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Alex Reid looks at whether the once ever-present appearance of English clubs in the later stages of the Champions League is set to become a thing of the past
Craig Dobson looks at QPR's decision to sack Neil Warnock and replace him with Mark Hughes
James Tompkinson reviews an excellent pre-season victory for the York City Knights against Yorkshire rivals Leeds Rhinos
Yet every so often, a tournament will come up which catches the attention of even the most passive sports followers and this week it is the turn of The Masters tournament in Augusta to take centre stage and dominate the sporting world for four days.
So what makes The Masters so special? That's a question that is ultimately very hard to provide an answer to. People will point to the fact that it is a major tournament in golf, and in the end golfers are defined by how many majors they win during their careers.
However, even compared to all the other majors, The Masters is different. In my opinion, what makes The Masters so different to every other golf tournament in the world is that it matters that little bit more to those who are involved. This is a tournament where prize money fades into relative obscurity when the chance to obtain a hallowed green jacket arrives, and to win a green jacket at the Augusta National course means securing your place in golfing history. It really is that special.
What is also fascinating about The Masters is the pressure that is exerted on participants throughout the four day tournament, and watching how it affects each individual differently. There are some golfers that simply rise to the occasion during The Masters and these are players who feed off pressure and use it to raise their own game.
All the greats of the game, such as Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, and more recently Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, have been Masters Champions on more than one occasion, with Nicklaus winning an unprecedented six green jackets. However, The Masters has also defined the careers of golfers who have otherwise slipped into relative obscurity: just ask 2008 winner Angel Cabrera or 2009 champion Trevor Immelman if you don’t believe me!
What is alarming about The Masters is the lack of recent European champions. The last European to receive a green jacket was Jose Maria Olazabal in 1999, but the 2011 field boasts a very strong European contingent and maybe this will be the year in which the Europeans can break their Masters hoodoo.
Of all the Europeans present in Augusta this week, there are a few that definitely stand out as potential champions. Lee Westwood finished as runner-up in 2010, and will be hoping to gain his first major trophy this week, and Martin Kaymer has been world number one this season and will want to add to his major wins last season. Ryder Cup heroes such as Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Luke Donald will also hope to be in the hunt during Sunday’s final round.
However, Phil Mickelson has hit fantastic form ahead of this tournament by winning the Houston Open earlier this week, and it would be hard to rule out Tiger Woods at any stage during the tournament, simply because he is Tiger Woods. Whatever happens, this year’s Masters will provide four days of tension, drama, pressure, and above all wonderful golf. I, for one, cannot wait!
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