2010 Masters: The 15 Most Interesting Players Not Named Tiger Woods

With just 48 hours to go before the first tee time at Augusta National and the start of the Masters, it's time to break down 15 of the players who will be the biggest movers and shakers through all four days of the tournament.

Veterans of the tournament know that the first two days are a marathon, not a sprint, so getting off to a fast start is not always required. As long as they stay within striking distance and make the cut, they can make their move on Saturday.

The young guns have more to prove, so they try to get off fast to at least get their names mentioned. There are 17 newcomers who will try to do just that.

Hanging on to the lead may become more difficult as the veterans start to make their move, leaving the rookies in the dust.

As the weekend approaches, the familiar names will start to emerge from the pack and establish themselves. What this course is going to give up is still yet to be seen, whether it be low or high scores.

Here are 15 players to watch, including my favorites to win the coveted green jacket and the 76th edition of the Masters.

David Duval

2009 Masters: Did not qualify.

OK, so this is more of a "from the heart" pick than anything, but I think Duval is due to play well at some point.

I'm not picking him to win the Masters, I'm just rooting for him to get back to where we saw him a few years ago.

Can he play? There's no question Duval has the capability to challenge a leaderboard. What's stopping him is his own head, overthinking every tournament he's playing in.

If he can get his head screwed on straight, he could make a big comeback. Unlikely, but he's still someone I'll root for this week.

Steve Flesch

2009 Masters: 71-74-68-67=280 (-8)

Here comes my first dark horse of the day. Not your typical "big shot," but he's certainly hung in there each of the past two appearances.

In 2009, after firing a 71 on Thursday and a three-over 74 on Friday, Flesch flipped the switch and got his game going, closing out the last two days at 68 and 67 respectively to finish tied for sixth.

The previous year, it looked like Flesch could possibly land his first green jacket as he sat at eight-under par after three rounds. That all came crashing to a halt with a final-round, six-over-par 78 to finish in a tie for fifth.

Keep in mind that Flesch has missed the cut just once (2001) in five appearances. Since then he has one top-20 finish (2004) and two top-10 finishes (2008 and 2009). He finished 29th in 2005.

Luke Donald

2009 Masters: 73-71-72-73=289 (+1)

Ok, I'll acknowledge I'm not convincing myself that Donald should be on this list, but something tells me he might be among the surprises this year.

I know he hasn't shot better than a one-over par 73 in each of the last three first rounds at Augusta, and I know he hasn't broken 72 since his first round in 2005. There's just something in the back of my mind that makes me wonder if he could be the Butler of the Masters.

OK, that might be a tad optimistic, but I digress.

He played well at the Match Play Championship, finishing in a tie for ninth, he finished in a tie for sixth in the Transitions Championship, and he was second at the Northern Trust Open.

I know none of those three are the Masters, but he's at least playing well so far.

Luke, don't make me look bad.

Angel Cabrera

2009 Masters: 68-68-69-71=276 (-12)

You can't talk about the Masters without mentioning the past champions and the history behind this tournament. You can't talk about past champions without mentioning the defending champion, Cabrera.

Cabrera had an impressive first two rounds in 2009, finishing with back-to-back four-under par 68s. He closed out the final two rounds at four under par and needed a miracle par save on the first playoff hole just to stay alive.

A par save on the second playoff hole landed Cabrera his first Masters championship and green jacket.

If Cabrera has the same first two rounds that he had last year, expect him to be sitting atop the leaderboard or at least somewhere close to the top.

Hunter Mahan

2009 Masters: 66-75-71-69=281 (-7)

Well, Hunter became the hunted last week at the Shell Houston Open.

I thought he might be a favorite to win the tournament, but instead he missed the cut and didn't even make it to the weekend. Thanks for making me look bad Hunter, appreciate that.

Going into his fourth appearance at Augusta National, and coming off a 10th-place finish in 2009, Mahan could be in a good spot to make a big move during this tournament.

He doesn't have quite the momentum he thought he might have coming in, but that can be turned around with a good opening round. Hunter, I know you won't make me look bad two weeks in a row.

Chad Campbell

2009 Masters: 65-70-72-69=276 (-12)

Campbell was THAT close to wearing the green jacket last season...THAT close. Unfortunately for Campbell, close didn't land him the green jacket as Angel Cabrera went home wearing it instead.

Campbell wants his seventh appearance at Augusta to be his time. He could taste victory and now that he has that still on his taste buds, he wants it again, but this time he wants the whole salmon.

After getting off to a fast seven-under-par 65 in 2009, he'll need that kind of start again, but he needs to ride that momentum if he's going to make the cut into the weekend.

Retief Goosen

2009 Masters: 75-71=146 (Missed Cut)

Goosen will be making this 12th start at Augusta National, coming off a disappointing 2009 Masters. Even a one-under-par 71 on the tournament's second day couldn't keep him around for the weekend.

