Welcome to the magical, unpredictable, wide-open Masters

The 'will he won't he play’ Tiger Woods story, which has basically run the media agenda all through this week, has probably suited just about every other player with serious hopes of challenging in the 2022 Masters fine.

It has distracted attention away from the contenders near the top of world rankings - a list which currently resembles a bunched Grand National field coming to Becher's Brook second time around.

Trying to call a winner this year is maybe more difficult than it’s been since pre-Tiger times as there is no dominant figure in the world of golf right now and any one of the top six players in the rankings could conceivably be No 1 next Sunday if they have a green jacket across their shoulders.

And rankings are only part of the equation in predicting a winner - a scenario illustrated by the last five consecutive April stagings of the Masters being won by players outside of the top ten in the world.

Last year’s winner, Hideki Matsuyama was number 25.

There’s so much more to winning around Augusta than a good form line based on the PGA Tour schedule.

"It’s the ultimate test and it’s always about the mental challenge," said 22-year Augusta National veteran Padraig Harrington, who is preparing for his 16th Masters and first in seven years.

"There are a lot of big shots you’re asked to hit out there. The difference between a good and bad shot is the difference between an eagle and a double bogey at times," he explained.

"And it’s tough in terms of the speed and firmness of the greens and if you get out of position you can look very silly very quickly."

Harrington has long been an advocate of throwing caution to the wind, firing at pins at will in his career, but not around Augusta and he’s not the only player with a