contend for his second straight green jacket.

The two-time major winner placed inside the top 10 in five of his seven career starts at Augusta.

A dream Sunday final pairing of Scheffler and Rahm is one of the best possible scenarios for the season's first major.

Best: Xander Schauffele

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PALM HARBOR, FLORIDA - MARCH 24: Xander Schauffele of the United States reacts on the 17th green during the final round of the Valspar Championship at Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club on March 24, 2024 in Palm Harbor, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)

Schauffele has been close to winning all three of the U.S.-based majors for years.

The 30-year-old American placed inside the top 20 in four of his six Masters starts. He tied for second in 2019, tied for third in 2021 and tied for 10th in 2023.

Schauffele also finished in the top 20 in every one of his seven U.S. Open starts and has four top-20 placings in his last five PGA Championships.

He comes into Augusta in form worth of a major champion. He earned three top-five finishes in his last four PGA Tour starts.

Schauffele's major track record suggests he will at least be in contention among the likes of Scheffler, Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Rory McIlroy with 18 holes to play.

Worst: Justin Thomas

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AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 09: Justin Thomas of the United States plays a shot during a practice round prior to the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 09, 2024 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Thomas has not placed inside the top 30 at a major since he won the 2022 PGA Championship.

The two-time major champion missed his first cut at the Masters last year. That started a a disastrous major season in which he missed three cuts and placed in a tie for 65th at the U.S. Open.

Thomas recently parted ways with caddie Jim "Bones" Mackay, and while that does suggest he is open to trying new things, the last thing you want in a major championship pick is to be figuring things out on the fly.

Thomas placed inside the top 20 once in his last four PGA Tour starts. He missed two cuts during that stretch.

He could be a surprise name on the leaderboard on the weekend, but he is likelier to go through a struggle for however long he lasts at Augusta.

Worst: Collin Morikawa

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SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - APRIL 06: Collin Morikawa of the United States plays his tee shot on the 13th hole during the third round of the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio on April 06, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Raj Mehta/Getty Images)

Morikawa owns consecutive top-10 finishes at the Masters.

However, he is nowhere close to major-winning form this season.

Morikawa missed the cut and tied for 45th and 75th in his last three PGA Tour appearance. His game is in question while Scheffler and others have found form before Augusta.

He could be a player who comes alive once he walks on the grounds at Augusta. He has three straight top-20 Masters placings.

Recent form has to come into the equation when picking a Masters winner and Morikawa has nothing going for him in that department.