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2026 Masters Picks & Predictions: Hideki Matsuyama

Author image by Pat Fitzmaurice | Apr 6, 2026
Author image by Pat Fitzmaurice | Apr 6, 2026
2026 Masters Picks & Predictions: Hideki Matsuyama

The best golfers in the world will be in Augusta, Georgia, this week for the first major of the year, The Masters. We’re going to share our top 2026 Masters picks and predictions.

Augusta National Golf Club is simultaneously a feast for the eyes and a stern test of golfing acumen. The Georgia pines and blooming azaleas highlight Augusta's beauty, but this world-renowned course demands precise ballstriking and short-game excellence.

Rory McIlroy had an epic victory at last year's Masters to earn his first Green Jacket. Can he successfully defend his title, or will the No. 1 player in the world, Scottie Scheffler, win at Augusta for the third time in five years? PGA Tour stars Ludvig Aberg and Xander Schauffele are looking for a career-altering victory, and big-hitting LIV Tour stalwarts Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau will be in the hunt.

Welcome to the fifth annual BettingPros Guide to The Masters. We'll take a deep dive into the field, taking a closer look at the players contending for the coveted Green Jacket. Which players provide betting value and which are bad bets? Read on.

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2026 Masters Picks & Predictions: Hideki Matsuyama

Stats to Know

  • Odds to Win: +3800
  • World Ranking: 14
  • Best Masters finish: 1 (2021)
  • Last four Masters finishes: 14, 16, 38, 21
  • Last four tournament finishes: 28, 41, 27, 21

Course History

A grizzled Masters veteran, Matsuyama will be making his 15th Masters appearance. He won a Green Jacket in 2021, becoming the first Japanese player to win a Masters. Matsuyama has five other top-15 finishes at Augusta, including a fifth in 2015 and a seventh in 2016. A career scoring average of 71.70 at The Masters suggests that Matsuyama knows how to navigate Augusta National.

Recent Form

Matsuyama got off to a fast start in 2026, finishing top 15 in his first four events, including a runner-up finish at the Phoenix Open, a tournament where he’s fared well in the past. But Matsuyama has cooled off since, finishing outside the top 20 in his last four tournaments. Matsuyama ranks first in scrambling, 15th in strokes gained on approach and 19th in strokes gained total. But driving has been an issue for the Japanese star. He ranks 105th in strokes gained off the tee and is outside the top 75 in both driving distance and driving accuracy.

Check out all of our Masters golfer profiles and full betting guide >>

2026 Masters Outlook & Predictions

Although Matsuyama’s balky driver is a concern, the wide fairways at Augusta National could mitgate the problem. And although Matsuyama has finished outside the top 20 in each of the last two years, he usually acquits himself well at The Masters.

Betting Outlook: 2026 Masters Picks

With odds of +3800 to win and +570 for a top five (including ties), Matsuyama offers solid betting value.

More Individual Golfer Previews, 2026 Masters Picks & Predictions