Adam Scott, 26

Scott comes into the Masters brimming with confidence following his win at the Shell Houston Open last weekend. On a course set up to mimic the challenge of Augusta National — fast greens, inch and a half long rough, shaved slopes, etc. — Scott shot a four round total of 271 (17 under par) to hold off the challenge of countryman Stuart Appleby. Striking the ball better than he has all year, the Aussie averaged 302 yards off the tee and hit almost 86% of greens in regulation during the final 36 holes, not one of which did he bogey. Scott has played in the last five Masters and made the cut four times, with the tie for ninth he recorded in his debut still his best finish. In 18 rounds at Augusta, he has never broken 70, and his scoring average of 73.17 needs considerable improvement if he is to contend. But after last week’s showing and on a course that, theoretically, should suit him down to the ground, he must rank among the favorites.

Trevor Immelman, 27

After an impressive 2006 season during which he claimed his maiden PGA Tour victory (Cialis Western Open), finished second twice, and was named Rookie of the Year, the South African rose to 13th in the world rankings and cemented his place among the game’s elite. He has failed to come alive so far this season, however, but did find top form briefly at the recent Arnold Palmer Invitational, where he went into the final round tied for fifth before a closing 73 dropped him to a tie for ninth. A final round 79 at the WGC-CA Championship two weeks ago did further damage to his final round scoring average (73.17), so it will be interesting to see how he handles the back nine on Sunday should he find himself near the top of the leaderboard. His flattish swing causes a somewhat flatter trajectory than what is considered ideal at Augusta, but he did finish in a five-way tie for fifth here in 2005 with the help of a third round 65.

Paul Casey, 29

The most naturally talented of Britain’s Ryder Cup stars younger than 30, Casey has the power, finesse, and imagination to thrive at Augusta, and after watching the tournament on TV last year, the Englishman will be eager to return to the major championship venue he believes fits his game best. Indeed, a creditable tie for sixth in his debut three years ago demonstrated his affinity for the course. A stellar 2006, in which he won three times on the European Tour, was second on the Order of Merit, and went unbeaten in four matches at the Ryder Cup, surely gave him the confidence to be a factor at major championships, but, like Immelman, his play this year has been patchy to say the least — his win at the Abu Dhabi Championship in January, against a very strong field, is now something of a distant memory. But as he has proved on several occasions in the past 12 months, when he is at his best he’s hard to beat.

Charles Howell III, 27

After miserable opening rounds of 80 and 84 a year ago, the Augusta native comes back to the course he first played as a 10-year-old with a lot to prove. Last year he arrived having finished no higher than T-33rd in his first nine starts, but this year he already has a win, two seconds, and two more top-10s under his belt. He thus arrives at Augusta National ranked no. 15 in the world and better prepared mentally than he ever has been. Despite his remarkably slender frame, Howell has become something of a wayward bomber in the Tiger Woods, Vijay Singhmold with an average drive of 300.7 yards (up 12 yards since 2004 and 9th on Tour) that finds the fairway just 53.61% of the time (170th). Missing the short grass that often probably won’t hurt him at Augusta as much as it would at the U.S. Open, and his length off the tee will certainly help. Perhaps more significant is the improvement he has made to his putting — up from 185th to 33rd in the rankings.

Richie Ramsay, 23

The winner of last summer’s U.S. Amateur Championship at Hazeltine National GC, Ramsay is a feisty Scot attempting to become the first British amateur to play the final two rounds since Peter McEvoy in 1978. Currently studying for a marketing and sports studies degree at Stirling University, 40 miles west of Edinburgh, Ramsay admits to being a perfectionist and extremely driven but has endured mixed fortunes in the run-up to his first Masters appearance. He and his coach visited the course in January, and he sneaked in several more practice rounds last week, but a misunderstanding between him and tournament organizers at the Arnold Palmer Invitational lost him his place in that field and reduced his competitive outings in the last month to the Georgia Cup (18-hole match between the reigning U.S, and British Amateur Champions) in Alpharetta, Ga., seven days ago — perhaps not the best rehearsal for an opening round at the Masters alongside Mickelson.