Past champs take pride of place at Augusta

VIJAY Singh, Mark O'Meara, Angel Cabrera, Jose-Maria Olazabal, Bernhard Langer, Trevor Immelman, Fred Couples. The list is endless. These are names that will not roll off the tongue so easily in current debates about the favourites for any of the four Majors in golf.

But as the traditional first Major of the year tees off at Augusta on Thursday, they are not forgotten figures for the hallowed fairways and greens at the gorgeous Georgia 6,799-metre layout.

They have been brought back into focus because of the Masters' unique qualification criterion of a lifetime invitation for past champions. So Langer (1985 and 1993), Cabrera (2009), O'Meara (1998), Vijay (1999 and 2000), Couples (1992), Immelman (2008) and Olazabal (1994) will join the likes of Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy for the big Augusta showdown. The Masters has the smallest field of the Majors with 90 to 100 players. Unlike other Majors, there are no alternates or qualifying tournaments.