A raft of former European Challenge Tour stars will make their debuts at Augusta National this week in the first Major Championship of 2017 – the Masters Tournament.
Six European Tour Members will tee off on the hallowed turf of the famous Georgia course for the first time, four of whom started their careers on Europe’s top developmental tour.
Former Challenge Tour Number One Tommy Fleetwood, who topped the Rankings in 2011, has started the season in fine form.
After triumphing at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in January, the 26 year old finished second in the WGC-Mexico Championship – meaning the Englishman arrives at Augusta as Race to Dubai Number One.
It will not be the first time Fleetwood has walked the fabled fairways of Augusta, though. Three years ago, the Southport native attended the Masters as a patron, watching his rivals in one of golf’s most prestigious events.
Now returning as a player, the two-time European Tour winner admits he is still slightly overwhelmed to be competing this week.
"In all honesty, one of the greatest accomplishments I've had in my career was actually qualifying for the Masters this year,” he said.
“I dropped quite a long way at one point last year and qualifying for the Masters wasn't in our thoughts at all, so it's all come very quickly.
"I came to watch in 2014 and I kind of came with the intention of being there the following year and finished 51st in the world that year, so I just missed out.
"Whoever you speak to says everything takes a little bit of getting used to. Augusta, it's in everybody's mind and everybody's dreams so it's a little bit surreal when you first go.
"I thought I just want to see what it's like and when I do come, I might not be as awestruck. But it doesn't quite work like that - when you get to the golf course, it's still the same feelings.”
Also making his maiden appearance at Augusta is Fleetwood’s fellow countryman Tyrrell Hatton, who graduated from the Challenge Tour in 2012.
Since then the 25 year old has forged a reputation as one of his continent’s brightest young talents, and after top-ten finishes in both the Open Championship and the US PGA Championship last year he has maintained his position in the top 15 of the Official World Golf Ranking.
World Number Ten Alex Noren, who finished third in the Challenge Tour Rankings in 2006, is also teeing it up at Augusta for the first time.
The eight-time European Tour winner, who triumphed on four occasions last season, will be looking to add a Green Jacket to his sizeable trophy cabinet.
Three-time European Tour winner Thomas Pieters, who came through Challenge Tour ranks in 2013, joins South Korea’s Jeunghun Wang and Spain’s Jon Rahm, among others, in the hunt to become the first player to win the Masters on debut since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.
A total of 17 Challenge Tour alumni will compete in the 81ststaging of the Masters. Reigning Open Champion Henrik Stenson will be looking to add to his Major haul while Olympic gold medallist Justin Rose, who finished as a runner-up in 2015, will be hopeful of going one better this year.
Trevor Immelman, the only Challenge Tour alumnus to win the Masters, is also in the field, as is former World Number One Martin Kaymer, 2010 Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen and current World Cup of Golf champion Søren Kjeldsen.
Rafa Cabrera Bello, Matt Fitzpatrick and Brooks Koepka, who all competed in Hazeltine in last year’s Ryder Cup, are all also returning to Augusta, as is Ross Fisher, who will be competing in the Masters for the first time in five years.
European Tour winners Branden Grace, Byeong Hun An and Bernd Wiesberger will all also be trying to get their hands of one of golf’s most coveted prizes, but will face stern competition.
Rory McIlroy, who played on the Challenge Tour in Egypt in 2010, will be looking to complete a career grand slam while three-time champion Phil Mickelson, whose Challenge Tour record reads played one won one after his 1993 Tournoi Perrier Paris triumph, can tie Tiger Woods Masters’ record with another victory.
Reigning Amateur Champion Scott Gregory, who competed in the 2016 Bridgestone Challenge, will be hoping he can follow in the footsteps of Romain Langasque – the 2015 Amateur Champion who turned professional after Augusta and is now a European Tour player.
