Top-ranked Rory McIlroy chases his third consecutive major victory and a career Grand Slam while Tiger Woods stalks his first major title since 2008 when the 79th Masters begins Thursday.
Perfect playing conditions at iconic Augusta National greeted golfers for the final practice session on the eve of the year’s first major championship, tension already mounting even for those who already own the green jacket symbolizing Masters supremacy.
“Feeling the pressure at Augusta and winning it, I know that I can do it, so it helps a little,” defending champion Bubba Watson said. “You’re still nervous. You’re still scared. But at least I have won a couple times.”
McIlroy could join Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Gene Sarazen and Woods as the only players to have won each of the majors at least once. The 25-year-old Northern Ireland star would be the first European to do so.
“I’ll sleep OK,” McIlroy said. “If I get five or six hours I’ll be happy. Lucky I’ve got an early tee time.”
McIlroy, who plays alongside Americans Phil Mickelson and Ryan Moore with a 10:41 (1441 GMT) morning start, has stressed that he expects to have many more chances at winning the Masters if this one does not result in a victory.
“He has that opportunity and he’s going to have that opportunity for decades to come,” Woods said. “I’m sure he’ll have many green jackets in his closet before it’s all said and done.”
It would also be McIlroy’s fifth career major win after the 2011 US Open, the 2012 and 2014 PGA Championships and last year’s British Open. If he does don a green jacket Sunday, McIlroy would join Woods and Ben Hogan as the only men to win three majors in a row.
McIlroy already has a near miss from the 2011 Masters debut, leading by four shots entering the final round before a back-nine disaster led to a closing 80.
“It’s such an intimidating place the first time you get here, and I may have shown it a little bit too much respect at times instead of playing my normal game,” McIlroy said.
“That’s the biggest thing I’ve learned, just try and get it out of your head where you are and what it means and just try to execute your shots like you normally do.”
– Tiger battling back –
Woods, a 14-time major winner chasing the record 18 majors won by Nicklaus, missed last year’s Masters after back surgery that led to a year of nagging injuries and comeback bids.
But after a career-worst 82 at Phoenix and a woeful 11 holes in his next round at Torrey Pines, Woods took a two-month break to improve his game, notably a chipping touch that was awful.
There has been no sign of trouble in his practice rounds this week, a result of his determination to have his game ready for Augusta.
“I worked my ass off,” Woods said. “It was a slow and steady progression each and every day, just taking little bits of it, just improve each and every day.”
Woods has not won the Masters since 2005, has not won a major title since the 2008 US Open and has not won any title since the 2013 World Golf Championships event at Firestone.
The former world number one, whose 79 career PGA titles are only three shy of Sam Snead’s all-time record, has slid to 111th in this week’s world rankings with his recent struggles simply to finish 72 holes.
This year’s two-month layoff ahead of the Masters is Woods’ longest since a five-month break in the wake of his infamous sex scandal before sharing fourth at the 2010 Masters.
Woods, who has never won a major title when trailing after 54 holes, seeks a ninth top-six finish in 10 Masters starts. He has never played more than three majors without a top-10 finish, a mark he puts at risk this week.
– Bubba eyes third Masters –
And there are plenty of other contenders, notably 2014 runner-up Jordan Spieth, world number two Henrik Stenson of Sweden and US left-hander Watson, who seeks his third Masters title in four seasons, a feat only Nicklaus has managed to achieve.
“To have the green jacket twice wrapped around me, I still can’t believe it,” Watson said. “If I did repeat it would be an honor and a thrill. I feel like I have a shot around here. Doesn’t mean I’m going to do it. I’m going to try to compete at a high level and hopefully on Sunday, we have that chance on the back nine.”