The Masters' are here, Golf Masters and Tiger Woods is favorite once more

Tiger woods is favorite to collect a fifth Green Jacket and win his first major title since 2008 when the 77th Masters begins at Augusta on Thursday.

Woods, the 14-time major champion, is back at world number one after scandal, injury and swing changes derailed his career and is showing the sort of form that could re-ignite his quest to pass Jack Nicklaus's record of 18 major titles.


Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, who woods usurped at the top of the rankings, seems to have put an early season blip behind him following an equipment switch and is looking to add a first Masters to his two previous majors.

Britain has been without a winner since Nick Faldo took his third Masters in 1996, but Englishmen Justin Rose, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter are high in the rankings and have all played well at the revered Augusta venue.

This year's first major and the youngest of the big four tournaments in golf,has become one of the most iconic events in sports since its inceptions in 1934.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Nicklaus's first of a record six Masters wins, while Chinese 14-year-old Tianlang Guan will become the youngest ever competitor after winning the Asia-pacific Amateur Championship.

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