Top challengers for 2002 Masters title

Chris DiMarco -- One of the best players on tour, thanks in part to the "claw" putting grip that is becoming more popular; won the Phoenix Open in January for his third career title; has three other top-six finishes to raise his world ranking to ninth; 33-year-old tied for 10th in his Masters debut last season.

David Duval -- A perennial contender at Augusta, where he has been in the top six each of the last four years, finishing second in 1998 and 2001 and third in 2000; world No. 6 won his first major title last year at the British Open; has not cracked the top 10 in eight starts this season; has 13 PGA Tour wins; ranked first in the world before Tiger Woods.

Ernie Els -- One of the hottest players in the world, winning three straight medal-play tournaments earlier this year; 32-year-old South African was second to Vijay Singh in 2000 and tied for sixth last year; is a two-time U.S. Open winner with 12 other top-10s in major competition; ranked third in the world.

Jim Furyk -- The man with the funky swing is seeking his first major title, having won six times during a career that began in 1994; three wins have come in Las Vegas and two in Hawaii; injured his wrist late last season, limiting his time on the range; has three top-10s in eight starts this year; turns 32 next month; ranked 14th in the world; has two top-10s in six Masters starts.

Sergio Garcia -- Spanish star won the season-opening Mercedes Championships, then claimed he wanted to the win the PGA Tour money title and Order of Merit in Europe; has four top-10s in seven starts and is ranked fifth in the world; 22-year-old won his first two PGA Tour titles last season; tie for 38th is best showing in three Masters appearances.

Retief Goosen -- A definite contender following his convincing win last week at the BellSouth Classic; his second PGA Tour title propelled him to fourth in the world rankings; has won three times this season -- on three different continents; 33-year-old won a playoff at last year's U.S. Open for his first major triumph; stoic South African was struck by lightning as a teenager.

Padraig Harrington -- Irishman finished the BellSouth Classic with a 74 but still tied for eighth; is one of the best players in the world, winning his fourth career European title and posting seven runner-up finishes last year; 31-year-old tied for 19th and 27th in his two appearances at Augusta; ranked 12th in the world.

Bernhard Langer -- Veteran from Germany is a two-time Masters champion, and he's playing full-time on the PGA Tour for the first time this year; best result in seven 2002 starts is a tie for 22nd at The Players Championship; has three PGA Tour titles in 200 starts and 42 international victories; 10-time Ryder Cup team member; ranked 18th in the world.

Davis Love III -- Seeking his dream victory in his 12th Masters start; his father -- a highly regarded golf teacher -- died in a plane crash in 1988; Love was born shortly after his father's Masters appearance in 1964; two-time Masters runner-up who lives in Sea Island, Georgia; ranked 10th in the world after missing the cut in two straight starts; has 14 PGA Tour wins, including the 1997 PGA Championship; slowed by a neck and back problem last year.

Phil Mickelson -- World No. 2 will try to shake the tag as best player never to have won a major, entering the event 0-for-38 in Grand Slam events; finished third here last year for his third straight top-10 at Augusta; claimed his 20th career title at this year's Bob Hope Classic; has been third in two of his last three starts and five-putted en route to a tie for 28th at TPC in between.

Jose Maria Olazabal -- Strong contender for a third Masters title, placing in the top 10 six times in eight starts this year; took the Buick Invitational for his sixth PGA Tour win and first since the 1999 Masters; last triumph at Augusta came four years after a debilitating back injury kept him in bed during the event; also won here in 1994; 36-year-old Spaniard is ranked 20th in the world.

Vijay Singh -- Claimed The Masters in 2000 for his second major title, having won the 1998 PGA Championship; won the Houston Open for his 10th PGA Tour triumph; has four top-10s this season and is ranked seventh in the world; arguably the hardest worker on tour; 39-year-old is a former club pro in Borneo; has 21 international wins, including two in as many weeks last year.

David Toms -- One of the quiet stars on tour, winning three events, including the PGA Championship, last season; lost a playoff to Sergio Garcia at the season-opening Mercedes Championships and has finished outside the top 20 just twice in 10 starts; ranked eighth in the world; 35-year-old Cajun has seven tour wins; tied for sixth in 1998 for his best showing in four Masters starts.

Mike Weir -- Canadian lefthander closed the 2001 season with a win at the Tour Championship but has not cracked the top 10 in nine starts this year; has shot 75-77-77 in the final round of his last three tournaments; 31-year-old has three PGA Tour wins and is ranked 13th in the world; tied for 28th and 27th in his two Masters appearances.

Tiger Woods -- One of the best players in history, seeking his second straight Masters title and third lifetime; won here last year to become the first player in history to hold all four major titles simultaneously; only win in seven starts this year came at the Bay Hill Invitational, a tournament he has won each of the last three seasons; 26-year-old has 30 PGA Tour victories and another six on international soil; is trying to become the seventh three-time Masters champ; set Masters record with 18-under 270 total in 1997 -- a record 12-shot win.