2026 Masters Debutants and Amateurs: Picks, Odds & Course Fit for Every First-Timer at Augusta | Betsperts Golf

The annual trek to Augusta National Golf Club is an honor for any professional golfer, but returning golfers know what they’re in for. For those teeing it up for the first time at the Masters, ignorance is definitely not bliss.

I’m required by law to inform you of two pertinent pieces of information. First, course history matters more at Augusta National than at any other course on Tour. Second, no golfer has won in their debut since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.

This year’s class of debutants is deep. It’s a field of 22, with 16 pros and 6 amateurs. We’ll highlight the professional golfers and amateurs separately since I don’t anticipate an Am being the top debutant, but those odds are listed as well.

If you haven’t already done so, please take a moment to check out my Masters Players Guide. It features a detailed look at every player in this year’s field, including their recent history at Augusta National, their best career finish here, and a statistical look at their recent form heading into the week.

2026 Masters Best Bets: Top Debutant

Chris Gotterup (+400, DraftKings)

Current OWGR: 9th

What a difference a year makes. At this time last year, Chris Gotterup had missed the cut in 8 of 11 2025 starts. While there were always signs of his potential, it seemed possible that Gotterup’s ceiling would be someone who could pick off a Myrtle Beach Classic or ISCO win, but likely not someone who’d have the full game to compete in strong fields or on more testing venues. But Gotterup seemed to turn a corner last May, stringing together multiple T25 finishes before showing up in July at Scotland’s Renaissance Club, where he’d eventually hold off Rory McIlroy and a handful of other elite contenders to win the Scottish Open.

Gotterup followed it up with a solo third-place finish the following week at The Open Championship, and he hasn’t let up. He’s won twice this season, at Waialae and TPC Scottsdale, two courses that demand wildly different skill sets on paper. If at first he held my curiosity, now, he has my attention.

Augusta National also demands a particular skill set, and it’s incredibly rare to see someone navigate it smoothly the first time around the property. This will be Gotterup’s fifth major championship start, and he’s the only debutant currently in the OWGR’s top 10.

Jacob Bridgeman (+640, DraftKings)

Current OWGR: 17th

There’s been no better bet to make in 2026 than a Jacob Bridgeman top 20 bet. The 26-year-old Clemson alum is 8 for 8 this season, including a wire-to-wire Signature Event win at Riviera in February.

This is the type of lead-in form that we want our golfers to have. Now, can Bridgeman keep the train rolling in his first Masters start? That’s the question. Yes, we haven’t seen a debutant win since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979, but it’s not uncommon for someone to play well on debut here. Without digging back too far, off the top of my head, Tony Finau, Will Zalatoris, and Ludvig Åberg all finished T10 or better in their first trip here. Prior to the finish at Valero, only Scottie Scheffler has averaged more strokes gained per round (2.04) than Bridgeman’s 1.88 in 2026. Bridgeman’s putter is at the heart of his success, having gained strokes putting in a remarkable 27 of his 30 measured rounds this season. He’ll need to show up tee-to-green to keep his T20 streak rolling.

Ben Griffin (+750, DraftKings)

Current OWGR: 16th

It’s crazy to think that this is Ben Griffin‘s first Masters appearance, considering the year he had in 2025. Griffin won three times and earned his way onto the U.S. Ryder Cup squad at Bethpage. Overall, he finished among the top 10 in 12 of his 30 starts, after totaling nine top tens in the three previous years combined.

Unfortunately, that guy has not shown up yet in 2026. Griffin averaged 0.62 strokes gained per round ball-striking in 2025. For the season, that was among the top 20 in this week’s field, right around Xander Schauffele, Ludvig Åberg, Chris Gotterup, and Russell Henley. Through his first 26 rounds of 2026, Griffin is 1.21 strokes worse, down to -0.59 strokes gained per round ball-striking. The Top Debutant market is strong this season, and if you asked me back in January, I’d have guessed that Ben Griffin would be the favorite, but now we see he sits third on the odds board, which makes sense given his form and how well Gotterup and Bridgeman have played in 2026.

Marco Penge (+990, DraftKings)

Current OWGR: 37th

Marco Penge was dominating on the Challenger Tour before earning his way into DP World Tour fields. He started slow and then turned a corner in 2025. He won three times and made a splash in the co-sanctioned Scottish Open, where he finished T2 and flashed a skill set built for long PGA Tour setups.

