Rory McIlroy ready to go on the attack

Rory McIlroy will summon the spirit of 2014 to try and finally fulfil his Masters destiny but he will need the compliance of a long list of genuine contenders for perhaps the most wide-open tournament in years.

Forget the big three of golf that puts world number one Jason Day, defending champion Jordan Spieth and four-time major winner McIlroy at the pinnacle of their sport. This opening major of 2016 has a deeper field of candidates than that.

Bubba Watson has twice conquered Augusta National in the last four years, Rickie Fowler is knocking on the door for his first major and Justin Rose has the look of a Masters champion in waiting. Throw previous champions Adam Scott, Charl Schwartzel and Phil Mickelson into the pot alongside current form horses Henrik Stenson, Louis Oosthuizen, and Dustin Johnson, and you have the makings of a battle royal to light the touchpaper on a golfing year to relish. Even dual US Amateur and NCAA champion Bryson DeChambeau is part of the conversation as a potential winner.