The first golf major of the year is just days away.
Here, Press Association Sport looks at five talking points ahead of the Masters at Augusta National.
Can Rory McIlroy complete the career grand slam?
What next for Tiger Woods?
.@TigerWoods is among the competitors who arrived at Augusta National and headed out for some practice on Sunday afternoon. pic.twitter.com/EN4dFOmo7L
— Masters Tournament (@TheMasters) April 7, 2019
This time last year Woods was vying for favouritism with McIlroy and Dustin Johnson having finished 12th, second and fifth in his previous three events following his remarkable recovery from spinal fusion surgery in April 2017. However, so far this season the 43-year-old saw a run of three encouraging performances halted by a neck injury which forced him to withdraw from the Arnold Palmer Invitational, after which he finished a distant 30th in the Players Championship. Winning a fifth green jacket would be a fairy tale way to set the seal on one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history and it would take a brave man to rule out the possibility.
Is a shock winner possible?
Can Reed defy the odds?
This is a dream come true. I can’t thank everyone enough. Family, friends, and fans- I couldn’t have done it without you all. This is what TEAM REED IS ABOUT! @TheMasters #TheMasters #MastersChamp pic.twitter.com/NBIJAWUvX2
— Patrick Reed (@PReedGolf) April 9, 2018
Only Jack Nicklaus, Woods and Nick Faldo have won back-to-back Masters titles and the chances of Reed doing the same would appear slim. He started the year by finishing 25th in a 33-man field in the Tournament of Champions and has yet to record a top-10 finish, struggles which prompted his wife Justine to call in renowned coach David Leadbetter for help, while Reed was in the middle of a round at the Valspar Championship. He did at least beat his predecessor as Masters champion, Sergio Garcia, in a final group game at the WGC-Match Play, but failed to reach the knockout stages.
Will a return to Augusta help Spieth stop the rot?
