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Just as an oddly shaped Christmas gift intrigues a young child before the wrapping comes off, next week’s Masters has whetted the appetite of fans and players because of its rich promise.

As the season’s first major, the Masters is always anticipated with more hope, speculation and hunger than any of the other three, and probably more so this year than ever before.

Former world number one Tiger Woods and defending champion Phil Mickelson, who between them have clinched six of the last 10 Masters titles, are both well short of their best form, leaving the April 7-10 event wide open.

Although neither Woods nor fellow American Mickelson can be discounted as likely contenders, the list of potential winners at Augusta National next week is as long as anyone can recall.

World number two Lee Westwood, third-ranked Luke Donald and big-hitting Dustin Johnson (12th) can all lay claim to being due a maiden major victory and that trio will hold high hopes when they tee off in Thursday’s opening round.

So too will the other reigning major champions; Britain’s Graeme McDowell (US Open), South African Louis Oosthuizen (British Open) and German world number one Martin Kaymer (PGA Championship). And the list does not stop there.

Veterans such as Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Retief Goosen and 2000 champion Vijay Singh, PGA Tour winners like Hunter Mahan, Bubba Watson, Paul Casey and Ian Poulter, plus a host of younger guns led by Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and Ryo Ishikawa, are all capable of flourishing at Augusta National.

Aura of dominance

With Woods having lost the aura of dominance he enjoyed before his stunning fall from grace at the end of the 2009 season, each major now begins with a high proportion of players in the field holding genuine expectations of success.

“With Tiger going through his troubles and whatnot, it’s given the world a chance to view what golf might be like without Tiger,” said Northern Irishman McDowell, who won four tournaments across the globe last year.

“Golf is very healthy and we’ve got some really great, young talent coming through. But getting Tiger Woods back to winning golf tournaments, I think golf needs him back as well.”

Woods, a 14-times major champion who has lifted the prized green jacket on four occasions at Augusta National, has not triumphed anywhere since the 2009 Australian Masters.

His game suffered as he tried unsuccessfully to repair his deteriorating marriage last year while spending less time at practice than usual.

His divorce from his Swedish wife, Elin Nordegren, was finalised in August, and that same month he embarked on the fourth swing change of his professional career, with Canadian coach Sean Foley.

“This year, I felt like I’ve played my way into shape,” Woods, 35, said after tying for 24th at last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational. “I’ve played, I’ve kept progressing.

“Early in the year was disappointing because the conditions showed some signs of weakness that I had to work on. Now, it’s feeling very, very good.” Comfort factor

While Woods goes into next week’s Masters without his customary swagger following his recent barren run of form, he could hardly pick a venue where he feels more comfortable.

He is ideally suited to the par-72 layout, which was stretched to a formidable 7,445 yards for the 2006 Masters, making it the second-longest course in major golf at the time.

Woods still ranks among the longest hitters, has a superbly creative short game and is arguably the best putter of all time from inside 15 feet. He just needs to regain consistency.

Three-times champion Mickelson also relishes playing at Augusta National where his magical short game is a major factor.

“Coming back to Augusta National is such an incredible feeling, knowing that I’ve won the golf tournament, that I’ve had such success there and that I’m part of the history of the Masters,” the left-hander said.

“One of the reasons why I’ve been successful there is that when I drive through the gates, I have this feeling of confidence; that I know how to play the golf course; that I don’t have to play it perfectly; and that the strength of my game, which is short game, can often save or salvage rounds and pars for me and keep me in contention.”

Experience is always a prized commodity at the Masters and Ireland’s McIlroy expects the “usual suspects” to be lurking in the upper reaches of the leaderboard in the final round.

“It takes a while to learn the golf course and it takes a while to feel 100 percent comfortable on it,” he said. “The Masters is always going to be a tournament that everyone in the field feels that they can win, but I think you’ll still see the usual suspects up there on Sunday.”