Tiger Woods enters the 77th edition of the Masters as the World number 1 and bookies favourite. A four time winner at the historic Augusta National Golf Club, holder of the lowest tournament score (18 under par in 1997) and with a rebuilt swing, even in his barren years when knee troubles and his personal life tortured his ability to play golf he still competed in the Masters. Since his last green jacket in 2005 he has finished tied 3rd, tied 2nd, 2nd, tied 6th, tied 4th, tied 4th, with last years tied finish in fortieth position being his worst since his debut at Augusta as an amateur. Woods has won three of his last five tournaments and it is no surprise that he is the favourite with the bookmakers. However, as the Grand National showed last weekend, the favourite does not always win, so here are five golfers who could beat Tiger and the rest of the field to win one of golfs four majors.
5. Ernie Els
The South Africans record at Augusta over the last decade or so is surprisingly poor for a four-time major winner. Since a second place finish in 2004, Ernies second runners up position at the Masters, he has missed the cut three times and finished no better than eighteenth. His 2013 has been poor, however the current Open champion has shown he can pull a performance out of nowhere, as he did at Lytham St Annes. One of the more sane voices in the debate over belly punters and anchored swings, Els will use his belly putter for the last time this weekend. He has credited the extended club for improving his putting, and on the fast and firm greens of Georgia good putting goes hand in hand with a good score. A bit of an outsider in terms of the betting market, it would be foolish to rule out the Big Easy before the tournament.