The first major golf tournament of 2025 is upon us as a selection of the world’s best golf players travel to the United States on the world-famous Augusta National Golf Course for The Masters.
A whole host of magnificent golf players will go head-to-head between April 10th and April 13th to compete for the honor of being crowned champion and going down in the history books with a famous green jacket.
We’ll take a look at the field and pick out the favorites to win the tournament for our best free golf betting picks to see if we can earn you some extra cash for the summer.
A two-time winner and the reigning champion, Scheffler has only ever finished outside of the Top 10 at Augusta once in his career, and that was in his debut appearance.
So far this season he has finished inside the Top 25 of every event he has played in, but this course is where he comes alive and his successes here in the past are not a coincidence. The course suits his style of play perfectly and he knows it.
Scheffler dominated the field at Augusta National last year, beating his closest rivals by four strokes en route to his second green jacket.
However, no player has successfully defended their Masters title since Tiger Woods accomplished the feat in 2001-02.
After his victory in 2022, Scheffler had the opportunity to repeat as champion in 2023 but mustered a top ten finish instead – eight strokes behind winner Jon Rahm. Given a lack of value and history being against him, this is probably a bet to avoid, although it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him come away with another green jacket.
Most people McIlroy to be among the greats of his generation, and yet he is now in his 11th year without a major trophy since winning the PGA Championship and Open Championship in 2014.
But form and quality suggest this could finally be the year where he snaps that streak and completes a career grand slam, winning his first green jacket in the process.
His form in the last few months has been electric, with three wins at two further top-five finishes in just seven starts since the DP World Tour Championship. That included a fantastic win at The Players’ Championship where he beat JJ Spaun in a playoff.
The Northern Irishman ranks second for SG: Total in the last three months, just behind Collin Morikawa, and when you pair those solid numbers with seven top-10 finishes at Augusta in the past it’s hard to look past him going all the way.
McIlroy has been close to accomplishing that feat on several occasions, including in 2022 when he secured a runner-up finish.Among the top favorites, there is no other player with a better record during the current season than the 35-year-old.
At +700 there is great value in getting the most in-form player in the tournament to finally end his hoodoo, so take it while you can.
After a disappointing freshman and sophomore appearance at Augusta, Morikawa is slowly learning how to get the best out of himself at Augusta.
In the last three years, he’s recorded a top-10 finish or better all three times, including a T-3rd in 2024. Over that three-year span, Morikawa ranks second to Scheffler in SG: TOT at Augusta National.
Morikawa knows how to win on the biggest stage, having won two majors in his career already – although he is yet to don a green jacket.
He’s also in fine form so far in 2025, although he is yet to win an event this calendar year. He just missed out at The Sentry and Arnold Palmer Invitational but hasn’t finished below 17th in any event this year.
He’s halfway to completing the career Grand Slam and, with his approach play and overall game on song there’s a great chance for him to make it 3/4. At +1600 the value is exceptional too, so this is a bet to consider.
Aberg made his debut at Augusta last year and finished as the runner-up behind Scheffler, proving he is one to watch for this year.
He is also coming into this tournament with a decent 2025 under his belt, having claimed victory at The Genesis where he gained 10 strokes from tee-to-green for the third-best output of his career to date.
Aberg struggled at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, finishing T22 and at the Players’ Championship he didn’t even make the cut – but he will be hopeful of coming into Augusta again and recapturing his form from 2024.
At +2000 there is good value on him to go one step further than last year, but he faces big competition and would need a big upturn in his fortunes to do so.
Daniel is a football writer who has a great thirst for the Premier League and other major European leagues. A lover of the beautiful game and a firm believer that the eye test is better than statistics. Also an avid MMA fan.