The Masters 2026: Three First-Round Leader Betting Tips From The Panel
The 2026 US Masters gets underway at Augusta National soon, and while the outright market is inevitably dominated by Scottie Scheffler and the rest of the usual suspects, the first-round leader market is well worth a closer look.
Scheffler is the 11/2 favourite on betting sites to wear the Green Jacket for a third time, closely followed by defending champion Rory McIlroy, who is available at 12/1.
Instead of siding with the frontrunners, The Panel have looked further down the market and picked out five Masters each-way tips for the first major of the year.
Bookmakers offer plenty of markets on one of the world's greatest sporting spectacles, including the first-round leader, which can sometimes see one of the lesser lights leading the way after Thursday's play.
Here, The Panel have selected three US Masters first-round-leader betting tips, which start with an obvious candidate.
The Masters First-Round Leader Tips: Rose Can Blossom Again
Where else do you start? Justin Rose is making his 21st appearance at The Masters, a venue that has brought him plenty of heartache over the years, but a lot of success as a first-round leader.
Twelve months ago, Rose suffered another near-miss when he lost to Ryder Cup team-mate McIlroy at the first play-off hole.
Rose had endured the same fate in 2017 when Sergio Garcia made a birdie on the first extra hole to secure his first major title.
Two years earlier, Rose had also finished runner-up to Jordan Spieth, so it has been a frustrating tournament for Rose, whose success at the 2013 US Open remains his only major title.
However, there is no question the 45-year-old Englishman has often put himself in a great position to end his major drought, especially at The Masters.
Rose held a three-shot lead after the opening round in 2025 - the fifth time he had topped the leaderboard after the first 18 holes, pushing him one clear of Jack Nicklaus as the outright record holder.
His form is equally compelling. In February, Rose posted a tournament-record score of 23-under for a seven-stroke, wire-to-wire victory at the Farmers Insurance Open.
The win at Torrey Pines was his second in eight tournaments following his dramatic play-off victory over JJ Spaun at the FedEx St Jude Championship.
He has also been inside the top 10 after round one in three of his last seven appearances, so Rose looks an ideal pick for the first of the Masters first-round leader tips.
The Masters First-Round Betting Tips 1: Justin Rose 22/1 First-Round Leader (Each-Way) - With Betfred (Five Places)
The Masters First-Round Leader Betting Tips 2026:
- Justin Rose 22/1 First-Round Leader (Each-Way) - With Betfred (Five Places)
- Cameron Young 25/1 First-Round Leader (Each-Way) - With Betfred (Five Places)
- Akshay Bhatia 45/1 First-Round Leader (Each-Way) - With Betfred (Five Places)
The Masters First-Round Leader Tips: Young At Heart
Cameron Young heads to Augusta as a two-time PGA Tour winner after claiming The Players Championship title.
The one-shot victory over Matt Fitzpatrick at TPC Sawgrass was his third consecutive top-10 finish, a run which has seen him rise to a career-high third in the world rankings, so his form cannot be questioned.
It's been feast or fallow for the 28-year-old New Yorker in his four appearances at Augusta where he has finished inside the top 10 twice in between two missed cuts, but he must surely be in for a good four days judging by recent performances.
In the years when he posted top-10 finishes, Young also got off to fast starts; T4 after the opening round in 2023 followed by a share of eighth spot 12 months later.
Furthermore, Young tied for fourth after the opening 18 holes at Bay Hill and was one shot off the lead at the end of Thursday's play at Sawgrass, so the trends suggest he could burst out of the blocks in Georgia.
The American is in the form of his life and it would not be a surprise were he to win his first major title at 20/1, but instead The Panel are taking him in the first-round leader market at xx/1 with one of the betting apps.
The Masters First-Round Betting Tips 2: Cameron Young 25/1 First-Round Leader (Each-Way) - With Betfred (Five Places)
US Masters First-Round Leader Betting Tips: Bhatia Is Bouncing
Akshay Bhatia, like Rose and Young, heads into the year's first major with a recent title under his belt, so his confidence will be sky high as he prepares to make his third appearance at this iconic course.
The 24-year-old Californian saw off long-time leader Daniel Berger in a play-off to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill - the third PGA Tour title of his burgeoning career.
His decision to play at the Indian Open at the end of March raised a few eyebrows, especially after a disastrous first round in which he sent the ball out of bounds on the opening hole and made triple bogey at the 15th, having hit the wrong ball.
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However, the left-hander has otherwise been in excellent nick, finishing inside the top 20 in five successive tournaments until he decided to play in the country of his ancestors.
Bhatia made the cut in both of his appearances at Augusta, shooting 72 in 2024 and 70 a year later.
The world number 20 also got off to fast starts at Riviera (T7) and TPC Scottsdale (T14) - and he was T18 after the opening round at Bay Hill.
The Panel suspect the missed cut in India will have no bearing on how Bhatia performs at Augusta where he is expected to continue his run of decent form.
The Masters First-Round Betting Tips 3: Akshay Bhatia 45/1 First-Round Leader (Each-Way) - With Betfred (Five Places)
Who do you think will lead The Masters after the opening round? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!