He earned his PGA Tour card and got off to a slow start due to injury and the adjustments that come with moving to a new country. He’s posted two T20 finishes in his past four starts, but I’m cooling expectations a bit until we get into some of the softer field summer events. There’s a ton of talent here, but we should expect much from him at this year’s event.

Ryan Gerard (+1000, DraftKings)

Current OWGR: 28th

This is Ryan Gerard‘s fifth major championship start, but his first appearance at the Masters. He’s cooled off a bit, missing the cut in two of his past three starts after kicking 2026 off with a bang. He started the season with back-to-back second-place finishes, and his approach play had been about as good as anyone’s. It’s possible that Gerard just needed a break after grinding every week to kick off the season. 

I don’t want to overreact to his recent stumble, but clearly I’d rather see him trending well than heading to Magnolia Lane on a bit of a downturn. Gerard is still just 26 years old, and a name to watch over the next few seasons, but it’s tough to have any expectations for him here, considering he’s done most of his damage against weak fields on shorter golf courses.

Harry Hall (+1000, DraftKings)

Current OWGR: 59th

Harry Hall finished the 2025 season in fine fashion, punching his first ticket to Augusta National after qualifying for the TOUR Championship at East Lake. His T17 at East last was part of a 13-event stretch that saw Hall finish inside the top 25 12 times, the lone exception being a T28 at Royal Portrush.

This will be Hall’s first Masters but fourth major championship start. Hall’s profile is one I often avoid when filling out my betting card. There’s a lot of upside because his short game is so strong, and even though it tends to be more statistically noisy than a solid foundation of elite ball-striking, we see it week in and week out with Hall; this is who he is. The inverse here is that he’s below average off the tee, both in distance and accuracy, and his approach upside is pretty limited. He’s essentially 85% Cameron Smith just before he started winning. It’s hard to argue with Smith’s success at Augusta National, but that’s a big ask for Hall in his debut. He could have some sneaky DFS potential, but he’s not someone I’m betting on.

Sam Stevens (+1100, DraftKings)

Current OWGR: 44th

This is Sam Stevens‘ sixth major championship start, but his first trip to Augusta National. He’s made the cut in each of his previous major starts, and he’s had an under-the-radar start to 2026. Playing more often in Signature Events and in major championships is a big step up for the former Oklahoma State Cowboy, but I don’t think it’s something he can’t handle.

Stevens is coming off a solo fifth-place finish in Houston, his best finish to date on the 2026 calendar, but he’s made the cut in eight of his nine starts. Over the past 36 rounds, Stevens is 17th in this field in SG: T2G, ahead of Brooks Kopeka, Akshay Bhatia, Viktor Hovland, and Patrick Cantlay. He’s historically been a slightly above-average putter, but his short game has held him back this season. The good news is that he’s fared best on Bent grass greens, which he’ll get this week. Expectations should be low, but in a loaded Top Debutant market, Stevens is a sneaky down-the-board look if you’re looking to stay clear of the chalk.

Casey Jarvis (+1375, DraftKings)

Current OWGR: 69th

There aren’t many golfers who will come to Augusta National in better form than 22-year-old Casey Jarvis. Jarvis is currently third in the DP World Tour rankings, having won back-to-back starts in Kenya and South Africa last month. He nearly won his next start as well, a T2 finish at the Joburg Open. Jarvis bookended this run with T13 finishes, first on the Challenger Tour, and then in his last start at the Indian Open.

This is obviously a huge step up, both in the demands of the course and the strength of competition. Winning is difficult to do on any tour, especially at such a young age, so I’m excited to see how he responds to the moment. From a course fit standpoint, if I’m making a comp to PGA Tour venues, Jarvis appears to be more Harbour Town than Augusta National. He gains off the tee through accuracy, not distance. We’ll see if he’s ready for this test, and it looks like we’ll be seeing a lot more of him stateside in 2027.

Kristoffer Reitan (+1375, DraftKings)

Current OWGR: 49th

The move from Europe to the States and the shift from playing on the DP World Tour to competing weekly on the PGA Tour is no small feat. It’s one that Kristoffer Reitan earned in 2025 with an exceptional season, but he’s fighting to find the form that landed him here.

