|
 Day is widely regarded as the pre-tournament favorite, having won
six times in his last 13 starts, and the long-hitting Australian
will be difficult to beat at Augusta National where he tied for
second in 2011 and placed third in 2013.
However, he will have to contend with several other top players who
have tasted success in recent weeks and Day has been quick to play
down any suggestion that he is the favorite.
"To be honest, I don't think I'm the favorite this week," said Day.
"There's a lot of people out there that can play well this week and
win. Jordan (Spieth) and Rory (McIlroy) and Henrik (Stenson) ...
even Phil (Mickelson) is a favorite here.
"There's not just one heavy favorite this week, which is fantastic.
I think it's good for the game of golf and I think it's good for
this tournament as well. I'm excited about the week."
Day's fellow Australian Adam Scott has already triumphed twice on
the 2015-16 PGA Tour while American world number two Spieth, the
reigning Masters champion, won the Hyundai Tournament of Champions
in January.
Fourth-ranked Bubba Watson, a double winner at Augusta National,
clinched the Northern Trust Open in February and his good friend,
fifth-ranked fellow American Rickie Fowler, won the European Tour's
Abu Dhabi Championship in January.
World number three McIlroy is the only player ranked in the top six
who has not claimed at least one tournament win so far this year,
though he came close with a tie for third at the WGC-Cadillac
Championship in Miami last month.
"My game feels good," said McIlroy. "It's all about going out there
over the next four days and executing the shots the way I need to
and being mentally strong.
"I'm probably a little bit more subdued going in this time because I
haven't had a win this year, but I feel like my game is right
there."
CAREER GRAND SLAM
Aged just 26, McIlroy has already claimed four major titles and this
week he will be bidding for his first Green Jacket at the
picturesque 'Cathedral of Pines', to complete a career grand slam of
golf's four blue riband events.
That would put him in elite company, alongside golfing greats Gene
Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tiger Woods.
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"It's a motivation, to be able to put your name alongside those five
guys," said McIlroy. "I haven't been in a situation where I've felt
the pressure of it, really, because I didn't have a real chance to
win the golf tournament last year."
Short game wizardry and the ability to minimize three-putts are
musts for any would-be Masters champion at Augusta National, which
is renowned for its lightning-fast, severely contoured greens.
Adding to the challenge for the 89-strong field this week is the
fact that strong winds have been forecast for the first three
rounds.
A comfort factor at the venue is another significant factor so
expect defending champion Spieth to flourish this week, despite
having produced inconsistent form since his PGA Tour victory in
January.
"No disrespect to any other event, but I absolutely love this golf
course," Spieth, 22, said of Augusta National where he triumphed by
four shots last year after matching Woods' tournament record low of
18-under 270 for 72 holes.
"It is my favorite golf course in the world. I've had a fantastic
couple of days thus far preparing and my game feels great. Going to
try and just use last year as momentum.
"Sure, I'm putting pressure on myself to contend this year, just
like last year, and I feel like I'm in form, as well. It's also
going to be a lot of fun walking these fairways, reliving those
memories with the crowds and the roars, the echoes."
Other likely contenders include long-hitting American Dustin
Johnson, his compatriot Mickelson, who will be seeking a fourth
Masters victory, 2013 U.S. Open champion Justin Rose of England and
rising Japanese talent Hideki Matsuyama.
(Editing by Larry Fine)
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