What players saying at the Masters
04 Apr 2012 - 20:16:56
What players are saying going into the 76th Masters, which starts on Thursday:
TIGER WOODS (USA)
Age - 36
World ranking - 7
Playing in 18th Masters
Best Masters finish - Winner in 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005
"It's all about understanding how to play this golf course. This is my 18th year, so I've spent just about half my life playing this tournament."
RORY McILROY (NIR)
Age - 22
World ranking - 2
Playing in fourth Masters
Best Masters finish - T15 in 2011
"It's nice to be getting all this praise and everything, but you have to take it with a pinch of salt. I definitely don't have the achievements that Tiger has or nowhere near the level of success that he's had over the last 15 years."
PHIL MICKELSON (USA)
Age - 41
World ranking - 14
Playing in 20th Masters
Best Masters finish - Winner in 2004, 2006, 2010
"I think there's a very good chance that a young player, inexperienced fearless player that attacks this golf course can win, if you don't need to show it the proper respect."
LUKE DONALD (ENG)
Age 34
World ranking - 1
Playing in 8th Masters
Best Masters finish - T3 in 2005
"Obviously Tiger is always the guy that pushes the needle the most and obviously Rory gets a lot of attention now. But for me, that's probably a good thing. I can kind of go about my business and just get on with things."
LEE WESTWOOD (ENG)
Age - 38
World ranking - 3
Playing in 13th Masters
Best Masters finish - Second in 2010
"I'm exited to play in the Masters and I'm excited just to come here. I'm not so excited that everybody is playing well obviously. I wish that everyone was playing poorly."
CHARL SCHWARTZEL (RSA)
Age - 27
World ranking - 8
Playing in third Masters
Best Masters finish - Winner in 2011
"Now all of a sudden that I've done it (won last year), I almost expect myself to win. I feel like I'm playing good enough. I feel like if I've done it before, why can't I do it again."
MARTIN KAYMER (GER)
Age - 27
World ranking - 6
Playing in fifth Masters
Best Masters finish - Never made the cut
"A few tee shots at Augusta don't really suit my eye, but it's obviously a great course and it's up to me to try to find a way to play it. Hopefully playing a practice round with Bernhard (Langer, a past champion) will help me."
HUNTER MAHAN (USA)
Age - 29
World ranking - 4
Playing in sixth Masters
Best Masters finish - T8 in 2010
After winning last week in Houston - "I take a lot from this week but Augusta is its own animal so I?m looking forward to the challenge. I feel very capable of playing great golf and I feel like I showed myself I don?t need to be perfect to win."