Reitan had a run of eight T6 or better finishes in 14 DP World Tour starts from late April to October last season, including a win at the Soudal Open. He won again in December, the Nedbank Golf Challenge, before heading stateside in 2026. His T10 at last week’s Valero was his best showing of the season, and the first time he’s gained strokes on approach, after going 0-6 to start the year. Making your debut at Augusta National is difficult enough, even if your game is completely dialed in.

Tom McKibbin (+1425, DraftKings)

Current OWGR: 102nd

This will be 23-year-old Tom McKibbin‘s fifth major championship start, but his first at Augusta National. The much-heralded Northern Ireland native has yet to crack the top 40 in his previous four major championship starts, and he’s struggling to post top 20 finishes in LIV Golf’s 54-man fields. McKibbin has made five starts this season on LIV, with his best finish, a T17 in Riyadh, coming back in February.

McKibbin is young and still has a ton of potential, and as he gains experience, he could have a bright future. In the short term, his iron play is just nowhere near where it needs to be if he wants to be consistently competitive, even on LIV.

Andrew Novak (+1600, DraftKings)

Current OWGR: 47th

Andrew Novak started to heat up around this time last year, but there aren’t a lot of signs that this spring is going to go quite as well. Novak partnered with Ben Griffin to win last year’s Zurich Classic, and he played well enough to earn his spot in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, making it all the way to Atlanta and the Tour Championship.

Novak played well again at Torrey Pines (T7) in January, but he’s struggled to build any momentum off of it. Overall, Novak has played his best when the scoring conditions are easier, the field strength is weak, and the course features Bermuda grass greens. He’ll get none of that this week as he makes his first start at Augusta National.

Rasmus Neergaard Petersen (+1750, DraftKings)

Current OWGR: 68th

Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen’s win at the Australian Open in December secured his spot at this year’s Masters. The Australian Open is one of the auto-qualifying events for the winner, and it pushed him into the OWGR’s top 50 at the same time.

He’s slid back a bit since. The 26-year-old has struggled to find his footing on the PGA Tour, which is not uncommon for young DP World Tour grads who come stateside for the first time. It has to be a pretty massive real-life adjustment. He’s made the cut in five of his six PGA Tour starts, though just one (a T40 at PGA National) landed him inside the top 40. He’s not on my radar at all, and a made cut has to be considered a win.

Sami Valimaki (+1900, DraftKings)

Current OWGR: 57th

November was kind to Sami Valimaki. He carried the momentum of a T2 at the World Wide Technology Championship into a win later that month at the RSM Classic, which earned him his first career Masters invite.

We’ll occasionally see the Finn pop on a long course setup against a weak field, like Mexico, Myrtle Beach, or Houston, but 2026 has been a giant step up in field strength for Valimaki. He’s missed the cut at PGA National and Sawgrass, and he’ll look to break that streak at the Valero Texas Open before heading to Augusta National. My expectations are low.

Johnny Keefer (+2000, DraftKings)

Current OWGR: 60th

This will be Johnny Keefer‘s third career major championship start, but his first time putting a peg in the ground at Augusta National. The Korn Ferry Tour grad finished the 2025 season inside the top 50 of the OWGR, which is how he earned his way into this field.

There’s a ton of future upside here with Keefer, who routinely gains off the tee and spikes on approach. As he gains experience on the PGA Tour, we’ll likely see him stabilize, and the upside potential is quite tantalizing. His short game needs a lot of work. It’s keeping him out of contention, and in most cases, it’s keeping him on the wrong side of the cut line.

Michael Brennan (+2050, DraftKings)

Current OWGR: 45th

We know that Augusta National has historically been rude to first-timers, so we’ll start there. It’s also important to note that Michael Brennan, winner of the fall’s Bank of Utah Championship, is struggling to find his footing so far in 2026. Brennan was slated to play the 2026 season on the Korn Ferry Tour, but his dominant win in Utah helped him earn his PGA Tour card, so he bypassed the KFT and jumped right into the thick of things with the world’s best.

The Wake Forest alum has easy power, leading this week’s field in club head speed. He routinely sits in the low 190s on ball speed, so while success at Augusta National requires a lot more than just sheer power, at least Brennan has it moving forward while the rest of his game catches up. Right now, his putter is keeping him out of contention, even against the softest of fields.

