Lick your lips ahead of the most mouthwatering of Masters

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The build-up to this year's Masters tournament has been so pulsating
Rory McIlroy, Paul Casey, Tommy Fleetwood and Dustin Johnson have impressed
The revivals of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickleson have also been stunning to see

Published: 18:30 EST, 19 March 2018 | Updated: 19:30 EST, 19 March 2018

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To think they used to say the golf season doesn’t really begin until the annual rite of spring known as the Masters.

This year, the build-up has been so pulsating, if it was any other tournament than Georgia’s pageant you would be seriously worried about the danger of the season’s first major in a fortnight’s time falling flat.

Instead the appetite has been whetted like rarely before.

Rory McIlroy can focus on the Masters with renewed optimism after his weekend success

Bubba Watson and Tommy Fleetwood lifted silverware earlier this year to set a strong tone

Dustin Johnson and Tommy Fleetwood set a high standard with their terrific victories in Hawaii and Abu Dhabi respectively in January and so it has continued, with stirring wins for Justin Thomas, Bubba Watson, Paul Casey and now Rory McIlroy alongside the stunning revivals of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.

All it needs is for Jordan Spieth to win in his home state of Texas over the next fortnight and we would have practically a full house of the sport’s leading names descending on Augusta believing this will be their year.

The feeling that we are in for one of those Masters where history is written and the feelgood factor lasts for months afterwards is growing by the day.