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spt_Masters_handicap07[i-1].body = "Has he ever been a bigger favorite to win a green jacket? Perhaps not, but unlike overwhelming favorites in other sports, Tiger Woods rarely disappoints. With a win, Woods would for the second time in his career capture three consecutive majors, a feat only Ben Hogan (1953) can lay claim to. With a 5th Masters title, he would also put in motion a wave of hype, pundits speculating on the chance of a pure “Grand Slam,” victories in all four major championships during a calendar year.
Nowhere does experience matter quite like Augusta and a quick glance offers up yet another little streak –- Woods has shot par or better in each of his last seven rounds in the Masters. Augusta National is the most prestigious private club in the U.S., but for this one week every April, it belongs to only Woods.
But just in case there's a rare slip up by the heavy favorite, MSNBC.com contributor Jim McCabe offers seven players that could halt Woods' drive for five green jackets.";
spt_Masters_handicap07[i++] = new Array("","Phil Mickelson","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070329/mickelson_phil.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Chris O'Meara", "AP", "181", "298", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_Masters_handicap07[i-1].body = "
Age: 36
Country: U.S.
Masters appearances: 14
Best finish: 1st ('04, '06)
Major titles: 3 ('04, '06 Masters; '05 PGA)
’06 majors: Masters (1st), U.S. (2nd-tie), British (22nd-tie), PGA (16th-tie)
World ranking: 4
Pedestrian at Bay Hill? Sloppy and indifferent at Doral? Somewhat spotty 2007? Have no fears, Mickelson is prepared to defend his Masters title.
If there is one thing that is most important, it is this: The lefthander has surely figured out how to play Augusta National. Want proof? How about 50, as in the number of strokes he’s under par in his last eight Masters, a 32-round stretch that has produced 23 sub-par scores and 28 at par-or-better.
With such an obvious comfort zone amid the tall Georgia pines, Mickelson isn’t shaking in his golf shoes, even while playing so sketchy in the Palmer Invitational and at the WGC CA Championship.
His season is shaped by how he fares in the major championships -– at least the ones on American soil; the British Open remains a mystery –- and there’s no denying that over the last four or five seasons Mickelson has played better than anyone not named Tiger Woods in these affairs.
With a firm grip of the sight lines, confidence in his short game, and a steady putter, look for Mickelson to continue his brilliance at Augusta.";
spt_Masters_handicap07[i++] = new Array("","Ernie Els","","http://msnbcmedia3.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070329/els_ernie.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Mike Blake", "Reuters", "190", "298", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_Masters_handicap07[i-1].body = "
Age: 37
Country: South Africa
Masters appearances: 13
Best finish: 2nd ('00, 04)
Major titles: 3 ('94, '97 U.S.; '02 British)
’06 majors: Masters (27th-tie), U.S. (26th-tie), British (3rd), PGA (16th-tie)
World ranking: 5
These are not the best of days for Ernie Els.
He’s winless on the PGA Tour since 2004, his only win anywhere worldwide a year ago was a low-tier event in his native South Africa, and he has suddenly forgotten how to close out rounds of golf.
Consider his effort at the WGC CA Championship, where he played the par-4 18th in bogey, bogey, double-bogey, bogey fashion – and if you’re going to chase Tiger Woods, that’s not the way to go about it.
Then again, perhaps that’s the problem. Els has tried unsuccessfully to catch up to Woods for years now, so perhaps he has grown weary and disinterested in the cause. At times, he seems distant, and of late his once gentle demeanor has been quite the opposite.
Is he pressing on the golf course? Quite possibly. But so, too, is there an enormous amount of talent and here’s a guess that Augusta will bring it out in him. With some great putting, he could storm into contention.";
spt_Masters_handicap07[i++] = new Array("","Rod Pampling","","http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070329/pampling_rod.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "David Cannon", "Getty Images", "182", "298", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_Masters_handicap07[i-1].body = "
Age: 37
Country: Australia
Masters appearances: 2
Best finish: 5th-tie ('05)
Major titles: None
’06 majors: Masters (16th-tie), U.S. (32nd-tie), British (35th-tie), PGA (cut)
World ranking: 42
Rarely do golfers handle the Masters challenge right from the start, but this unheralded Aussie has done just that.
Pampling has played just twice and he’s got a top 10 and two top 20 finishes. In eight rounds, he hasn’t shot worse than 73 and three times he’s broken par.
Indeed, while some other Aussies have gathered a lot more of the spotlight, Pampling, 37, has quietly established himself as one of his country’s best. Not one part of his game stands out, but all aspects are solid.
One of these years, an Aussie is due to win at Augusta National –- after all, its elevated greens with false, shaved-down fronts are reminiscent of many Australian golf courses. It may not be Pampling, but he’s surely got the game to push his name onto the leaderboard.";
spt_Masters_handicap07[i++] = new Array("","Geoff Ogilvy","","http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070329/ogilvy_geoff.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Ezra Shaw", "Getty Images", "298", "215", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_Masters_handicap07[i-1].body = "
Age: 29
Country: Australia
Masters appearances: 1
Best finish: 16th-tie ('06)
Major titles: 1 ('06 U.S.)
