Masters 2026: The usual headliners and players who could steal the show

The same familiar faces are going to be discussed heavily at Augusta this week. 

Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth and Xander Schauffele will dominate the conversations all week long. Under normal circumstances, Tiger Woods would be in this group, drawing all the usual attention. Instead, after his recent arrest and stepping away from the game, his absence lingers over the entire tournament. The same stars will receive the spotlight, but Augusta has a way of allowing a couple of other guys to creep into contention every year.

They may not be the names everyone is used to but expect to see one or two of these guys lurking around the top of the leaderboard on Sunday.

Tommy Fleetwood

Tommy Fleetwood has a solid track record at Augusta. In 2024, he finished third at the Masters and he has made the cut in his last seven appearances in the event. Fleetwood is not going to overpower the course, but he keeps mistakes to a minimum, and those are the guys who usually find themselves in the mix late.

Cameron Young

Cameron Young was finally able to get his breakthrough victory after winning The Players Championship in March. He was tied for seventh at the 2023 Masters, so he has some success navigating Augusta. His driver is as good as anyone is in the field, and he will have no trouble bombing his way to some eagle chances on par fives. Give Young even an average day putting and things can get uncomfortable for the rest of the field pretty quickly.

Justin Rose

There is a good chance come Sunday that Justin Rose’s name may be near the top of the leaderboard. He has been the runner-up twice at Augusta, losing to Sergio Garcia in a playoff in 2017 and losing to Rory Mcllroy in 2025. Beyond his close calls, he also has six career top 10 finishes at the Masters. After several close calls in Augusta, 2026 may be the year for Rose.

Hideki Matsuyama

Hideki Matsuyama is a past champion that does not always get his flowers and will likely not be at the top of the conversation this week. Matsuyama won the Masters in 2021, and his Augusta record in the past 10 years speaks for itself. He has made the cut 13 times out of his last 14 appearances and is as reliable as they come at Augusta. If his irons are dialed in, Matsuyama can easily find himself in contention come Sunday.

The Masters has a way of shifting as the weekend unfolds. The big names usually show up, but it is still unpredictable. Every few years, someone works their way into the picture and suddenly they are right there in the mix. By Sunday, it turns into a real chance to make a name for themselves.