Golf: The big six Masters contenders

TIGER WOODS (US), 26.

World ranking 1.

Number of Masters: 7.

Best finish in a Masters: Won in 1997 and 2001.


The greatest player since Jack Nicklaus, Woods became the first person to hold all four majors at the same time with his two-shot triumph over David Duval at last year's Masters.

He is the youngest player to win the Masters, in 1997 with a record 12-stroke victory, and became the fastest player to win US$10 million on the US PGA Tour with a victory in his 69th event.

Woods enjoyed a golden year in 2000 with nine PGA Tour wins, including three successive majors - the US and British Opens and the PGA championship. He won the US Open by a record 15 strokes, the British by eight and the PGA in a playoff with Bob May.

He became the first player to win three different US PGA Tour events three years in succession when he claimed a four-stroke victory in last month's Bay Hill Invitational. It was his 30th on the PGA Tour.

PHIL MICKELSON (US), 31.

World ranking: 2.

Number of Masters: 9.

Best Masters finish: 3rd in 1996 and 2001.


A talented player with 20 US PGA Tour victories but, despite 13 top-10 finishes, is yet to win his first major. Has the game to win on any course, but doubts remain over his putting and final-round scoring when under major pressure.

The Californian left-hander turned professional at the 1992 US Open and became the third player after Nicklaus and Jerry Pate to win five titles by the age of 25.

Enjoyed a successful 2001, winning twice and collecting eight other top-three finishes on the US PGA Tour before ending up second in the money list behind Woods for a second successive year.

Strong performances in last year's majors - third at the Masters, seventh at the US Open and second behind Woods at the US PGA championship.

ERNIE ELS (South Africa), 32

World ranking: 3.

Number of Masters: 8.

Best Masters finish: 2nd behind Vijay Singh in 2000.


Became the first player to earn the unenviable distinction of finishing runner-up in three straight major championships in 2000, placing second behind Singh in that year's Masters and losing out to Woods at the US and British Opens.

He was in contention again in two of last year's majors, finishing tied for sixth at the Masters and joint-third at the British Open.

Els won the US Open in 1994 after a playoff with Loren Roberts and Colin Montgomerie and captured it again in 1997. Has displayed impressive form with three titles so far this year.

DAVID DUVAL (US), 30.

World ranking: 4.

Number of Masters: 8.

Best Masters finish: 2nd behind Tiger Woods in 2001, tied for 2nd in 1998.


Won his first major title in style at Royal Lytham last year when he triumphed in the British Open by three shots after a closing 67 for a final total of 10-under 274.

He had come desperately close to a major breakthrough over the previous three years - and three times at Augusta.

Finished joint-second with Fred Couples in 1998, just one stroke behind Mark O'Meara, and ended up second again last year, two adrift of Woods.

Shot 65 in the 2000 Masters and held the lead after 36 holes before eventually tying for third place.

Duvall was the last player before Woods to hold the world No 1 ranking, but struggled with back and wrist trouble in 2000 and 2001.

SERGIO GARCIA (Spain), 22.

World ranking: 5.

Number of Masters: 3.

Best Masters finish: tied for 38th in 1999.


Probably the most precocious talent in the modern game, the young Spaniard first burst on to the world scene with a second-place finish behind Woods in the 1999 US PGA championship at Medinah.

He turned professional on April 21, 1999, after becoming the first British amateur champion to finish as lowest amateur in the US Masters at Augusta earlier that year.

Won his first US PGA Tour title last year by defeating Mickelson with a final-day 63 at the Colonial in Fort Worth.

Garcia has won three times in Europe, but switched his focus to the US Tour last year and got off to the best possible start to this year when he won the season-opening Mercedes Championship in Hawaii.

VIJAY SINGH (Fiji), 39.

World ranking: 6.

Number of Masters: 8.

Best Masters finish: 1st in 2000.


A Fijian of Indian descent, Singh possesses a work ethic to match Woods.

He won the 1998 US PGA championship with 18 birdies and an eagle, and went on to win the 2000 Masters by three strokes from Els with consistent play over the four days and superb putting.

Ended a victory drought of nearly two years on the US PGA Tour when he won the Houston Open by six shots this month, setting a tournament scoring record of 22-under-par 266.