Garcia defends Masters title with Woods among the contenders

Reuters: Sergio Garcia will return to Augusta to defend his U.S Masters’ title for the first major of the season starting on Thursday (5 April).

The Spanish golfer pipped Englishman Justin Rose at the first extra hole following an intense final-round duel to claim the green jacket in 2017, which was also his first major title.

Four-time Masters’ champion Tiger Woods is set to make his first major appearance since 2015 after suffering from injury. The American, who has won 14 major titles but none since the 2008 US Open, has shown that he may be returning to form with second and fifth place finishes last month at the Valspar Championship and Arnold Palmer Invitational respectively.

This has prompted some bookmakers to make him joint favourite along with compatriots Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas along with Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational less than two weeks ago.