Goosen hasn't finished with a total score under par since he tied for third in 2006 with a four-under 283. That's not a knock on Goosen at all; sometimes this course just isn't forgiving.

Goosen is not having a bad year, finishing in the top five five times in seven tournaments, including back-to-back fourth-place finishes in the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Sony Open.

Padraig Harrington

2009 Masters: 69-73-73-73=288 (E)

Harrington is a guy that a lot of people will have their eye on, and not just the first round.

He's finished in the top 10 in two of the last three years at Augusta, finishing fifth in 2008 and seventh in 2007 before finishing tied for 35th last year.

After an opening-round, three-under-par 69 last year, he closed with three straight one-over par 73s to finish the tournament at even par. Not exactly what Harrington hoped would happen, but 2010 could be a different result.

Harrington has made six cuts in the seven tournaments he's played this year and has three top-25 finishes, including two top-10 finishes in his last two tournaments.

Besides that, I like the Aussie accent. You just can't root against a guy like that, can you?

Justin Leonard

2009 Masters: 75-73=148 (Missed Cut)

Call me crazy, but I've got a feeling about Leonard.

I know he missed the cut last year and hasn't finished better than 13th since 1998, when he finished in a tie for eighth.

Still, I like the way Justin was playing this past weekend at the Shell Houston Open, at least for three rounds. He was coming off a five-under 67 on Saturday and looked primed for a run to the top until he fired a two-over 74 on Sunday.

I still like Justin's chances, but he needs to get off to a good start on Thursday and stay within range of the leaders.

Vijay Singh

2009 Masters: 71-70-72-74=287 (-1)

Vijay Singh has pulled out of three straight tournaments due to a back injury, and whether or not he can make it through his 17th appearance at Augusta is yet to be seen.

If it's as bad as he said it was becoming after just nine holes at the Shell Houston Open, there's no telling if he'll be able to make it through this week.

When Vijay is on his game he's as good as anyone on tour, maybe even better. For five straight years, from 2002 to 2006, Singh didn't finish out of the top 10 at Augusta.

Ernie Els

2009 Masters: 75-71=146 (Missed Cut)

Any time that Els is in a tournament, he's automatically a favorite to do some damage, or at least lurking somewhere within striking distance.

But you look at his performances at the Masters and it leaves you scratching his head, how he could miss the cut in each of his last three appearances. He hasn't even finished in the top 25 since 2004 when he finished second to Phil Mickelson.

Regardless of all that, he's still Ernie Els and he's still dangerous in any field he's in.

So, will the real Ernie Els please stand up?

Fred Couples

2009 Masters: 73-73=146 (Missed Cut)

I'll eat crow on this one, after predicting that Houston's hometown boy would win the 2010 Shell Houston Open.

Not only did he not with the tournament, yet another golfer making me look bad, but he also didn't play very well until the very last round. Well, I guess all Freddy can hope for is to ride the momentum of that final round into the first round of the Masters on Thursday.

Luck seems to not be on Couples' side going into this tournament, as he hasn't broken 70 in the first round since 1998 and has done so just three times in 19 Masters appearances.

Anthony Kim

2009 Masters: 75-65-72-74=286 (-2)

Kim is coming off a hard-fought victory at the Shell Houston Open. After taking a one-stroke lead to the 18th green, Kim missed a par putt that sent him into a playoff with Vaughn Taylor, who had been watching from the clubhouse.

Fortunately for Kim, he played the 18th right this time and took home the trophy.

Going into his second Masters appearance, Kim has a little momentum on his side. What he also has is a badly injured thumb that will require surgery at some point, but Kim has not made it clear when that surgery will take place.

He finished tied for 20th at Augusta last year mainly because of a rough start (75) and finish (74). If he can put together the kind of rounds he put together in the second and third rounds last year (65, 72), Kim could be in the thick of things.

He's fast becoming one of my favorites to watch and I'll definitely be watching him closely this week.

Nick Watney

2009 Masters: 70-71-71-73=285 (-3)

Watney continues to get better.

He's one of the more under-appreciated golfers on tour and could quickly make a name for himself, especially if he comes out firing in the first round.

I'm not one to make an early prediction, especially with someone who's gone only two go rounds with the unforgiving Augusta National course. But if his numbers tell the story, they've gotten better in each of the last two years.

He may not be a favorite, but he may be a name you'll know before this week is over.

Rory McIlroy

2009 Masters: 72-73-71-70=286 (-2)

McIlroy is one of the up-and-comers on tour, so much so that Tiger Woods himself decided to share the cover of his 2011 video game with McIlroy.

Needless to say, McIlroy was more than honored, but he will stop short of all of the people calling him "the next Tiger Woods."

This will be Rory's second start at Augusta after finishing in a tie for 20th last year, failing to shoot below 70 in any of his four rounds.

If this guy is as good as everyone says he is, he could be a fun one to watch.