AUGUSTA, Ga. Luis Muriel Jersey . -- A quick stroll across the manicured landscape of Augusta National afforded a glimpse of why this Masters is so hard to figure out. On the putting green in a quiet moment of practice was 20-year-old Jordan Spieth, one of a record 24 newcomers who has every reason to believe he can win. On the golf course for the final day of practice was Webb Simpson, a former U.S. Open champion and one of 21 players who have captured the last 24 majors. And under the oak tree outside the clubhouse was Miguel Angel Jimenez, the 50-year-old Spaniard trying to make sense of it all. He recalled his first Masters in 1995, when Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal shared secrets to Augusta National, such as keeping the ball in the right spots on the green and "to realize here that the target is not the hole." "The more you play, the more you like, no?" Jimenez said as he leaned against his golf bag, looking relaxed as ever behind his aviator sunglasses. But as he considered the rookies -- Spieth and Patrick Reed, Harris English and Jimmy Walker -- he dismissed the notion that experience was required for a green jacket. "There are 24 guys here for the first time," he said. "But theres a reason they are here, no?" Nowhere to be found, of course, was Tiger Woods. Out of golf until the summer because of back surgery, out of the Masters for the first time in his career, the show goes on. "Well, we miss Tiger, as does the entire golf world," Masters chairman Billy Payne said. "He is always a threat to make a run and do well and win here at Augusta National. ... Nevertheless, this is the Masters. This is what we hope is the best tournament in the world, one of the greatest sporting events. And I think we will have a very impressive audience and have another great champion to crown this year." The course closed for practice Wednesday afternoon, and a stream of fans made their way over to the Par 3 Tournament, where occasional cheers broke the silence. It was a precursor of what was sure to follow over the next four days at a major that rarely fails to deliver drama. Even without Woods. "Its probably the most anticipated week of the year," Rory McIlroy said. "Its been eight months since weve had a major. Its Augusta. ... Theres a lot of guys that seem like once they drive up Magnolia Lane here, something lights up inside them." That could be Phil Mickelson, who last year won the British Open at age 42 and now has a chance to join Woods and Arnold Palmer with a fourth green jacket. It could be Adam Scott, trying to join Woods, Nick Faldo and Jack Nicklaus as the only back-to-back winners. Considering how this year has gone, it could be anybody. Jason Day, Sergio Garcia and former Masters champion Zach Johnson are the only players from the top 10 who have won anywhere in the world. Only one of the last seven winners on the PGA Tour was ranked in the top 75. "I think if youre outside the top 50 in the world this week, youve got a great chance," U.S. Open champion Justin Rose said with a laugh. Rose, however, falls on the side of experience -- knowing where to miss, knowing where you cant afford to miss, where the hole locations tend to be on the contoured greens and using the slope to get the ball close. "Always you can have the unknowns," he said. "But I would say 15 guys are pretty strong favourites." Woods has become a polarizing figure in golf, especially at the Masters. Since he last won a green jacket in 2005, only once has Woods finished out of the top six. Thats what made him so compelling at Augusta. He always seems to be there. And thats why this Masters seems to lack definition. No one is dominating golf at the moment. Walker has the most PGA Tour wins (three) this season, but this is his first Masters. Scott had a chance to go to No. 1 in the world three weeks ago at Bay Hill, but he lost a three-shot lead in the final round to Matt Every, who had never won in his career. Never has there been this much chatter about Masters rookies. Then again, there has never been this many. And theyre not bashful about their chances. "Doesnt matter if youve played here once or if youve played here 50 times," Reed said. "When it comes down to it, its just going to be that whoever is playing the best is going to walk away with the trophy." So maybe its not that hard to figure out, after all. Abel Aguilar Colombia Jersey . The United States clinched the final berth into the Ford Worlds, March 28-April 6 at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, on Saturday in Blaine, Minn. Davinson Sanchez Jersey . Subway workers in Rio de Janeiro, meanwhile, were holding an assembly to vote on whether they would strike to demand higher wages, threatening to disrupt transportation. By late Tuesday night there was no announcement of their decision. http://www.nationalcolombiafootball.com/davinson-sanchez-colombia-jersey/ . The 19-year-old Swiss centre back will initially have to impress in Uniteds reserve side to earn a spot in the first team. Veseli says "Manchester United has a long history of younger players coming through and hopefully I can follow and do the same. TOKYO -- Canada is down 2-1 to Japan in its best-of-five World Group Davis Cup series following a doubles match loss on Saturday. Torontos Daniel Nestor and Frank Dancevic of Niagara Falls, Ont., fell to Japans Kei Nishikori and Yasutaka Uchiyama 6-3, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-4. Both teams made player substitutions prior to the match as Dancevic went in for Vancouvers Vasek Pospisil, who is still recovering from a back injury. Nishikori subbed in for Yuichi Sugita on the Japanese side. The match marked the first time Dancevic and Nestor had played together in three years. "I thought those guys came out really strong and we really didnt take advantage of our chances," said Canadian captain Martin Laurendeau. "The guys fought really hard and it was really a matter of a few points." The Canadian pair got out to an early lead in the second set but Japan broke back to force the tiebreak, and capitalized to take a two-set advantage before Nestor and Dancevic captured the third set. Jose Fernando Cuadrado Colombia Jersey. For Nestor, the loss was only his eighth in Davis Cup doubles play in his entire 22-year career representing Canada. It was also the first loss for Dancevic and Nestor as a pair, who entered the contest undefeated together with a 3-0 record. Canada is currently ranked No. 7 on the Davis Cup Nations ranking while Japan sits at No. 12. Japan owns a 5-0 record against Canada in Davis Cup action, but the two countries had not played each other since 1938 prior to this tournament. Dancevic will play World No. 18 Nishikori in a must-win singles match on Sunday. If a fifth and final match is needed, Peter Polansky of Thornhill, Ont., will face Go Soeda, also on Sunday. The nations split their opening pair of first-round singles matches on Friday, with Nishikori defeating Polansky in straight sets 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, before Canada pulled even on the strength of Dancevics 6-4, 7-6 (2), 6-1 victory over Soeda. ' ' '