This Masters Will Be Won By a Past Champion

In this Fact or Fiction, the SI Golf staff at Augusta debates whether a new green jacket will be needed come Sunday evening given a Round 1 leaderboard peppered with past champs.

Former Masters champion Patrick Reed is two shots off the early pace after an opening 69. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

AUGUSTA — Round 1 is in the books at the 90th Masters and familiar names are filling the first page of the leaderboard.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy schemed his way around Augusta National with a 67 that is tied for the lead with Sam Burns. Patrick Reed, playing with renewed vigor all year since leaving LIV Golf, shot 69 to sit in a tie for third with Kurt Kitayama and Jason Day. And Scottie Scheffler, the world No. 1 with two green jackets already to his credit, opened with a 2-under 70.

That begs an answer to this Fact or Fiction from the on-site SI Golf staff in Augusta:

Fact or Fiction: This Masters Will Be Won By a Past Champion  

Bob Harig, SI Golf Senior Writer: FACT. I’m sticking with my pre-tournament pick of Scottie Scheffler. And he did nothing to disappoint today. Shooting 70 puts him right in the mix, lurking like he likes to do. And obviously we’ve got another past champion right there in Rory McIlroy.

John Pluym, SI.com Managing Editor: FACT. If I were a gambler, I'd put my money on Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Patrick Reed. All three managed to post red numbers on Thursday despite roller-coaster rounds. McIlroy looks locked in, and who wouldn't love to see him go back-to-back and win another green jacket? Better yet, who wouldn't love to see Rory and Scottie in the final group on Sunday? We can only hope.

Jeff Ritter, SI Golf Managing Director: FICTION. As we stand now, this looks like a choice between McIlroy, Reed and Scheffler against the field. It’s hard to pick against the top two players in the world and Reed, who’s been feisty since defecting from LIV Golf. But the rest of board includes a lot of heat: major winners in Jason Day, Xander Schauffele and Justin Rose, plus guys like Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood and Sam Burns, who are due for one. It’s close, but for now I’ll take the field over the current top-three jacket-winners.

Michael Rosenberg, SI Senior Writer: FACT. Rory McIlroy, Patrick Reed and Scottie Scheffler are all in contention—and McIlroy and Scheffler are the two most likely winners. There is a long way to go, obviously. But I would be surprised if neither McIlroy or Scheffler is in the hunt on Sunday, and I like their chances at that point more than anybody else’s.

Max Schreiber, SI Golf Contributor: FICTION. Rory or probably Scottie will make this an Old Take Exposed, but Xander Schauffele, my pre-tournament prediction, is only three back. So is Justin Rose, and Tommy Fleetwood is four back. I feel one of them will get it done.  

John Schwarb, SI Golf Senior Editor: FACT. If the betting shops put out a line on Past Masters Champions vs. The Field right now, the jacket owners might be a slight favorite. I will absolutely take Rory, Scottie and Reed in that bet (plus Garcia, Scott and Spieth, though all are long shots), especially at an Augusta National that will only get tougher every day.