The Masters Favourites 2022: 5 Top Contenders

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published 2 March 2022

Who will be slipping into the Green Jacket this year?

Chances are, it will be one of the favourites who have form and experience of winning big events, Majors and FedEx Cup titles. Here we consider five players who might be Masters champion for 2022.

Xander Schauffele

The American has the silky skills to master Augusta, plus the cool temperament not to be overawed by the occasion or venue. The Olympic champion was runner-up in 2019 and tied third last year. He’s only played in 17 Majors but has finished in the top-10 in nine of them!

Cameron Smith

A winner in Hawaii early in 2022, Smith’s game is well suited to Augusta as he's a tremendous putter. His Masters record is very good too. Tied fifth in 2018, runner-up in 2020 and tied 10th last year.

Jordan Spieth

The 2015 champion has a stellar record at Augusta. In eight starts he has a win, two runner-up finishes as well as two third places. He’s never missed the cut. He’s a real Major performer with three Major titles and a further nine top-five finishes.

Jon Rahm

He’s the World Number 1. But aside from that, he has a great record at Augusta. He’s finished in the top-10 in each of the last four instalments. Last year he finished in the top-10 at every Major (including his win in the U.S. Open.) He’ll be there or thereabouts.

Rory McIlroy

The Northern Irishman has long been touted as a Masters winner and this could be the season he gets that coveted career grand slam. He may have missed the cut last year, but he finished in the top-10 in six of the seven Masters Tournaments before that.

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?