The 88th Masters Tournament tees off on Thursday morning at Augusta National Golf Club. It’s the first major of the 2024 golf season.
The field will include all kinds of familiar faces, marquee names and rising stars. A win by any will be entered into the record books for posterity, but a victory by one of the following 10 players would produce the most historical result (ranked in order).
1. Rory McIlroy
After the then 25-year-old Northern Irishman won his fourth major at Valhalla in the summer of 2014, Jack Nicklaus said, “Rory has an opportunity to win 15 or 20 majors or whatever he wants.” The wunderkind will tee it up at Augusta National – nearly 10 years later at almost 35-years-old, with the same four major titles. For the former can’t-miss kid, the storyline here is all about redemption and rebirth: the career grand slam and a fifth major title – it’s all there for the taking.
- Become just the 6th player in history to complete the career grand slam by winning the Masters, PGA, U.S. Open, and The Open, joining Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, and Gene Sarazen.
- Become just the 21st player in history to win at least five (5) majors.
- Move to T15 on all-time major win list with five (5), joining likes of Seve Ballesteros, Brooks Koepka and Byron Nelson.
- End 10-year winless drought in the majors.
2. Brooks Koepka
With a Masters’ win, Koepka would join Lee Trevino, Nick Faldo and Phil Mickelson as a six-time major winner, trailing only 11 players in golf history. A Green Jacket would also give Koepka three legs of the career grand slam, joining the likes of Mickelson, Spieth, McIlroy, Palmer, and Snead among others.
- Become just the 8th player in history to win the U.S. Open, PGA and Masters, joining the five grand slammers (Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, and Gene Sarazen), along with Byron Nelson and Ray Floyd.
- Become just the 16th player in history to win at least six (6) majors.
- Move to T12 on all-time major win list with six (6), joining Lee Trevino, Nick Faldo and Phil Mickelson.
- Become 13th player to win three (3) legs of career grand slam, joining Byron Nelson, Ray Floyd, Walter Hagen, Sam Snead, Tom Watson, Jim Barnes, Tommy Armour, Lee Trevino, Arnold Palmer, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth.
- Become just the 18th player in history to win three or more different majors.
3. Jon Rahm
With a victory, the defending champion would join Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo and Jack Nicklaus as the only back-to-back Masters champions in history. The 29-year-old would become a three-time major winning Spaniard, trailing only Seve Ballesteros (5).
- Become first repeat Masters’ winner since Tiger Woods (2001-02).
- Become just fourth player in history to win back-to-back at the Masters, joining Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Nick Faldo.
- Become first two-time Masters’ winner of Millennial generation.
- Become 18th player in history to win multiple Masters’ titles.
- Become just the 48th player in history to win at least three majors.
- Move to T30 on all-time major win list with three (3), joining likes of Jordan Spieth, Payne Stewart, and Hale Irwin, among others.
4. Jordan Spieth
The former “Golden Child” won a trio of majors in a three-year span, 2015-17, but has been winless on the major stage since that memorable Sunday at Royal St. George’s… Remains one of the game’s most historic and iconic players… A fourth major win would tie him with Rory McIlroy and Ernie Els, among others, while becoming the first two-time Masters’ winner of his generation.
- Become just the 30th player in history to win at least four majors.
- Move to T21 on all-time major win list with four (4), joining likes of Rory McIlroy, Ernie Els, and Ray Floyd among others.
- Become first two-time Masters’ winner of Millennial generation.
- Become 18th player in history to win multiple Masters’ titles.
- Redemption for heartbreaking loss at the 2016 Masters.
- End 7-year winless drought in the majors.
5. Collin Morikawa
Already the winner of a Wannamaker Trophy and Claret Jug, a Green Jacket would give Morikawa three legs of the career grand slam and a third major at just 27-years-old. Would become the 13th player in history to score three legs of grand slam, joining contemporaries Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy, as well as legends such as Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, Lee Trevino and Tom Watson, among others.
