2026 Masters Preview: How to Watch, TV Schedule, and Top Storylines
Spring is here and so is a tradition unlike any other. With plenty of storylines around Augusta National, here’s our 2026 Masters Preview and how to watch the event with Sling.
Nothing signifies Spring more than the return of The Masters. Golf’s first major championship of the season not only marks the arrival of warmer weather, but also the first time the world’s best players all finally compete in the same tournament. With the ever-changing golf landscape and players moving from the PGA Tour to LIV, the four majors (The Masters, PGA Championship, and the U.S. and British Opens) will be the only time talent from both tours will come together and play for the biggest honors in golf.
Let’s take a look at the TV schedule and our favorite storylines to follow at Augusta National. Sling subscribers can enjoy the event starting on Wednesday, April 8 at 2pm ET with the Par 3 contest on ESPN. The full Masters streaming schedule is as follows:
The Masters Golf Tournament Schedule
*Watch with Paramount+, OTA, or utilizing The Masters App on mobile or desktop.
Additional coverage of The Masters Amazon Prime Video, Masters.com, The Masters App, and ESPN+. Includes featured groups and featured holes.
To watch ESPN’s coverage of the 2026 Masters Tournament with Sling, use the link to subscribe to a 3 Day Pass!
Can Rory McIlroy Go Back-to-Back?
https://youtu.be/hqGjzCatL6Y?si=FU9Bux_CaDaZpT1o
After years of falling just short, Rory McIlroy finally got his green jacket in 2025. Rory earned the title in dramatic fashion no less; his 3-stroke playoff win over Justin Rose was one of those Masters moments that golf fans will never forget. Having at last completed the career Grand Slam that eluded him for over a decade, McIlroy finished in the top 10 in five PGA tournaments last year, as well as securing victory at the Irish Open, a win he called “meaningful.”
Rory’s 2026 PGA season is off to another solid start. He finished tied for third at the Dubai Invitational, and finished tied for second at the The Genesis Invitational with a -17 score. There have been setbacks as well. He withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March with a back issue, then followed that by finishing 46th at The Players Championship, an event he won last year.
If it was difficult to go back-to-back at the Players, it’s nearly impossible at Augusta. In the storied history of The Masters, only three men have ever won consecutive titles: Tiger Woods (01-02), Nick Faldo (89-90), and Jack Nicklaus (65-66). While his green jacket last year ensured that his legacy is complete, he can add onto it by putting his name in alongside that elite list.
Scottie Scheffler vs. The Field
https://youtu.be/8oGIHvoyGCU?si=hwLEvqNIjkKWr05y
Although Rory may be the sentimental favorite, he’s not the betting favorite. That honor belongs to Scottie Scheffler (+550 on FanDuel). One of the most consistent players of this or any era, Scheffler holds the World Number 1 golf ranking and won The American Express with an eye-popping -27. Scottie Scheffler’s Masters odds are almost twice as high as the next golfer, indicating just how strongly he’s favored (especially in even numbered years, as he won the event in 2022 and 2024).
But can the rest of the field catch him? It’s definitely possible. Bryson Dechambeau and Jon Rahm currently have the second-best odds at +1000. The pressure of history has McIlroy currently with the fourth-best odds at +1100. He’s followed by Xander Schauffele (+1500), who enters The Masters playing some of the best golf of his career (Schauffele has finished in the top 10 in three of his last four tournaments). Ludvig Åberg (+1600), Matt Fitzpatrick (+2000) and Cameron Young (+2000) all follow.
If you’re looking for a higher-value bet, Colin Morikawa (+2700) could be your guy. Winner of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Morikawa has climbed all the way up to No. 8 in the World Golf Rankings, and the SportsLine model – which correctly predicted the last four Masters Tournaments – is high on his chances, despite withdrawing from the Valero Texas Open this week with a back issue.
Tiger Won’t Roar
https://youtu.be/R4DevnvVYww?si=kgB_eQ8v_pNaQQJY
With all of his health struggles in recent years, the question every April seems to be, “Is Tiger Woods playing in the Masters?” The short answer is no, and if you haven’t been following the news, the long answer is that he has much more important things to focus on than golf. On March 27, Woods was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after his SUV rolled over while attempting to pass a truck pulling a trailer. While his blood alcohol was 0.0, Tiger refused urinalysis, and police allegedly found two hydrocodone pills in his pocket during his arrest.
Shortly after his arrest, Woods announced that he would be “stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health,” adding “I’m committed to taking the time needed to return to a healthier, stronger, and more focused place, both personally and professionally." As golf fans no doubt remember, this isn’t Woods’ first brush with the law. He was also arrested by Jupiter police for DUI in May 2017, and he suffered severe leg injuries in 2021 due to a high-speed rollover crash in Los Angeles.
While Tiger at The Masters will always evoke fond memories from even casual golf fans, we’ll have to wait at least another year for his return to Augusta National.
Players to Watch & Betting Sleepers
Beyond the players mentioned above, here are a few names to keep an eye on:
- Ludvig Åberg - He's had three straight top 5 finishes after a slow start to the year and he already has a 2nd place finish under his belt at 2024 Masters. Åberg could earn his first green jacket in his third try…He just has to finally close the door.
- Viktor Hovland - His Masters history may be checkered, but at +4000 odds, Hovland provides significant value for a player of his overall consistency.
- LIV Mas: If you only follow the PGA, The Masters provides an opportunity to check in on players who split to join the LIV tour. At +1000 odds to win, Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau are projected to LIV large at the Masters (sorry), while Brooks Koepka (+3000) provides great value considering he finished tied for second at the 2023 event.
2026 Masters Tournament Info Table
Final Prediction
While we can’t claim to be golf or betting experts, we do have some experience identifying good storylines. For that reason, we’re riding with Colin Morikawa, whose 2026 resurgence has been one of the tour’s best stories. As CBS Sports points out, Morikawa has “ more top-fives (two), top 10s (three) [and] top 25s (five)” at The Masters than any other major tournament. He’s also finished in the top-15 the last four years in a row. The Masters gave us the storyline we all wanted last year; let’s see if it can happen again in 2026.
To watch the Par 3 contest and first and second round coverage of The Masters on ESPN with Sling, get a 1, 3, or 7 Day Pass subscription, or use the link below to subscribe to Sling Orange.