As the world’s best golfers gather at Augusta National this week, two formidable LIV Golf players emerge as the strongest contenders for the green jacket.
Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau possess the elite ball-striking, mental toughness, and major-winning experience that Augusta National rewards.
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Here are 10 key reasons why one of them is poised to claim victory.
JON RAHM
1. Elite form
During the past three months, no golfer in the world has played better than the Legion XIII captain. According to DataGolf, Rahm has gained an average of 2.69 strokes on the field per tournament. That puts him above pre-tournament favorite Scottie Scheffler’s +2.67. While he narrowly missed defeating DeChambeau in the LIV Golf South Africa playoff, history suggests that’s not a bad thing: winning the week immediately before the Masters is rare. Only a handful of champions have done so on the PGA Tour, and most recent winners (including himself in 2023) performed well without claiming victory in their final tune-up. Rahm reeled off wins earlier in the season before earning his green jacket in 2023, as did recent champions like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.
2. Greens in Regulation
Rahm has led LIV Golf in Greens in Regulation this season at an impressive 82%. Eight of the past 10 Masters champions entered the week ranked 12th or better in GIR within their respective tours. With scrambling historically difficult at Augusta National, Rahm’s elite ball-striking should leave him scrambling far less than the rest of the field.
3. Ball-striking
Rahm ranks 1st on LIV Golf in Strokes Gained: Approach, a highly predictive stat for success at Augusta National. He also ranks 3rd in the league in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, giving him a powerful combination of distance and accuracy off the tee. This elite ball-striking profile mirrors the strengths of recent Masters champions, and positions Rahm to dominate Augusta’s demanding second shots all week.