After playing their respective roles in Europe’’s historical and indeed record breaking Ryder Cup victory over the USA last September, the English duo of Luke Donald and David Howell are set to experience another golfing milestone in America when they tread the hallowed turf of Augusta National Golf Club for their debuts at the 2005 Masters Tournament.
The European Tour will have a minimum of 27 Members in the field for the forthcoming Masters Tournament, including ten of that 12 strong European Ryder Cup Team – as well as their Captain Bernhard Langer of Germany, himself two time winner of the season’’s first Major Championship.
Donald and Howell will join their Ryder Cup team mates Paul Casey of England, Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland, Spain’’s Sergio Garcia, Ireland’’s Padraig Harrington, Miguel Angel Jiménez of Spain, Frenchman Thomas Levet, and the English pair of Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood from April 7-10.
Langer’’s Ryder Cup vice-captains, Thomas Björn of Denmark and Sweden’’s Joakim Haeggman – who is also making his debut – have also qualified to take part in this season’’s Masters Tournmanet.
Australia’’s Nick O’’Hern is the fourth European Tour debutant to have secured his place in the Masters Tournament field following his outstanding consistency on The 2004 European Tour International Schedule where he notched 11 top ten finishes over the course of the year.
Langer, who finished fourth at Augusta National last season, is one of six past Masters Champions from Europe in the field, the others being Severiano Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle, José Maria Olazábal and Ian Woosnam.
The USA’’s Phil Mickleson took the Green Jacket last season after an unforgettable final day at Augusta National saw him play the back nine in 31 shots and pip Ernie Els of South Africa to the title by holing a tremendous 18 foot birdie putt on the 18th green for a nine under par winning total of 279.
Els, who already has two US Open Championships and an Open Golf Championship in his locker, had looked destined to claim the Green Jacket after making two towering eagles at the eighth and 13th holes to soar into the lead, but it was destined to be Mickelson’’s day and Els’’s superb 67 was in vain as he finished one stroke shy of a play-off on eight under 280.
Both Els and Mickleson – respectively ranked Number Three and Four on the Official World Golf Ranking – will again be among the favourites, alongside World Numbers One and Two Vijay Singh of Fiji and Tiger Woods of the USA who have both tasted success at the Masters Tournament in recent years.
