Leading contenders for Masters 2000

The big one. The one that all the players want to win. The tournament that stands for the best and worst in golf. The best, the excitement, history and prestige. The worst, the stodgy and eccentric Augusta Country Club and its members.

Certainly this year proves to be just as exciting as any other. Even though the field is not as deep or as competitive as the Players Championship, it will still provide us a week's worth of incredible golf.

Masterful Contenders - Players who must be considered first when picking the winner.

Tiger Woods (T18) - Can anyone say that Tiger isn't the odds-on favorite with a straight face? Woods won the 1997 Masters in a memorable fashion, and is simply the best player on the planet.

Hal Sutton (Cut)- Sutton proved himself a contender by winning the richest tournament on tour, the Players Championship. The big guy is playing well, and his strong iron play will keep him low all week.

David Duval (T6) - Last year, Duval had to be considered the favorite. This year, he's merely a very, very good player. He's still looking for his first win this year, but the new hard-body version of Duval can change that immediately.

Jesper Parnevik (Cut) - The Swede has had a good start to the season, winning once and posting five top-tens. His attire might offend the stodgy old Augusta members, which is all the more reason to hope he does well.

Jim Furyk (T14) - Furyk may own the ugliest and most unusual swing on tour, but it's working. His game is in tip-top shape, as evidenced by his win at the Doral-Ryder Open.

Sergio Garcia (T38) - His play of late has been, to put it bluntly, quite stinky. Garcia has finished no better than 35th this season in conventional tournaments, but the kid still has a flair for the dramatic.

Phil Mickelson (T6) - Lefty would love to get his first major. He came close last year, finishing second to Payne Stewart even with the distraction of wife's pregnancy weighing heavily on him.

Jose Maria Olazabal (1) - Last year's winner came back from nearly two years away from golf to win his second major in five years. No reason he can't shoot low again.

Miguel Angel Jimenez (Cut) - Jimenez went deep into the Andersen Consulting Match Play, proving he's a premier talent on any continent.

Darren Clarke (Cut) - Clarke took home a cool million for winning the first of the 2000 World Golf Championship tournaments, and there is no reason he can't win again.

Lee Westwood (T6) - Long one of Europe's greatest players, Westwood played well in the 1999 Masters. If not for a poor first round, he might have had a green blazer in his closet.

Colin Montgomerie (T11) - Monty hates the boorish American galleries but loves to play against the best talent in the world. Still hasn't won anything on U.S. soil, and you bet he would love to change that.

Bet you didn't consider - Guys who you might overlook, but can still end up near the top of the leaderboard.

Fred Funk (Cut) - With Fanny Sunesson now on his bag, Fred might break out the funk that he appears to be in. I know, it's a weak pun, but don't discount his chances.

Gabriel Hjerstedt (Cut) - Hjerstedt replaces the deceased Payne Stewart on the exemption list. For sentimental reasons, I like him to do some damage over the Masters weekend.

Greg Norman (3) - What? Greg Norman as an afterthought? How is this possible? Well, Norman has had a poor couple of seasons, but a lone bright spot from 1999 was his 3rd place finish at these very same Masters.

There you have it. My predictions for the week?

A win for a long-suffering Lefty, with a strong challenge from Tiger Woods and Miguel Angel Jimenez. John Daly will shoot an 83, and David Duval will wear his sunglasses everywhere, even at night.