AUGUSTA, Ga. Orlando Scandrick Redskins 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. Geron Christian Redskins Jersey . The 26-year-old slider from Calgary posted a time of 50.464 seconds, 0.573 seconds back of leader Natalie Geisenberger. The German led the overall World Cup womens standings this season and continued her dominance by putting down a track record time of 49. Kevin Hogan Redskins Jersey . George Hill had 13 points and seven rebounds for the Pacers, who stayed atop the overall NBA standings despite losing twice on their West Coast trip. Los Angeles kept it close into the second half before the Pacers finished an easy win over the injury-riddled Lakers, who have lost five straight.Baseballs most prominent agent, Scott Boras, openly criticized the Toronto Blue Jays stagnant offseason on Sunday, likening the team to a "car with a huge engine that is impeded by a big corporate stop sign." Speaking to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, Boras, the man who represents the likes of Texas Rangers slugger Prince Fielder, 2013 AL Cy Young winner Max Scherzer of the Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals phenom Bryce Harper, places the blame on general manager Alex Anthopouloss failure to dip into the free agent market on the shoulders of Jays ownership, a group Boras deems "a successful and committed ownership that needs to give their baseball people financial flexibility." "There is no one who has the asset base of Rogers," Boras said to Rosenthal. "[Torontos] a premium city. Its a premium owner with equity. And its a very, very good team that with additional premium talent could become a contending team." Outside of catcher Dioner Navarro, the Jays, tipped to be after free agent pitching and a second baseman, have remained entirely inactive while the likes of Ubaldo Jimenez, A.J. Burnett and Masahiro Tanaka found new clubs. Because the team has two protected first-round picks, the Jays seemingly would have leverage when it comes to compensation-eligible free agents. Anthopoulos, for his part, defended ownership on being informed of Borass remarks. "Our ownership has been outstanding and given us all the resources we need," said Anthopoulos. The Blue Jays and Boras have traditionally had a frosty relationship. Borass very first major contract showdown was between the Jays and reliever Bill Caudill in 1984. After acquiring the pitcher from the Oakland As, Boras negotiated a five-year extension for his client at $1.5 million a season that made him the highest paid player on the team. Caudill flamed out due to injury and was released in 1986 after pitching only jjust over 105 innings for the team. Washington Redskins Jerseys. The acrimony from the deal lingered. In 2009, the Jays drafted lefty starter James Paxton of Ladner, BC. The Jays could not come to an agreement with Paxton, who was being advised by Boras at the time, and he chose to head back to the University of Kentucky to play for its baseball team. Blue Jays president Paul Beeston called into question the actual nature of Paxtons relationship with Boras. "Because it was Scott, the way you deal, you deal through him," Beeston told the Globe and Mail at the time. "You dont deal through the family." The NCAA allows its athletes to have "family advisers," but forbids them from having agents, as it would compromise their amateur status. Due to Beestons comments, the NCAA launched an investigation into Paxtons arrangement with Boras. Paxton did not participate with the investigation out of fear of being suspended by the school. Kentucky, fearing that the school would face sanctions if it allowed Paxton to play whilst under investigation, filed a motion that allowed Paxton to keep his scholarship and remain part of the team, but did not let him actually play in any games. Part of that filing included the suggestion that Paxton breached the "no agent" rule. Paxton, now a member of the Seattle Mariners, was eventually declared ineligible and left the school for a Texas team in the independent league. Boras currently represents two of the last three compensation free agents on the market (with starter Ervin Santana the other) in Stephen Drew and Kendrys Morales. The Jays dont appear to have any interest in Morales, but could explore the possibility of slotting Drew in at second base. The 30-year-old former Red Sox shortstop has never played a game at second in his career. The Blue Jays open their exhibition schedule on Wednesday against the Philadelphia Phillies in Dunedin, Florida. Cheap Arizona Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Falcons Jerseys Cheap Ravens Jerseys Cheap Bills Jerseys Cheap Panthers Jerseys Cheap Bears Jerseys Cheap Bengals Jerseys Cheap Browns Jerseys Cheap Cowboys Jerseys Cheap Broncos Jerseys Cheap Lions Jerseys Cheap Packers Jerseys Cheap Texans Jerseys Cheap Colts Jerseys Cheap Jaguars Jerseys Cheap Chiefs Jerseys ' ' '