Will McIlroy and Stenson lead European charge at Augusta

With Rory McIlroy by far and away the world’s best golfer and Sweden’s Henrik Stenson ranked second going in to today’s first round, surely this will be the year a golfer from continental Europe dons the Green Jacket which Nick Faldo last claimed 19 years ago.

There is certainly no shortage of quality and quantity. Twenty-eight Europeans have qualified for this year’s Augusta challenge. As well as the magical McIlroy and sublime Stenson, the likes of Justin Rose, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Luke Donald, Ian Poulter, Paul Casey and Victor Dubuisson would all be confident of making a challenge.

But the list of hopefuls from this side of the Atlantic does not stop there, so the depressing slump could finally come to an end by the time the final putt has sank late on Sunday night.

During the 1980s, The Masters was won by a European on five occasions and in the 1990s it was six.

Seve Ballesteros, aged just 23 at the time in 1980, was the first and the second a few years later before Bernhard Langer (twice), Sandy Lyle, Faldo (three times), Ian Woosnam and Jose Maria Olazabal (twice) all got to pull on the Green Jacket.

By examining that group, all of them were exceptional in different aspects but whoever emerges victorious this weekend will have been sublime off the tee.

Woosnam certainly was at the time and it has also often be said that those who shape the ball-flight with a right to left draw stand a greater chance of glory; purely because the Augusta National’s co-designer Bobby Jones himself favoured the draw whenever he played.

But then there are those golfers like Olazabal and Ballesteros, who were always at their best away from the tee box. Whether it was the former’s iron-play or the latter’s work in and around the green, their excellent ability earned the desired results.

What, though, does that mean for the next four days? In simple terms, if you’re the best in the world you have a great chance, so McIlroy’s incredible shape, fitness and all-round game rightly has him down as the clear favourite.

If the 26-year-old – already the holder of the three other majors - turns up displaying his best then he will win The Masters. He is far better than everyone else, so much so that it will be a battle for second place if he puts his previous experiences and course management of the National to good use.

The fact the course length off the tee has been extended also plays in to McIlory’s hands, although Stenson’s mammoth drives also gives him every chance if he can nail his accuracy too.

Where the Swede – who memorably appeared at The Wynyard Club when the Seve Trophy came to the North-East in 2005 - previously used to be just long off the tee, his iron-play and chipping has seen his form blitz the rest of the world; except for McIlroy.

Stenson has never won a major, but his coach Pete Cowen, who used to coach Hartlepool’s Graeme Storm in his younger days, has labelled him “fearless” and described the Green Jacket as his “principle aim” in 2015.

All of the attributes required to tame Augusta also suit the Americans, like reigning champion Bubba Watson and, still, a certain Tiger Woods.

It is hard to believe that it is ten years since Woods claimed the last of his four Green Jackets. He has also not won a major since 2008 and over the past year a 69th place was a tournament high.

But the former undisputable world number one, lying 111th in the current rankings, made his return to the fairway from a self-imposed exile dating back to early February’s premature exit at Torrey Pines.

Woods has not just returned to Georgia, where he loves, enjoys and has so many happy memories, to make up the numbers. He suggested this week that he has “winning” in mind.

While – at 50/1 with the bookmakers - that would appear fanciful to some, Woods still possesses the ability within him to make a charge if the 39-year-old can rediscover just a bit of his magic on the front nine tonight.

The Americans, the Australians and the South Africans on show might have other ideas, but Continental Europe could be leading the after-show party come Sunday night. It’s long overdue.

FRASER’S FOUR TO FOLLOW

Rory McIlroy

Odds: 6/1

Despite a best placing of eighth at the Masters last year, his game is more than capable of blitzing the field this time around. The 25-year0old alred opossesses three of the majors so hitting the first one of 2015 in style would earn him a Grannd Slam.

He has won three and finished runner-up in three of his last seven Europen Tour starts and, importantly, has the mentality to complement his talent on his latest trip to Georgia. This could be his year.

Jordan Spieth

Odds: 10/1

If there is one American seemingly destined to challenge McIlroy for the next decade then this extremely talented 21-year-old is that man. He was runner-up last year to Bubba Watson, so that experience should stand him in good stead.

He is a sublime striker of the ball and a gutsy putter so he is well suited to Augusta and he also lost out by onny a play-off in Houston on Sunday, so is confident and his energy should worry the field.

Jimmy Walker

Odds: 25/1

By winning the Texas Open recently he secured his fifth victory on the US PGA Tour in the 18 months so he is in the right frame of mind to mount a challenge.

At 36 he might be a little older than some of the other leading contenders, but this late bloomer has the winning habit and his exceptional touch around the greens earned him three top-tens in the majors last year.

Martin Kaymer

Odds: 80/1

The German is a two-time winner of a major but he always struggled to make an impact at Augusta. He his highest finish previously was tied 31st but he has the right temperament to succeed if he can work his way inn to a string position going in to the final two rounds.

Crucially, though, his game is better suited to the set-up these days, having mastered a draw after some fine-tuning building up to the first battle for the Green Jacket.