Leading contenders for 2006 Masters

Best player in the world since Jack Nicklaus and appears to have regained the dominance he enjoyed in 1999 and 2000. Won last year's Masters when he sank an 18-foot birdie putt at the first extra hole to beat compatriot Chris DiMarco. Clinched his 10th career major with a peerless display three months later in the British Open at St Andrews, romping to victory by five strokes.

Has spent much of the last three years revamping his swing for the second time since he turned professional in 1996 and is now very close to the finished article. Has won three times this season in seven starts worldwide. The only cloud on his horizon is the failing health of his father Earl who has been battling prostate cancer since 1998.

Won his first U.S. Open crown at Pebble Beach in 2000 by a record 15 shots and clinched his second at Bethpage Black in 2002 to lift his career haul of majors to eight in only 22 professional starts. Moved past Ben Hogan and Gary Player in the all-time listings with his British Open triumph last year and now lies third, behind fellow Americans Nicklaus (18) and Walter Hagen (11).

Was the youngest player, aged 21, to win the Masters in 1997 with a record 12-stroke victory and became the first person to hold all four majors at the same time with his two-shot triumph over David Duval at the 2001 Masters. Sealed his third green jacket at Augusta National by three shots in 2002.

Vijay Singh (Fiji) 43

World Ranking: 2

Number of Masters: 12

Best Masters finish: won in 2000

Was the hottest player in the game for a two-year spell starting in mid-2003, winning 17 times on the PGA Tour and piling up record earnings of $10,905,166 in the United States last season. Ended Woods's five-year reign as world number one in September 2004 and has since enjoyed two more spells at the top of the official rankings.

Has failed to maintain his astonishing run of form on this year's PGA Tour, despite six top-10 finishes in eight starts. Still chasing his first victory of 2006, his closest effort being a playoff loss to Australia's Stuart Appleby at the season-opening Mercedes Championships in Hawaii. Felt he was close to his best at last week's Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, where he dropped back into a tie for eighth with a closing 77.

A Fijian of Indian descent whose name means 'victory' in Hindi, Singh is known for his work ethic. Won his first major title in the 1998 U.S. PGA championship at Sahalee and his second at the 2000 U.S. Masters, beating runner-up Ernie Els by three strokes. Clinched his third major in a three-way playoff for the 2004 U.S. PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.

Usually plays well at Augusta National and has recorded top-seven finishes there the last four years. Tied for fifth at last year's tournament after opening with a 68, finishing eight strokes behind winner Woods.

Retief Goosen (South Africa) 37

World Ranking: 3

Number of Masters: 7

Best Masters finish: 2nd in 2002

Made his major breakthrough in 2001 with a playoff triumph in the U.S. Open at Southern Hills after nearly squandering his victory chance when he three-putted the 72nd green. Won his second U.S. Open crown at Shinnecock Hills in 2004, holding off Phil Mickelson by two shots in brutal last-day conditions on a sun-baked layout.

Has become an excellent performer in majors played on difficult courses and is almost certain to be a factor at Augusta National, where he finished second behind Woods in 2002 and tied for third last year. Quietly spoken, he is widely viewed by his peers as the forgotten fifth member of the so-called "Big Four" -- Singh, Woods, Ernie Els and Mickelson -- although his world ranking is third best.

Improved results since 2000 owe much to his work with Belgian sports psychologist Jos Vanstiphout. The pair no longer work together but the quietly spoken Goosen has become a proven front-runner with an ice-cool temperament and one of the smoothest swings in the game.

Was European number one in 2001 and 2002 and has since become a consistent performer on both sides of the Atlantic, although has yet to win a title this season. On the European Tour, has won the 2004 European Open, the German Masters and the South African Open last December. On the PGA Tour, has won the 2003 Chrysler Championship, the 2004 season-ending Tour Championship and the 2005 International.

Phil Mickelson (U.S.) age 35

World Ranking: 4

Number of Masters: 13

Best Masters finish: won in 2004

Ended a 12-year wait for his first major title with a dramatic one-shot victory over Els at the 2004 U.S. Masters. Holed an 18-foot birdie putt at the final hole to complete a blistering back nine of five-under-par 31, he and Els having produced an epic battle of shot-making.

