Sleeper Picks for The Masters 2026

Your pool isn't won in Tier 1. Scheffler, Rory, Schauffele -- everyone's got one of those guys. The separation happens in the lower tiers, where one smart pick can be the difference between first and fifth.

Here are some names to target.

Ludvig Aberg

Aberg finished runner-up at Augusta in 2024 and came back with a T7 in 2025. Two trips, two top-10s. He clearly fits the course -- long off the tee, elite iron player, and he's already shown he can handle the pressure of Sunday at Augusta.

He won The Genesis Invitational last year and he's been steady all season. Depending on your pool's tier assignments, he might fall into Tier 2 territory where he's an absolute steal. The guy has unfinished business at Augusta.

Aaron Rai

Rai is the kind of pick that wins pools. He won the Wyndham Championship in 2024 and has been quietly solid since. He's not flashy, doesn't generate a lot of buzz, and that's exactly why he ends up in the lower tiers.

What makes him interesting for Augusta: he's accurate off the tee and has a sharp short game. At a course where hitting greens and getting up-and-down matters as much as distance, that combination plays. He's the type of guy who shoots four rounds in the high 60s while nobody's watching and posts a number that's hard to beat from Tier 4.

Si Woo Kim

Kim has been on a tear lately -- T6, T2, and T3 in his last three starts. That's not a fluke run, that's a guy whose game is clicking. He's made the cut at Augusta in each of his last six appearances, so he knows the course.

The knock on Kim has always been inconsistency, but when he's on, he's really on. He won The Players in 2017 at 21 years old -- the youngest ever -- so big-stage moments don't rattle him. If his current form holds into April, he's one of the most dangerous lower-tier picks in the field.

Corey Conners

Conners is a Masters machine. In his last three trips to Augusta he's finished T10, T8, and T6. That consistency is rare at a major, and it makes him one of the safest picks in the lower tiers.

He's one of the best iron players on tour, which is exactly what Augusta demands. He's not going to shoot 62 and win by five, but he's going to make the cut, post a number around even par, and not wreck your scorecard. Sometimes the pick that helps you most is the one that doesn't hurt you.

Min Woo Lee

Lee has been quietly putting together a strong season -- three straight top-12 finishes heading into the spring. He's long off the tee, which gives him a real edge on Augusta's par 5s, and he's got the kind of fearless game that plays well at majors.

He's still young and building his Masters experience, but the talent is obvious. If he lands in Tier 3 or 4 in your pool, he's got more upside than most of the guys around him.

Tommy Fleetwood

Fleetwood's been knocking around Augusta for years and has consistently been in the mix without breaking through. He opened 2026 with a T4 at Pebble Beach and looks comfortable with his game heading into the spring.

The case for Fleetwood is simple: he's been in contention at enough majors that the moment won't get too big for him, and his ball-striking is elite. He's never going to be a trendy pick, which is exactly why he ends up in a tier where he's undervalued.

How to Think About Sleeper Picks

The goal isn't to find a guy who'll win The Masters from Tier 4. The goal is to find a guy who makes the cut and posts a respectable number. With a +8 missed cut penalty, a boring pick who finishes T30 at +2 is worth way more than a dart throw who goes home Friday at +16.

Look for guys who've played Augusta before, are making cuts on tour, and are in decent current form. Check the tournament page for the full field and odds -- players with shorter odds than their tier suggests are the ones the books think are undervalued.