US Masters: Players prepare for ultimate test of nerve

For David Duval it is a heady mixture of feeling ‘‘ecstatic and sick at the same time’’.

For Tiger Woods it is the same - regardless of how many times he has been there.

The ‘‘it’’ in question is being in contention come the last nine holes of the Masters, the annual pageant at Augusta National which will again be the focus of the golfing world over the next four days.

Forget that the season has been under way since January 3 with the Mercedes Championship in Hawaii, won three days later by Sergio Garcia.

This, for most people, is still the real start. The rest is mere warm-up. This is where careers can be made.

World number two Phil Mickelson, trying again to land his first Major, said: ‘‘History is made here every year and to feel that sense of history is very cool.

‘‘It’s a little unnerving, but it’s really a special feeling to be a part of it and something that I’ve cherished every year.

‘‘I love the history of this tournament and the history of this club. We can’t wait for this time of year to get back here and play.

‘‘It’s a different and unique feeling when you’re on this particular course than it is at any other tour event. Just playing the practice rounds you can sense the difference.

‘‘The desire to win can’t get any higher for any of the players in the field.’’

While defending champion and world number one Woods is again the favourite on the course where 12 months ago he completed the sport’s first clean sweep of the four Majors, the fact that he has won only once this season and did not even figure in the last three Majors of last year has people looking for other possible winners.

Spaniards Garcia and Jose Maria Olazabal, South Africans Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, Fijian Vijay Singh and Americans Mickelson and Duval appear to have the best credentials to challenge Woods following the decision to lengthen the course by nearly 300 yards.

Mickelson - can he avoid four or five-putting? - states: ‘‘I should have an opportunity on Sunday and if I’m patient one of these years I’m going to break through.

‘‘I’ve always felt comfortable on this course and I’ve had lots of opportunities to win.

‘‘I feel as though the course has set up well for me in the past and I feel the same this year. I also feel like I have a pretty good knowledge of the course now after playing it for 10 years.

‘‘But while it’s nice of Greg Norman to say I have the best chance of anybody with the changes, the player to look at is the number one player ranked in the world, Tiger.

‘‘He’s the guy that everybody has got to watch out for and given his length and accuracy and distance control, he’s going to be the guy to beat.

‘‘I try to prepare the same way that I have prepared in the past for tournaments where I’ve played my best.

‘‘Last year when he was third I thought I played pretty well for the most part. The only shot I would want over again was the tee shot on 16. I had pulled within a stroke, had the honour and pulled it a little bit.

‘‘Just a couple of feet left precisely where Woods then landed I would have had a realistic shot at birdie and put a little bit more pressure on Tiger.’’

Duval it was who kept that pressure on until the end - until he missed a five-foot birdie chance on the last.

In the previous three years he was third, sixth and second again, but his victory in the Open last July means he does not have the same ‘‘nearly man’’ baggage as Mickelson any more.

‘‘Now that I’ve won at Lytham I think I’ve completely proven that under the circumstances of the biggest, most important championships in the world I can play and perform and win,’’ Duval said.

‘‘I feel like I’ve proven I can win here. No, I don’t have a coat sitting upstairs in the locker, but I’ve put up the scores and I’ve just been beaten.

‘‘I’m expecting some really good things this week and I think the thing that benefits me the most is I know exactly what it feels like not just from one time, but from three, four, five times.

‘‘I know how on Sunday afternoon I’m going to react and how my body is going to react and what my emotions will be.

‘‘You have to really temper your excitement, your nerves. It’s a great challenge to really stay focused on what you’re doing at the time as opposed to thinking ahead, whether it be a hole or two or to what the outcome may be.

‘‘The adrenaline is so strong and it feels like it’s the only place I’d ever want to be. You feel ecstatic and sick at the same time and a lot of amazing things go through your head and through your body.’’

Duval was asked if he had checked with Woods that he feels the same coming down the last nine holes.

‘‘I promise you he does,’’ he replied with a smile. ‘‘And if he tells you differently he’s lying!’’

When that was put to Woods, he just laughed - and agreed with Duval.

Lee Westwood talked of the same sick feeling when, playing with Woods, he led with nine holes to play three years ago.

He looked at the time the European most likely to take over the banner first held by Seve Ballesteros, then Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle, Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam and Olazabal.

But since missing last year’s championship to await the birth of his son Samuel - one on Friday and back home in Worksop - the 28-year-old has by and large looked a shadow of his former self.

Colin Montgomerie, only once in the top 10 in 10 trips, has not produced anything so far this year to suggest he might be a factor unlike three-time winner Faldo, who for the best part of three days at the Players’ Championship three weeks ago was pressing hard.

It could be a big week for Darren Clarke and/or Padraig Harrington. In the last fortnight Clarke has been second in Houston and Harrington eighth in Atlanta.

They know they have the game. But can they handle the ecstasy and sickness?