Has failed to produce his usual fast start to the year, especially on the West Coast swing. Despite four top-10 finishes in seven PGA Tour starts, has yet to visit the winner's circle. Pinpoints poor putting and a less-than-sharp short game as the main reasons for his early-season victory drought.

Feels very comfortable at Augusta National, where he has produced nine top-10 finishes in the last 11 years, including four third places. His high ball flight and the short game skills for which he is renowned are major requirements for success at the Masters. Tenth place last April was his worst Masters result since 1998.

Won four times on last year's PGA Tour, including the second major victory of his career in the weather-hit U.S. PGA Championship at Baltusrol where he triumphed by a shot on the fifth day. Believes he has now worked out his best method of preparing for each of the four majors and it would come as a big surprise if he did not shine at Augusta National next week.

Ernie Els (South Africa) 35

World Ranking: 5

Number of Masters: 12

Best Masters finish: 2nd behind Vijay Singh in 2000, 2nd behind Phil Mickelson in 2004

Was sidelined for four months at the end of last year after twisting his knee on a family sailing holiday in the Mediterranean and will be itching to return to the major fray at Augusta National. Has a good record at the Masters, finishing no worse than tied for sixth in five successive starts from 2000. Surprisingly faded into a tie for 47th last year after shooting 78 and 72 over the weekend.

Still hunting his first victory of the year but hinted he is close to his best form by tying for seventh at this month's Doral Championship and sharing place at last week's Players Championship. A twice U.S. Open winner, he desperately wants to clinch a career grand slam and needs the Masters and U.S. PGA Championship to complete a full sweep.

Was the form player in the 2004 majors after being edged out by Mickelson at the final hole of the Masters, tying for ninth in the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, despite closing with a 10-over-par 80 in treacherous conditions on a sun-baked course, and sharing fourth place at the U.S. PGA Championship.

Possesses one of the smoothest swings in golf and is also one of the longest hitters. His 2002 British Open victory finally convinced him he has the game and mind to deal with the last-day pressures down the stretch. In 2000, became the first player to place runner-up in three straight major championships, finishing second behind Singh at the Masters and to Woods at the U.S. and British Opens.

Sergio Garcia (Spain) 26

World Ranking: 6

Number of Masters: 7

Best Masters finish: tied for fourth in 2004

Probably the most precocious talent in the modern game, he first burst on to the world scene by finishing runner-up to Woods in the 1999 U.S. PGA championship at Medinah, closing with a 71 that featured a stunning second shot at the 16th hole.

Has not yet realised his full potential at the highest level of the game, however, and struggled for much of 2003 after making swing changes at the end of the previous year. The work seemed to pay off in 2004 when he won twice in playoffs on the PGA Tour. Maintained that form last year, winning on both sides of the Atlantic while tying for third at the U.S. Open and sharing fifth place at the British Open.

This year, though, has been a bit of a mixed bag. Has produced three top-10 finishes in six PGA Tour starts but wasted an opportunity to win last week's Players Championship after climbing into contention, a final-round 78 dropping him back into a tie for 14th. As is so often the case with the gifted Spaniard, his putting let him down.

Turned professional on April 21 1999 after becoming earlier that year the first British amateur champion to finish as lowest amateur in the U.S. Masters at Augusta. Won his first PGA Tour title at the Colonial in 2001 and followed that with a second U.S. victory in the Buick Classic one month later. At his best, he has few peers.

Jim Furyk (U.S.) 35

World Ranking: 7

Number of Masters: nine

Best Masters finish: fourth in 1998 and 2003

Clinched his first major title at the 2003 U.S. Open, surviving dropped shots on the last two holes to hold off a brave challenge from playing partner Stephen Leaney of Australia. His closing two-over-par 72 gave him a three-stroke victory as he tied the tournament record at eight-under 272.

One of the straightest hitters in the game, he has a consistent Masters record, missing the cut just once in nine starts and finishing in the top 20 five times. An experienced campaigner in the heat of major battle, he will arrive at Augusta National in confident mood after tying for third in last week's Players Championship.

Experienced a frustrating 2004, being sidelined from late January until mid-June with a wrist injury that needed surgery and ended the season without a win for the first time since 1997. Last year, though, he was back to his best. Clinched the 10th PGA Tour title of his career at the Western Open and ended the season fourth in the money list with 10 top-10 finishes.

