Now that Rory McIlroy has his Masters, who needs one more?

Newly created last year Masters Champion Rory McIlroy strode into the press building, sat down and spoke directly to the assembled group of writers.

“I would like to start this press conference with a question of my own,” he said. “What will we all be talking about next year?”

Everyone laughed. The subtext was clear: For a decade plus, the biggest Masters story was a version of it can rory do it this year? He had blown a 63-hole lead in 2011. He had completed the other three-quarters of his career Grand Slam in fantastic fashion. He had spent a decade winning everything in the sport except a major championship. Last year, Rory Story was the only story of the Masters – or at least it felt that way given how much bigger and heavier it felt with him in the mix.

So whose story needs a green jacket ending? On McIlroy’s question: Who should we talk about now?

There is no logical successor to McIlroy, who used it at Augusta every year with a very specific pressure. it NEEDED a Masters title to round out his resume – and was so good at golf that he and the rest of the golfing world thought it would be a tragedy if he didn’t. We knew the way we’d talk about McIlroy post-Masters would be radically different, if only he could get over the line.

Everyone’s CV changes dramatically when they earn a Masters, of course. But whose conversation changes the most? Using those two factors — the resume gap plus the talent required to fill it — here are the five guys who need this Masters no.

Honorable mentions

Scottie Scheffler would catch McIlroy and Koepka on the five-major mark with a win, but given the clip he’s been playing at – not to mention the recent birth of his second child – he doesn’t “need” anything at the moment… Rory McIlroy there will be a lot of attention on him, but he doesn’t need it, he deserves at least a Masters before we pile expectations on him again… Jon Rahm will be among the favorites, but there is already a Master… our expectations for Brooks Koepka are currently in a safe space, medium… Chris Gotterup AND Jacob Bridgeman headlined by Masters first-timers who should consider this year a free list… Cameron Young get a grace period after the players, any strong form at Augusta would be a win… Collin Morikawa’s The latest injury means we’re taking a break from the expectations match… Patrick Cantlay, Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, Russell Henley AND Robert MacIntyre are among the top active players yet to win a major, so that would be massive, there’s just no clear sign that this will be the week.

Anyway, you get the idea. It would be great for anyone. It would be slightly larger for the following:

5. Ludwig Aberg

of Ludwig Aberg the story in Masters is short but strong. In 2024, in his debut show, he finished runner-up to Scheffler. In 2025 he actually had an even better chance of winning; had he played his last three holes in one under, he would have reached a playoff, instead he finished three-over and tied for seventh.

Aberg need a Masters? No. He is still among the youngest major players on the PGA Tour and he remains on the rise. But also, of course he needs one! He’s been knocking on the door at major tournaments, letting the Players Championship slip away last month (and the Texas Open on Sunday). He’s still young, but he’s not getting any younger. At Aberg’s age (26-and-a-half years old), Jordan Spieth had three majors, Rory McIlroy had four, Tiger Woods had six. In fairness Brooks Koepka had zero, Phil Mickelson had zero and Scottie Scheffler had just captured first. So there is plenty of time. But he comes in form, which makes this a great chance.

4. Xander Schauffele

There’s extra credit here for the guys who’ve come close before, and on Sunday at the 2021 Masters, Xander Schauffele holed out at Augusta National’s 16th at 10 under par — the eventual winning score — and made it a freak triple.

However, there is no need to dwell on the negatives. Schauffele is on this list because he has been the Championship’s most consistent player over the last four years; since his last major loss at the 2022 Masters, he has played 15 majors and won more times (twice) than he has finished outside the top 12 (once, a T28 at last year’s PGA). He also comes third in the Players and T4 at Valspar, suggesting his game is rounding into form at the right time.

A Masters victory would also do something else interesting: It would give him a third career Grand Slam, setting up a US Open at Shinnecock in which both Scheffler and Schauffele would be one win away from joining McIlroy in history.

Still, let’s see Schauffele pick this up before we start giving him a US Open as well.

3. Bryson DeChambeau

This is as much a positive game as anything else; DeChambeau’s career would suddenly enter completely different territory if he were to add a green jacket to his two US Open trophies. Going from two majors to three suddenly thins the air it occupies.

He should also have a great shot at competition this year. He enters in strong form off the back of two LIV wins in a row, he has finished T6 and T5 in his last two Masters starts and seems to have finally found some answers for a venue that troubled him his first six attempts as a pro. There is also the matter of some unfinished business after he played alongside McIlroy on Sunday last year and faded with a 75.

DeChambeau’s resume is stellar. But to continue climbing the ranks of this generation’s best — and continue to cement his reputation as someone who can make it anywhere — he would benefit greatly from a green jacket. (His YouTube channel would be too.)

2. Tommy Fleetwood

The best active player without a Masters is playing the best golf of his life. Last fall he won the Tour Championship, he won in India, he won in Bethpage. He has recorded four top 10s in five PGA Tour starts in 2026. He also has seven career top-fives in majors, most recently a T3 at the 2024 Masters.

East Lake was massive for Fleetwood. This represents the next step.

1. Justin Rose

Even McIlroy felt for Rose last year, even though he beat him with a birdie on the first playoff hole.

And while there was no sense that Rose “lost” the tournament – McIlroy was 14 under for the tournament through 10 holes on Sunday, while Rose was 7 under on Sunday, his charge a wild and dramatic bonus – there is a more general sense that he should be part of this club. Rose is a great champion and an Olympic gold medalist. He is also the only player to lose in two playoffs at Augusta National. It would be poetic if this year was his turn.

Does Rose need a Master’s degree? Not really. That’s the gist of this piece, McIlroy’s joke, of the current pro landscape going into this year’s first major. No one needs it like he needed it.

But a whole bunch of guys sure love her anyway.

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