The Masters are finally here after the Texas Open finished over the weekend and Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are primed and ready to go after the first major of the year, while Rory McIlroy proved he is back in the game after an excellent finish over the weekend on Sunday.
The tournament will get started on Wednesday with the Par-3 Tournament, while the first round will have coverage on Thursday before round two on Friday on ESPN. The television coverage will move to CBS for the weekend and all the golfers will have eyes on the top prize as Sunday rolls around and someone will be in a green jacket come the end of the day barring any weather issues.
Woods is the current favorite after winning three times on tour this season and six in his past 20 starts, while McIlroy has rebounded from a horrendous start to the season and finished two behind on Sunday in the Texas Open. Mickelson has won once on tour, but hasn't played much this season, although he took in a practice round on Sunday with the newest member of Augusta in former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Woods has been putting out of his mind this season and that helped him win the Arnold Palmer Invitational for the eighth time in his career two weeks ago. Mickelson has been working on his game at the course since Friday, while Woods also has been practicing over the weekend. The 77th Masters at Augusta is highly anticipated and Woods is back at number one at the tournament after chasing the top spot for two years.
All of the top players will be looking to get off to a good start and the par-3 tournament on Wednesday will be a way for everyone to loosen up before Thursday's action. Rice also greeted Woods after playing her round and it will be the first time the tournament has come where women are members, with Rice and Darla Moore as the first two to be admitted.