An in-form and relaxed Rory McIlroy will be looking to claim a career grand slam. Photo / Getty Images
An in-form and relaxed Rory McIlroy will be looking to claim a career grand slam. Photo / Getty Images
So, which do you fancy? The career grand slam for Rory McIlroy? Augusta's oldest winner in Phil Mickelson? Or Tiger Woods and "the greatest comeback in sporting history"?
All of these storylines and many more are up for grabs at Augusta these next four days in a Masters which isthe most anticipated since Woods completed the "Tiger Slam" in 2001.
Perhaps this is even bigger than that stroll to immortality because this just does not concern one man, one icon.
Would a Woods win be the greatest comeback of them all? Debatable. Muhammad Ali's Rumble in the Jungle magnificence surely takes some beating. Even in golf there have been staggering resurrections. In 1953, Ben Hogan returned from a near-fatal car crash to win not one but three of that year's majors, while in 1986 Jack Nicklaus prevailed at the Masters as a written-off 46-year-old.
But this is the age of hyperbole and this is Woods, and there can be little doubt that it would be hailed above all those feats if he pulled it off. In fairness, the journey from a police station to the Butler Cabin would be too delicious to play down.
Even seeing him on the prowl in practice has been impossible to reconcile with that wretched mugshot from his DUI arrest. That was less than 11 months ago. How has he possibly gone from that to Masters favourite so quickly?
Woods, himself, calls it "a miracle" and that is telling because he has always been guarded in his self-description. The spinal fusion alleviated the debilitating pain and made him mobile once more to swing the club at destructive speeds. In finishing second and fifth in his past two outings, he has exhibited the clinical short-game touch from yesteryear. It is easy to see why his candidature has been exaggerated.
If we are going to judge [Woods], we should judge him not by his old self, by those standards, but as the new Tiger with the new body.
Yet his backers are overlooking the weakness which threatens humbling exposure here. Woods has not been driving well, resorting to taking irons off the tee. You cannot do that at Augusta, so Woods must sort out his big stick. If he can — and there were promising signs in practice — he can play his way into contention. And as Sir Nick Faldo said, all that will matter then is if he still possesses "the nerve".
Woods has not won anywhere in five years and in the major arena in 10. It takes a huge leap of faith to expect him to overcome not only this drought but everything else that happened to him in his descent.
David Duval, the former world No1, put it best.
"Let's not forget he is six months removed from not knowing if he'd ever play again," Duval said. "We should slow down, let him get some starts, get some tournaments under his belt, get himself into some positions he hasn't been in a long time.
"Yes he has tremendous speed, and a tremendous touch, but he also has rust and also a little trepidation because he hasn't been in this arena for quite a while. If we are going to judge him, we should judge him not by his old self, by those standards, but as the new Tiger with the new body and give him time to be comfortable again. I think he has earned that."
Duval knows he is whistling in the Georgia wind. When Woods arrives on the first tee, perspective and restraint will be absent. The niceties of the Augusta patrons notwithstanding, the Tiger circus is sure to be at its most excitable and, yes, hysterical.
McIlroy is bidding to become just the sixth player in history to have won all four majors, joining Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Woods. The 28-year-old would have preferred an earlier draw — he is in the third from last grouping with Jon Rahm and Adam Scott — but otherwise is supremely confident after his victory at Bay Hill three weeks ago, his first in 18 months.
McIlroy is at his most dangerous when relaxed, and he has exuded an air of near nonchalance this week.
Thomas Bjorn, the Europe Ryder Cup captain, likes what he sees from the Ulsterman. "A lot is made of what he's trying to achieve and it is tough when it's a list with only five names on," Bjorn said.
"But this is the one I thought he'd win first. It's the perfect course for him and I am surprised it's the one he's missing. But that's a good thing, because he will win it eventually. Rory should be on that list because he has that little uniqueness that makes him stand out from the rest."
If McIlroy fails, then Phil Mickelson will have the chance to be the next man in the pantheon at June's US Open. By then he could have a posted a singular entry in the record books as the oldest Masters champion. At 47, Mickelson must be given a huge chance of a fourth Green Jacket. His win at the WGC-Mexico was his first in five years and capped a fine run of form.
His creativity and vision is so suited to this layout, although the same can be said about a fellow left-hander in Bubba Watson. Mr Maverick has already won twice this year and, along with Justin Thomas, is the game's hottest player.
Jordan Spieth is appearing at the top of the betting lists, likely because of his third at the Houston Open. His case is convincing — except for his putting.
