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A supercomputer has predicted a new Masters champion will claim glory this year, delivering a blow to Rory McIlroy ahead of the event. The action at Augusta National is due to get underway on Thursday as the battle for the coveted Green Jacket kicks off.

McIlroy completed his career Grand Slam in memorable circumstances last April. The 36-year-old defeated Justin Rose in a dramatic playoff to clinch the Masters for the first time, ending his 11-year wait for a fifth major triumph. A year on from his landmark victory, a supercomputer has forecast that the Northern Irishman will fall short in his bid to retain the Green Jacket. Instead, his rival Bryson DeChambeau has been tipped to emerge victorious at Augusta.

The American is a two-time major winner, having claimed the US Open in 2020 and 2024. The 32-year-old dropped from second place to joint-fifth after struggling during the final round of the Masters last year.

The Action Network supercomputer predicts that DeChambeau will overcome his previous shortcomings and claim glory at Augusta this week. He is projected to score 13-under-par and finish the tournament with a two-shot advantage, being assigned a 31.1 per cent chance of securing the victory.

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The supercomputer considers Ludvig Aberg to be DeChambeau's nearest challenger, backed to card 11-under at Augusta and given a 19.2 per cent chance of winning. The 26-year-old finished runner-up at the Masters two years ago. Last year's Masters runner-up Justin Rose is forecast to share third place with Players Championship winner Cameron Young, with both men tipped to finish on nine-under. English golfer Matt Fitzpatrick is projected to card eight-under to round out the supercomputer's top five.

McIlroy will be keen to defy the supercomputer's predictions after being tipped to tie for seventh place on six-under, given a modest 3.3 per cent chance of claiming victory, alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Xander Schauffele. According to the projected final standings, the reigning Masters champion is expected to finish seven shots adrift of DeChambeau.

Two-time Masters champion Scottie Scheffler is another big name forecast to narrowly miss out on the top five, ending on seven-under. However, McIlroy recently admitted to admiring the world No.1's mindset ahead of the Masters.

"He seems to be of this mindset that whatever happens on the golf course happens and it doesn't make him any more or less of a man," McIlroy told Fried Egg Golf. "I admire him so much for that because I've experienced this world where you can be pulled in so many directions, you have all these other opportunities that you can go and chase.

"And I have quite a curious mind, so I do go and chase those. But sometimes I do look at Scottie and wish maybe I didn't have so much going on because it works for him so well."

Meanwhile, DeChambeau recently opened up about how he plans to avoid repeating past errors at Augusta. "There's always passion here, whenever I'm trying to win a tournament," he said. "Been trying to win this event for quite a while and hopefully I've learned a lot of lessons, I'll continue to learn more lessons this week, but hopefully my game is in the place where I can get it done this week."

1. Bryson DeChambeau: -13

2. Ludvig Aberg: -11

T3. Justin Rose: -9

T3. Cameron Young: -9

5. Matt Fitzpatrick: -8

6. Scottie Scheffler: -7

T7. Rory McIlroy: -6

T7. Tommy Fleetwood: -6

T7. Xander Schauffele: -6

10. Brooks Koepka: -5