- Become just the 8th player in history to win The Open, PGA and Masters, joining the five grand slammers (Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, and Gene Sarazen), along with Sam Snead and Phil Mickelson.
- Become 13th player to claim three legs of career grand slam, joining Byron Nelson, Ray Floyd, Walter Hagen, Sam Snead, Tom Watson, Jim Barnes, Tommy Armour, Lee Trevino, Arnold Palmer, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth.
- Become just the 18th player in history to win three or more different majors.
- Move to T30 on all-time major win list with three (3), joining likes of Jordan Spieth, Payne Stewart, and Hale Irwin, among others.
- Become just the 48th player in history to win at least three majors.
6. Dustin Johnson
A second Masters title, third major and 30th worldwide victory would place LIV Golf star in some historic company… More importantly, DJ would walk away with a brand new 5-year exemption into the PGA, British Open, and U.S. Open (his 2020 Masters title gave him a lifetime pass to Augusta).
- Become 18th player in history to win multiple Masters’ titles.
- Become first two-time Masters’ winner of Millennial generation.
- Become just the 48th player in history to win at least three majors.
- Move to T30 on all-time major win list with 3, joining likes of Jordan Spieth, Payne Stewart, and Hale Irwin, among others.
7. Scottie Scheffler
The 27-year-old Texan could become the 18th player in history to win multiple Masters, joining contemporaries Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson. He’d also join Jon Rahm and Collin Morikawa as the only under-30 multiple major winners.
- Become first two-time Masters’ winner of Millennial generation.
- Become two-time Masters’ winner in three-year span, signifying era dominance.
- Become 18th player in history to win multiple Masters’ titles.
- Become just the 87th player in history to win at least two majors.
8. Justin Thomas
A 16th career PGA Tour win and third career major would be a great way for JT to bust out of his nearly two-year winless streak… Would become just the 47th player in history to win at least three majors, tying for 30th on the all-time majors list.
- Become 14th player in history to win both the PGA and Masters.
- Become just the 48th player in history to win at least three (3) majors.
- Become just the 55th player in history to win at least two different majors.
- Move to T30 on all-time major win list with three (3), joining likes of Jordan Spieth, Payne Stewart, and Hale Irwin, among others.
9. Bryson DeChambeau
The 2020 U.S. Open champion would be a two-time major winner and halfway to the career grand slam. Also, would join Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, and Collin Morikawa as players of his generation with multiple majors.
- Become the 19th player in history to win both the Masters and U.S. Open, joining contemporaries Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Tiger Woods.
- Become just the 55th player in history to win at least two different majors.
- Become just the 87th player in history to win at least two majors.
- Move to T87 on all-time major win list with two (2).
T10. Cameron Smith
Like DeChambeau, a Masters win by Smith would give the Aussie two of the four titles needed for the career grand slam. With a Claret Jug and Green Jacket would also own the two most iconic trophies. Also like Bryson, would make Smith one of a handful of multi-major winners of his generation.
- Become the 16th player in history to win both the Masters and The Open, joining contemporaries Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and Zach Johnson.
- Become just the 55th player in history to win at least two different majors.
- Become just the 87th player in history to win at least two majors.
- Move to T87 on all-time major win list with two (2).
T10. Hideki Matsuyama
A win by Matsuyama would give the Japanese star two Masters titles in a four-year span (2021, 2024), historically signifying era dominance. He would become the first two-time Masters’ winner of his generation, and the first two-time major winner from Asia.
- Become first Asian player to win multiple majors.
- Become first two-time Masters’ winner of Millennial generation.
- Become 18th player in history to win multiple Masters’ titles.
- Become just the 87th player in history to win at least two majors.
- Move to T87 on all-time major win list with two (2).
First-Time Winner
While they won’t make much in terms of history, these golfers are all expected claim a major very soon. So, a victory by any will sort of get it out of the way and set up history down the road. The best players without a major, who’ve played in multiple championships: Joaquin Niemann, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay, Viktor Hovland, Will Zalatoris, and Tony Finau.