’06 majors: Masters (16th-tie), U.S. (1st), British (16th-tie), PGA (9th-tie)
World ranking: 8
Say hello to arguably the most talented player under the age of 30. (OK, we’ll not be able to say that for too much longer, since he’ll turn 30 in June.)
His Masters debut in 2006 resulted in a share of 16th place, though it got overlooked when squeezed between his winter production (win the WGC Match Play title) and his summer theatrics (triumph at the U.S. Open). But he navigated the demanding Augusta layout in 1-over 289 and it would be surprising if he didn’t improve upon that performance this time around.
He drives the ball beautifully, is a superb ball-striker, and maintains a terrific on-course demeanor –- even during those times when he is hard on himself.
Putting, which is the key everything at Augusta National, is sometimes an Achilles’ heel, but Ogilvy, unlike so many of his heralded colleagues, has been consistently showing up in these major affairs (five top 10 finishes in his last six starts), so look for him to continue that trend.";
spt_Masters_handicap07[i++] = new Array("","Steve Stricker","","http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070329/stricker_steve.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Matt Sullivan", "Reuters", "186", "298", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_Masters_handicap07[i-1].body = "
Age: 40
Country: U.S.
Masters appearances: 6
Best finish: 10th-tie ('01)
Major titles: None
’06 majors: Masters (DNP), U.S. (6th-tie), British (DNP), PGA (7th-tie)
World ranking: 41
There were a few years when he fell out of the top 125 on the money list, so it was easy to overlook Stricker, but his game of late has been tough to ignore.
A spirited run in last summer's U.S. Open resulted in a T-6, then he finished T-7 at the PGA Championship and went on to finish 34th on the money list.
At 40, maybe it’s too much to expect him to continue this rejuvenated path, but Stricker is first and foremost a tremendous putter –- perhaps the best on Tour not named Tiger Woods –- and that’s not a bad attribute to ride into the season’s first major championship. He’ll spray it off the tee, but scrambling has always been his specialty.
While he’s missed the cut in three of his six Masters, he’s also had two top 20s, so there’s some proof that he can meet the Augusta challenge.";
spt_Masters_handicap07[i++] = new Array("","Jose Maria Olazabal","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/050330/050330_app_olazabal.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Eric Risberg", "AP", "298", "251", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_Masters_handicap07[i-1].body = "
Age: 41
Country: Spain
Masters appearances: 19
Best finish: 1st ('94, '99)
Major titles: 2 ('94, '99 Masters
’06 majors: Masters (3rd-tie), U.S. (21st-tie), British (56th-tie), PGA (55th-tie)
World ranking: 32
Twice a champion, it would be hard to argue against this Spaniard being the most passionate Masters participant each and every spring. For sure, few competitors covet the quirky shots and embrace the precision iron shots that must be made more than your two-time champion.
Oh, perhaps more than any contender Olazabal needs for Augusta National to play firm and fast –- something that hasn’t happened since he last won -– but even with the course long and soft, his short-game magic has enabled him to finish in the top 10 three times in the seven Masters since his second victory. As deliberate a player as there is on the world scene, Olazabal is still a joy to watch, assuming you enjoy artistic shot-making and an dignified approach to his craft.
He’s 41, so his Masters chances may be dwindling away, but if the stars align and the weather cooperates, who knows?";
spt_Masters_handicap07[i++] = new Array("","Jim Furyk","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070329/furyk_jim.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Ross D. Franklin", "A.P.", "298", "257", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_Masters_handicap07[i-1].body = "
Age: 36
Country: U.S.
Masters appearances: 10
Best finish: 4th ('98, '03)
Major titles: 1 ('03 U.S.)
’06 majors: Masters (22nd-tie), U.S. (2nd-tie), British (4th), PGA (29th-tie)
World ranking: 2
Like so many others, he’d love to see Augusta National play firm and fast, because that would put a premium on driving accuracy (he’s got that) and deft iron play (he’s got that, too).
While the U.S. Open is still the major that fits him best, Furyk has missed the cut just once in 10 Masters and three top 10s offer a testament to his grit and fortitude.
He has won on a bomber’s golf courses (Kapalua), but his best work has been scripted at layouts where course-management is essential (the Memorial at Muirfield Village, the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae CC, Wachovia at Quail Hollow, the U.S. Open at Olympia Fields). Augusta National could be such a course –- but only if warm, dry weather is the order of business.
If not, Furyk’s job will be that much tougher, which is sometimes when he does his best work."; spt_Masters_handicap07[i++] = new Array("spt_0320_TigercareerMasterstitles","VOTE: Tiger titles?","","","","", "lv", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); // END editorial data