Masters 2012: Latest News Updates for the PGA's First Major

There are many storylines and lots of expectation surrounding the 76th edition of The Masters that starts this Thursday at the Augusta National Golf Club.

There is a triumvirate of favorites to win this weekend; Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson. But the stories that are stealing most of the headlines belong to Woods and McIlroy, and a possible showdown between golf's biggest stars on the final round on Sunday.

Woods is generating a lot of the attention thanks to his recent win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational two weeks ago. All signs from his recent playing point to his possible return to prominence, and he must be looking to back that up with a win here.

A win here would mean his fifth Green Jacket and 15th career major title. That would place him three major titles behind Jack Nicklaus for most lifetime titles. It would also place him only one behind Nicklaus in career Masters titles.

Eight months ago, most of the talk surrounding Woods was regarding him being able to be competitive again. Fast forward to today and the talk is about him winning another major and possibly catching Nicklaus. Now, that is a major difference.

Last year, McIlroy looked like a stock car running against standard cars as he dominated the Masters for three rounds. After 54 holes, he was four shots ahead and well on his way to his first major title.

But then came the 10th hole on Sunday and it was like that stock car blew a tire, hit the wall and lost all the chances to win the race, giving everybody else a free run at the title. Thanks to the 80 he posted on that final round, McIlroy finished tied for 15th.

McIlroy bounced back in his next major (U.S. Open) and applied the lessons he learned and obliterated the field in record-setting fashion.

This year, McIlroy has added to his achievements, reaching the No. 1 spot in the world rankings, and is arguably the hottest player in the planet. A final round pairing on the last group with Woods would not only be a sponsor's dream, but a feast for golf fans as well.

The third player in the triumvirate of favorites is Mickelson, a three-time Masters champion.

Mickelson caught fire earlier in the year when he outplayed Woods on the final round to win at Pebble Beach, and followed it up with a playoff loss at the Transitions Championship the next week.

Then he seemed to have cooled down a bit, but that is just who Mickelson is. His performances are like predicting the next turn at Space Mountain. He is a roller coaster full of unexpected ups and downs.

But one thing is for sure about Mickelson. When he reaches Augusta, is full speed up and ahead, no stops or breaks. You can never discard him and his chances at winning a Green Jacket.

If his wins this year he would tie Woods and Arnold Palmer for second most career Masters wins.

Defending champ Charl Schwartzel will be looking to emulate something that only Jack Nicklaus, Woods and Nick Faldo have done, and that is to win in consecutive years.

He has a tough task ahead of him. But then again, so it was to become the first player ever to close the tournament with four consecutive birdies and win the title. Just finding out if he'll be able to repeat as champion makes him an intriguing player to watch.

One player who will arrive to Augusta riding high in confidence will be Hunter Mahan. Thanks to his win at the Shell Houston Open this weekend, Mahan boasts a career high No. 4 in the official world golf rankings, and leapfrogged to the top of the FedEx Cup points standings.

He is the first player on the PGA Tour to win twice this year, and seems to be peaking at the right time. If he is able to translate that momentum and confidence into a steady play during the weekend, he could win his first major title.

And when you talk about first major wins, you always have to start the debate about the best players without one. When every major comes around we like to start talking about who are these players and their chances at winning that elusive first major championship.

Players like Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Steve Stricker, Sergio Garcia and K.J. Choi must be included in any of these debates. They all might be among the best current players, and have achieved many accolades.

But they all know that golf history is not a fair thing, and winning one major championship is the achievement of a lifetime and a requirement to fulfill a career.

If you want one more storyline and reason to watch The Masters, take a look at Keegan Bradley and Kyle Stanley. They are two players with a very good chance to win this weekend, and both will be looking to become the first player since 1979 to win the Green Jacket on their first try.

Bradley already won the PGA Championship last year on his first appearance at a major. Can he make it two-for-two in majors? You have to watch to find out.

The Masters is shaping up to be one of the best in recent memory. Make sure you watch it or you might miss a piece of history.

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