Naoyuki Kataoka (+9400, DraftKings)

Current OWGR: 366th

Naoyuki Kataoka won the fall’s Japan Open, qualifying him for this year’s Masters. It was his first win since the 2021 Japan PLAYERS Championship, and he’s competing on the PGA Tour of Australasia this spring. I like that the Masters has quirky qualifying paths for players around the world, but it feels strange that competitive PGA Tour pros are home while Noayuki Kataoka is in this field. No offense to Kataoka, he deserves to be here, but I think adding at-large spots to fill a field of 100 would be a good solution. Also, keeping former winners, Am winners, and whoever Augusta National officials want to participate in the field.

2026 Masters Amateurs

Mason Howell (a)

Current Am ranking: 114th

Low Am (+230, DraftKings)

Top Debutant (+6000, DraftKings)

The U.S. Amateur Champion gets to play in the first two rounds with the defending Masters champ, so 19-year-old Mason Howell will be playing with his idol, Rory McIlroy, the first time he plays at Augusta National. Not a bad gig. This isn’t Howell’s first major championship start, though. Last year, the then-high-school-senior shot 63-63 in qualifying to earn his way into the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont, where he shot 77-76 to miss the cut.

Howell, aka “The Moose”, beat Jackson “The Fridge” Herrington 7 and 6 in the finals, capping a remarkable run by Howell, who entered the event as the 63rd seed. Howell’s play earned him a spot on the 2025 Walker Cup team as well, where he went 2-0-1.

Ethan Fang (a)

Current Am ranking: 8th

Low Am (+305, DraftKings)

Top Debutant (+8000, DraftKings)

Ethan Fang, a member of the 2025 U.S. Walker Cup team, became the first American to win the British Amateur Championship in 18 years, using all 36 holes to defeat Ireland’s Gavin Tiernan 1 up. Fang has reached as high as 3rd in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), helping the Oklahoma State Cowboys to the 2025 NCAA Division I title. He’ll likely be the favorite for Low-Am.

Fifa Laopakdee (a)

Current Am ranking: 25th

Low Am (+345, DraftKings)

Top Debutant (+8000, DraftKings)

Fifa Laopakdee is currently 5th in the WAGR rankings, making him the top-ranked amateur in this year’s Masters. The Arizona State Sun Devil earned his spot by winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in October, where he staged a remarkable comeback, having started the final round six strokes behind the leader. With five birdies on the back nine, he forced a playoff and then birdied three consecutive holes (18-17-18) to outlast Japan’s Taisei Nagasaki.

This victory made Laopakdee the first Thai player to win the championship and the first Thai amateur to compete in the Masters. It also granted him an invite to the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. 

Jackson Herrington (a)

Current Am ranking: 116th

Low Am (+540, DraftKings)

Top Debutant (+10000, DraftKings)

The Tennessee sophomore was the U.S. Amateur runner-up, which punches a ticket to both the Masters and U.S. Open. Though the southpaw will be playing in the Masters for the first time, he’s been on the grounds before, having attended the 2014 event won by another lefty, Bubba Watson. Herrington is a unit, and his UT teammates have dubbed him “The Fridge”. Nothing beats a good nickname.

Brandon Holtz (a)

Current Am ranking: 4,033rd

Low Am (+550, DraftKings)

Top Debutant (+10000, DraftKings)

This is one of the better stories that we have this year. Brandon Holtz is a 38-year-old real estate broker from Bloomington, Illinois, and a former Division I basketball player at Illinois State. Holtz tried his hand on the mini-tours for six years before regaining his Am status in 2024. 

Holtz won the U.S. Mid-Am back in September, earning him entry into both the Masters and U.S. Open in June. Holtz’s father won the coveted lifetime Masters badge back in 2004, so Holtz and his family have attended the event every year since. This year, father and son will be inside the ropes, with Holtz’s dad lined up to caddie for his son. So cool.

Mateo Pulcini (a)

Current Am ranking: 173rd

Low Am (+610, DraftKings)

Top Debutant (+10000, DraftKings)

Argentina’s Mateo Pulcini earned his spot in the 2026 Masters by winning the Latin America Amateur Championship in January at the Lima Golf Club in Peru. The 25-year-old Arkansas Razorback became the oldest champion in the event’s 11-year history.

His win also earned him exemptions into the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills and the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. He’s hoping to get in a practice round with fellow Argentine, 2009 Masters champion Angel Cabrera.

My Picks:

Top Debutant – Sam Stevens (11/1)

Low Am – Fifa Laopakdee (+345)