Madeira no piece of cake for Masters duo

Two weeks before they make their debuts in the Masters at Augusta, Bradley Dredge and Kenneth Ferrie have opted for some hill-walking training as well as golf practice this week.

Having failed to qualify for the CA World Championship in Florida the pair compete in the Madeira Islands Open on a Santo da Serra course which tests fitness as well as sporting ability.

Augusta National always shocks newcomers with how severe some of the climbs and drops are, but it has nothing on this spectacular setting overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

One incline in particular has become known as “Cardiac Hill” and if it is bad for the players, imagine the agony suffered by the caddies.

Welshman Dredge won his first European Tour title at the event in 2003 – and did so by a massive eight strokes after a third-round 60 containing 10 birdies and an eagle. It would have matched the lowest round in the tour’s history but for the fact that placing was allowed on the fairways.

Since then the 33-year-old has shared World Cup glory for Wales with Stephen Dodd, won the European Masters – also by eight – and only last month knocked Ernie Els out of the Accenture World Match Play Championship in Arizona.

He qualified for the Masters by finishing last year in 50th place in the world rankings, just 0.01 points ahead of Justin Rose, but has since slipped to 66th place.

Ferrie earned his spot via the US Open last June. Joint leader with Phil Mickelson with a round to go he slipped to sixth, but was then told he had made it to Augusta by a single stroke.

His world ranking has fallen to 168th since and the 28-year-old from Northumberland is keen to get it moving in the right direction again.