Teenage trio measure up against the master

It is a brave man who says Tiger Woods will definitely not be world number one in five or even 10 years.

But this week’s Masters still offers a glimpse into where a future challenge could come from, with three teenagers all competing at Augusta for the first time.

And even if they have to wait a long while to topple Woods from a perch he has occupied for the last 200 weeks and for 542 in all, notice has been served that the trio – Ryo Ishikawa, Danny Lee and Rory McIlroy – are players who are going places fast.

Ishikawa is still only 17, but won on the Japanese Tour at 15 and since turning professional last year has added two more victories and is the youngest player ever to make the world’s top 100. He has already earned more than 100 million Yen (€732,000).

Augusta National decided Ishikawa – “The Bashful Prince” as he is known - deserved a special invitation, making him the second-youngest player ever in the tournament. American amateur Tommy Jacobs was 17 years one month in 1952, Ishikawa turns 18 in September.

“My ultimate goal is to win the Masters, but to achieve that I have set up small goals in each practice,” he said. “Hopefully I can get to the final goal.”