Despite his unorthodox swing, he is one of golf's most consistent performers. Has finished in the top 17 in the PGA Tour money list every year since 1996, with the exception of 2004 when he dropped to 116th after playing in only 14 events. Lies 13th in this year's money list with earnings of $1,189,049.

David Toms (U.S.) 39

World Ranking: 8

Number of Masters: 8

Best Masters finish: tied for sixth in 1998

Has been in sparkling form on the 2006 PGA Tour, winning the Sony Open in Hawaii in January, tying for second at this month's Doral Championship in Florida and sharing third place the following week at the Honda Classic. Surprisingly missed the cut at the Players Championship last week but lies fourth in the U.S. money list with $2,048,800.

Created a huge impression on his Masters debut in 1998 when he fired a closing 64, including a back nine of 29, on his way to a share of sixth place. Has produced a mixed bag of results at Augusta National since then, including a tie for eighth in 2003 and missed cuts for the last two years.

Made his major breakthrough in 2001, capturing the U.S. PGA championship by a shot from Mickelson at Atlanta Athletic Club with a birdie at the par-five 72nd hole. After laying up in two, he wedged to 10 feet and holed the putt.

A consistent performer on the PGA Tour for the last seven years, he is known for his accuracy from tee to green. Struggled to make an impression in the 2002 majors, with a highest finish of joint 36th at the Masters, but regained form in 2003, tying for eighth at Augusta and sharing fifth in the U.S. Open. Has been patchy in the majors over the last two years with just one top-10, two missed cuts and a disqualification from the 2005 British Open at St Andrews where he owned up to a rules infringement.

Adam Scott (Australia) 25

World Ranking: 9

Number of Masters: 4

Best Masters finish: tied for ninth in 2002

Tipped by many as a future world number one, he clinched the biggest title of his career at the 2004 Players Championship, an event widely regarded as unofficial the fifth major. Has occasionally lacked confidence in the past but believes he can win at Augusta National where he tied for ninth on his tournament debut in 2002.

Has produced erratic form on this year's PGA Tour with a second place at the Nissan Open at Riviera Country Club, where he closed with a 64, a missed cut at this month's Bay Hill Invitational and a roller-coaster display at last week's Players Championship at the TPC at Sawgrass with rounds of 70, 67, 82 and 76.

Was ranked the world's number two amateur before turning professional in 2000. Secured his European card for 2001 by tying for sixth at the German Masters on his eighth professional start. Has won five European Tour titles, most recently last year's Johnnie Walker Classic.

Clinched his maiden PGA Tour title at the 2003 Deutsche Bank Championship, having signalled his rich promise earlier in the year when losing to eventual winner Woods over 20 holes in the semi-finals of the Accenture Match Play Championship. Coached initially by his father Phil, he is now guided by Butch Harmon, who previously advised world number one Woods on his swing.

Luke Donald (Britain) 28

World Ranking: 10

Number of Masters: 1

Best Masters finish: tied for third in 2005

Tipped by fellow Englishman Nick Faldo as the most likely Briton to make a major breakthrough, he served notice he is close to delivering by tying for third on his debut at last year's Masters. A closing 69 at Augusta National included eagles on 13 and 15, only the 10th player in Masters history to record eagles on both back-nine par fives.

Has upped another gear this year. Climbed into the world's top 10 for the first time with a two-shot victory in the Honda Classic at Palm Beach Gardens, Florida earlier this month. Two other top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour have lifted him to eighth in the money list with earnings of $1,409,603.

An outstanding amateur who shone in Britain and Ireland's Walker Cup victories over the United States in 1999 and 2001, he turned professional in 2001 and has mainly played since then on the PGA Tour. Earned his maiden PGA Tour title in his rookie season at the 2002 Southern Farm Bureau Classic and ended the year 58th in the money list with $1,088,205.

Experienced a quieter year in 2003, slipping to 90th in the U.S. money list, but rallied on the 2004 PGA Tour with a career-best four top-10 placings. Won twice on the 2004 European Tour in five weeks, at the Scandinavian Masters and European Masters, and was selected for Europe's Ryder Cup team at Oakland Hills where he won 2-1/2 points out of a possible four.