AUGUSTA, Ga. -- 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. Cheap Adidas Shoes Free Shipping . Asdrubal Cabrera had four hits and three RBIs, Michael Brantley also homered and the Indians beat the injury-riddled Minnesota Twins 9-4 Thursday for their first three-game winning streak this season. Cheap Adidas Shoes Authentic .Y. -- In a span of three days, Shabazz Napier and Connecticut knocked out both Philadelphia schools in the NCAA tournament. http://www.cheapshoesadidas.com/ . Gough finished in fourth, 0.433 seconds behind American Erin Hamlin, who took the bronze medal at the Sanki Sliding Center in Rzhanaya Polyana. Adidas Shoes Outlet . Catch the action live on TSN2 at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. The Wild lead the Northwest Division and look to get back into the win column after having a season-high seven-game winning streak cut short with Tuesdays 2-1 loss at Winnipeg in the finale of a five-game road trip (4-1-0). Adidas Shoes Clearance Store . She still remembers the massive roar of the home crowd when the Canadians walked out on the pitch before 47,784 fans at Commonwealth Stadium in 2002. Lang expects a similar reception for the Canadian team as the host nation at this years tournament, which begins Tuesday.GLENDALE, Ariz. - Justin Hodgman couldnt stop smiling. After scoring in his debut after a long road to the NHL, its hard to blame him.The Arizona Coyotes were pretty happy, too. Not only did they end a three-game losing streak, they played well at both ends before heading out on a long road trip.Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored at 2:20 of overtime, Mike Smith stopped 23 shots, and the Coyotes rallied to beat the Florida Panthers 2-1 on Saturday night.Were headed in the right direction, Coyotes coach Dave Tippett.Smith got it started, playing his second straight solid game, but earning the win this time after the Coyotes played well in front of him.The 26-year-old Hodgman made the most of his NHL debut, ending Arizonas scoreless streak of more than 127 minutes by scoring on a power play midway through the third period.Ekman-Larsson had the perfect capper to what might be Arizonas best all-around game of the season, one-timing a shot past Roberto Luongo on another power play for his second overtime goal of the season.The win came at a good time. The Coyotes had gone 0-2-1 in their previous three games and are about to head out on a five-game trip.Everybody knew we needed to win this game, Ekman-Larsson said. It was good to get the two points.The Panthers werent bad, either, earning a point to close out their four-game road trip 2-0-2.Luongo was sharp, stopping 39 shots, and Brandon Pirri scored in the third period to put Florida up.The problem for the Panthers was penalties. Arizona had eight power-play chances and scored both its goals with a man advantage.Weve got to be smarter, Luongo said. Those are tough. Well kill some of those off, but especially in overtime its a tough kill. We werent able to get the job done.The Panthers struggled offensively to open the season, scoring five goals in their first five games.They have improved during their trip, scoring four goals in an overtime win over Colorado in their previous game to nearly double their goal total for the season (nine).With three days off between games, the rested Panthers got off to a strong start, peppering Smith with three shots in the opening 67 seconds and creating numerous scoring chances in the first peeriod.ddddddddddddSmith was able to stop Tomas Kopecky on a breakaway after Keith Yandle bobbled the puck in the second period, but had no chance on another turnover by the Coyotes defenceman early in the third.Trying to clear the puck from behind the net, Yandle instead hit traffic with his pass, and the puck ended up right on Tomas Fleischmanns stick. He fed it out front to Pirri, who skated freely between the circles and used a deke to set up a backhander for his second goal of the season.Hes a goal scorer and thats what he does, Florida coach Gerard Gallant said. Hes playing well.Arizona, which has had its own offensive problems, had a decent flow early, creating good chances.Luongo was too good in the first two periods.He made some difficult saves early and got some help late in the first period when Pirri cleared a puck that slipped behind him in the crease.The Coyotes thought they had a goal early in the second period, but it was waved off after a review showed B.J. Crombeens stick was above the crossbar when he swatted in a rebound.Hodgman came up with a big goal in the third period, though, one-timing a shot past Luongo after Lauri Korpikoski gathered a rebound off his own redirect and flipped it to the left circle.He made Arizonas roster out of training camp, but was a healthy scratch for two games before being sent back down. Called up on Friday, Hodgman kept his emotions in check and played a solid game, even before scoring the tying goal in the third period.Its been a while, its been a long road being in Russia and everything, said Hodgman, who spent the past three seasons playing in Russia after numerous minor-league stops in North America. Its an unbelievable feeling.NOTES: Arizona C Antoine Vermette played in his 400th straight game, the third-longest active streak in the NHL behind St. Louis Jay Bouwmeester (723) and Anaheims Andre Cogliano (547). ... Panthers C Dave Bolland missed his third straight game with a lower-body injury. ... Arizona C Martin Hanzal missed his third straight with a lower-body injury, and RW Dave Moss is expected to be out at least a week because of an upper-body injury sustained Thursday against Minnesota. ' ' '