Rankings

Power Rankings: 2020 Masters

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November 10, 2020

5. Xander Schauffele

Xander Schauffele walks with his caddie Austin Kaiser on the 2nd hole during the final round of the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club on Sep 7, 2020 in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

It’s a major, so expect Xander Schauffele to be in the mix, as he has six top 10s in his last eight major starts. Among those without a major yet, Schaffele feels the most “due,” and a breakout feels inevitable.

The world No. 8 was one of the three players who shared second place last time, and was even tied with Tiger Woods through 14 holes on Sunday, one of two players (Francesco Molinari) who were tied with him before he pulled off birdies on 15 and 16.

The 27-year-old tee-to-green expert has finished in the top 25 of his last 11(!) starts, and had the lowest score of anyone at the Tour Championship (Dustin Johnson won after getting to start the tournament at 10-under).

Expecting him to get at least into the mix is possibly the safest reasonable bet that could be made this week.

World Rank: 8th
Odds to Win: 16-1
Odds Top 5: 4-1
Odds Top 10: 2-1
Last Six: 17, 2, 5, 1, 25, 25

4. Brooks Koepka

Brooks Koepka plays his shot from the 10th tee during the final round of the 2020 PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park on Aug 9, 2020 in San Francisco, CA. Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

You can bet that more than a few of Brooks Koepka’s competitors took note of the 65-65 weekend the four-time major winner had last week in Houston, which vaulted him to a T5 finish, as he is finally rounding back into form following an injury that forced him out of the U.S. Open, where he was the two-time defending champion.

Koepka speculated that his finish could have been even better, had he not switched to a new driver for his first two rounds. Brooks lives for majors: in his last 11 majors starts, he has four wins, two runner-ups, a T4, and a T6.

At the PGA Championship however, he did show some shocking vulnerability with a Sunday collapse after he had again gotten himself into contention. If his body is healed up, there is no reason to expect anything but his best stuff. In last year’s edition, he was the last contender taken down by Tiger, finishing T2.

World Rank: 12th
Odds to Win: 17-1
Odds Top 5: 4-1
Odds Top 10: 2-1
Last Six: 5, 28, MC, 29, 2, MC

3. Jon Rahm

Jon Rahm Wins BMW Championship — Jon Rahm reacts to his putt on the 18th hole in a playoff during the final round of the BMW Championship at Olympia Fields CC (North) on Aug 30, 2020 in Olympia Fields, IL. Photo by Tracy Wilcox/PGA TOUR via Getty Images

Now No. 2 in the world rankings, Jon Rahm is the only player within a stones throw of Dustin Johnson, the only thing missing from the 25-year-old Spaniard’s resume is a major championship.

With his game, it will be shocking if Rahm does not win AT LEAST three majors in his career, but No. 1 has to come first and he is, justifiably, among the best bets to take Augusta, where he has placed inside the top 10 in the last two editions.

In the last two calendar years, Rahm has five wins worldwide, along with five runner-ups, and three third place finishes. In that span, he has finished in the top 10 in a ridiculous 60.4% of his starts, and has won on the PGA Tour twice since the restart from the COVID layoff.

Rahm led the Tour in strokes gained: total last season and was second in scoring average. There is not a shot that he does not have in his bag. Simply put: he’s really, really good.

World Rank: 2nd
Odds to Win: 10-1
Odds Top 5: 2-1
Odds Top 10: 1-1
Last Six: 2, 17, 23, 6, 1, 6

2. Bryson DeChambeau

Bryson DeChambeau Shriners Open TPC Summerlin Las Vegas — Bryson DeChambeau hits his tee shot on the 16th hole during the final round of the Shriners Hospitals For Children Open at TPC Summerlin on October 11, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

For the first time in his career, The Scientist goes into a major as the favorite. If he didn’t want that pressure, he shouldn’t have won September’s U.S. Open by six shots.

What Bryson DeChambeau has done with his body is largely unprecedented in professional golf. He is not the first player to live in the gym and add muscle, but nobody has had such a prodigious transformation in such a short time.

The 27-year-old is now hitting the ball longer than anyone in Tour history. And on top of that, he can putt. Players have been astounded by how little DeChambeau has left to the green after his mammoth drives.

Coming into the season, the SMU product had never finished better than 15th in a major, but has gone T4-WIN in the two this year. His best finish at Augusta was a T21 as an amateur in 2016. He may be changing the game, and if he pulls off a victory this week, he will garner even more attention as a sports superstar.

World Rank: 6th
Odds to Win: 8-1
Odds Top 5: 2-1
Odds Top 10: 1-1
Last Six: 8, 1, 25, 50, MC, 4

1. Dustin Johnson

Desperately needing to add a second major to his 23-win resume, Dustin Johnson could benefit greatly both from the lack of fans, and all the attention that is being bestowed on Bryson DeChambeau.

The World No. 1 has finished runner-up in three of the past five majors, including to Tiger at Augusta last year. In his first start since missing time with COVID-19, he rebounded from a first round 72 at the Houston Open with rounds of 66, 66, 65 respectively and finished in second place.

DJ closed the 2020 season with three wins and two runner-ups in his last seven starts, with the Tour Championship among his victories. He gained three strokes on the field tee-to-green in round Nos. 2-4 at the recent U.S. Open, and it also does not hurt that he’s finished in the top 10 in each of his last four Masters starts.

We think this is the year the Augusta National Committee has to rifle through the back of their closet, looking for an XL jacket with long sleeves.

World Rank: 1st
Odds to Win: 9-1
Odds Top 5: 2-1
Odds Top 10: 1-1
Last Six: 2, 6, 3, 2, 1, 2