The first major of the year is fast approaching and a number of golfers have already begun preparations and practice at Augusta National, including number one ranked golfer Tiger Woods as well as favorite Phil Mickelson, who took in a practice round with new female member Condoleezza Rice, the former US Secretary of State.
Woods has been on fire on tour this season and has won three times already while taking home the title in six of his past 20 starts. He won two weeks ago at the Arnold Palmer Invitational to take back the number one overall ranking from Rory McIlroy and he is the clear cut favorite heading into the major. He hasn't won one since 2009 and he will have some tough competition, as McIlroy rebounded from his horrible start to the year by coming in second at the Texas Open over the weekend.
Mickelson has won once on tour this season in Phoenix and started playing at Augusta on Friday to prepare. The trio of Woods, McIlroy and Mickelson make the top favorites at the tournament and there is a good chance one of the three will walk away with a green jacket. Last year's winner Bubba Watson has been up and down on tour and he will be looking to have a strong showing.
Former British open champion Darren Clarke is out of Augusta after suffering an injury and will not be at the Masters. The 44-year-old, who has made 11 appearances in the season's first major championship, suffered the injury just over a week ago while holidaying on the Bahamas island of Abaco. Clarke has pulled out of this week's U.S. Masters because of a lingering hamstring injury, the Northern Irishman said on Monday.Clarke, who won his only major title at the 2011 British Open after holding off Americans Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson, was also forced to withdraw from last week's Texas Open on the U.S. PGA Tour because of the injury.
The Northern Irishman, whose best finish at the Masters was joint eighth on his tournament debut in 1998, said he will continue having treatment on his hamstring in the Bahamas.
Clarke will not be replaced in the field for the 2013 Masters, which starts on Thursday.
(Reuters)