The Masters gets underway on Thursday with a number of players in contention to win the first Major golf tournament of the year at Augusta this Sunday afternoon
World number one Martin Kaymer has a poor record on this course and has failed to make the cut in three attempts. His natural fade is arguably not suited to Augusta, where those who can draw the ball stand a much better chance of success.
Lee Westwood was runner up here last year. His second place finish to Phil Mickelson came with a score of 275 (13 under par), which every other year since 2001 would have been a good enough score to see him win the green jacket. The Englishman has said he is good enough to win providing he's at the top of his game and in a field which is wide open, it would be foolish to not consider him a top contender.
Graeme McDowell was the first European since Tony Jacklin in 1970 to win the US Open last year. His record at Augusta is not the best as he failed to make the cut last year, although in 2009, he played well when finishing in a tie for 17th.
Ian Poulter has been in the top 25 for the last four years and for those betting on the Masters looks like a dead cert to at the very least make the cut.
Another who should be there for the weekend - and could possibly do very well at the weekend - is Rory McIlroy, whose game from tee to green is ideal for this course. Providing the Irishman can find form with his putter, he could be in contention come Sunday.
Defending champion Phil Mickelson is back in form after a superb win last weekend at the Shell Houston Open and as a result moved back up to number three in the world. That win resulted in bookmakers slashing his odds to win the 2011 Masters and 'Leftie' can never be written off.
But what of four-time winner Tiger Woods? The former world number one hasn't won the event since 2005 but has finished no lower than 6th in the last four years.
Despite being erratic off the tee with a driver, and less than perfect with a putter, it would be hard to completely write the American off.
Other Americans with a solid chance of winning this weekend include Bubba Watson, Hunter Mahan and Dustin Johnson and those looking to bet on the event this weekend could do a lot worse than backing the latter two for an each-way placing at worst.
