Rory McIlroy failed to add to his collection of four majors in 2015 and today marks the start of his bid to complete a career grand slam at the Masters.
But he is not the only one targeting a coveted green jacket at Augusta National with former winners Adam Scott and Bubba Watson, and world number one Jason Day all expected to challenge defending champion Jordan Spieth.
And Rickie Fowler, the world number five, leads a group of players hoping to secure their maiden major title.
“This is one I wish I caught earlier I guess, I had a chance,” McIlroy told a news conference, referring to 2011 when he lost a four-shot lead on Sunday.
That delayed his first major by only months, to that year’s US Open, before an Open and two PGA Championships followed.
McIlroy has, at times, played brilliantly at Augusta but has been unable to find the consistency required over 72 holes. Last year a disastrous Friday front nine effectively ended his challenge before the weekend but he insists the course should suit him.
“I’ve got a great game for here,” he said. “I hit it high. I can land the ball soft. I’ve got decent touch around the greens. The only thing that’s probably held me back in my career and here is putting.
“You would think that this was a golf course that I can definitely win on here, I know that. I just haven’t quite been able to get myself over the hurdle.”
Watson went over the hurdle in 2012 and 2014 with Scott becoming the first Australian to put on a green jacket in between in 2013. He tops the PGA Tour money list for 2016 and is looking to add to his solitary major.
“I’ve played some good golf certainly over the Florida stretch, but that’s nearly a month ago now,” Scott said. “I can’t rely on that to get to where I want to be this week.
“So for me starting here this week, it’s a new week and a new challenge, and the way I see it, I’ve got three tough days, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, to put myself in a position to win a Masters championship.”
Patrick Reed, Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson are three of the four players in the world top 10 without a major in addition to Fowler.
“It’s fine with me,” Fowler said of being considered one of the best yet to win one of the big four.
“I like to look at it as I’m still out here hopefully for quite a while, this being my sixth Masters. There’s guys here, 15, 20 plus Masters, so hopefully this is in the early stages.
“But to be considered one of the best players without a major, it’s a pretty good group of guys.”
However, while being one of the best without a major is an accolade of sorts, it is one every player in that group would love to shed.
“I still feel like my time’s coming,” Johnson said. “I’ve just got to keep putting myself in position to have a chance to win. One of these days I will get it done.”
Onwards to the green then.