It is always the week when the world seems a better place to be again, when spring has sprung, as one of the best events in the sporting calendar comes around. Fans of all sports, any sport, cannot fail to be enraptured by Augusta's magnificence and enthralled by those final nine holes of dramatic golf that the Masters always seems to provide on a Sunday night.Far from a blossoming, though, the tournament has seen many a European's hopes of a major championship wither for 11 years now, a fallow period than none could have envisaged at the end of the Millennium when Jose Maria Olazabal won to follow Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam and Bernhard Langer in the 1990s.
It is all the more surprising given that Europe has dominated the Ryder Cup over that period, having won four of the six matches against the United States. This year the Europeans should be buoyed anew by last autumn's victory at Celtic Manor and with six of them being in the top 10 in the world.
The Americans will naturally have much to say about that, Phil Mickelson looking to repeat his brilliant performance of last year - and in good form after winning the Houston Open - and Tiger Woods showing signs of rediscovering his game. Even with his personal and professional life still in tatters last year, Woods finished fourth to show how dangerous a competitor over this course he is.
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Of the Europeans, there will be good money placed on US Open Champion, Graeme McDowell and his fellow Ulsterman Rory McIlroy, who will surely win a major one day soon. Ian Poulter's tenacity and putting stroke should never be underestimated, nor Paul Casey's composure.
Augusta has never been World No.1 Martin Kaymer's favourite course, however, though for a former occupant of the top spot, the time surely is now.
Last year, Lee Westwood found himself up against an inspired Mickelson but still posted a four-round total that would have won him the tournament in 25 of the previous 30 years.
Despite that, Westwood has attracted criticism - not least from Faldo, now a commentator - for not having won a major yet still reaching No 1. A system that measures consistency and money-making rather than championships is not Westwood's fault, though.
But he surely knows that money will never make him a great. That will only come with majors - winning them, that is, for none will recall that he is the only man in golf to have finished in the top three of all four without taking the top prize. This tournament, this summer, represents a chance Westwood may never get again with his game in tip-top order in his 38th year.
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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/04/04/lee-westwood-the-masters-golf/
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