PGA's Masters: Here are this year's top contenders

The Masters, the PGA’s first of four major championships, tees off today at Augusta National in Georgia (ESPN, 3 p.m.).

Tiger Woods
World ranking: 1
2013 top 10 finishes: 3 (3 wins)
Major titles: 4 Masters (last in ’05), 3 U.S. Open (last in ’08), 3 British Open (last in ’06), 4 PGA Championship (last in ’07)
Woods, 37, has risen to the top again after years of personal and professional turmoil. He’s the odds-on favorite to come away with his 15th major championship.

Rory McIlroy
World ranking: 2
2013 top 10 finishes: 2
Major titles: 2011 U.S. Open, 2012 PGA Championship
The 23-year-old from Northern Ireland turned himself into a household name the past few years, but he hasn’t finished higher than 15 in four Masters appearances.

Justin Rose
World ranking: 3
2013 top 10 finishes: 3
Major titles: None
Rose has at least one top 10 finish in each of the four majors. The 32-year-old from England, who was born in South Africa, placed eighth in last year’s Masters.

Brandt Snedeker
World rankings: 5
2013 top 10 finishes: 4 (1 win)
Major titles: None
Snedeker’s four top 10 finishes, plus a win at Pebble Beach in February, show that he’s building momentum this year. The 32-year-old’s best Masters finish came in ’08 when he tied for third.

Keegan Bradley
World ranking: 11
2013 top 10 finishes: 5
Major titles: 2011 PGA Championship
The St. John’s alumnus and 2011 Rookie of the Year, 26, placed 27th in his first Masters tournament a year ago.

Bubba Watson
World ranking: 14
2013 top 10 finishes: 2
Major titles: 2012 Masters
Watson, 34, will look to become the first player to repeat at Augusta since Woods 11 years ago. He sank a hole-in-one on the par-3 16th during yesterday’s practice round.