Five storylines to follow at this week's Masters

Five storylines to follow as the best players in the world descend upon Augusta National Golf Club this week for the April 7-10 Masters.

TIGER SPECULATION

Talk about whether five-times champion Tiger Woods, who suffered career-threatening leg injuries in a February 2021 car crash, will return to competition at the year's first major has kept the golf world on edge for the last week.

Woods announced on Sunday he was headed to Augusta National but that it would be a "game-time" decision whether he tees it up in Thursday's opening round of the Masters.

If Woods decides to play, it would mark his first event on the PGA Tour since the 2020 Masters, which was held in November that year due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The 46-year-old Woods was at Augusta National last Tuesday and played 18 holes on a layout that is considered one of the more taxing walks on the PGA Tour given its undulating terrain.

RED-HOT SCHEFFLER

New world number one Scottie Scheffler will arrive at Augusta National as the hottest player on the planet given a recent run of form that has seen him win against incredibly strong fields in three of his last five starts.

Scheffler had never won on the PGA Tour before this season but followed his breakthrough win at February's Phoenix Open with victories at both the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play event.

Scheffler was a member of last year's victorious U.S. Ryder Cup team, where he helped set the tone in singles action on the final day of the event, and has credited his experience on the team for his recent form.

The 25-year-old Scheffler has also shown a knack for competing in major championships having finished inside the top 20 in both of his Masters appearances and