Luke Wright, Sussex's former England allrounder, has announced his retirement from first-class cricket with immediate effect. The 34-year-old, who captained Sussex between 2015 and 2017, has signed white-ball only extension to his contract.

Wright was not selected for Sussex's opening Championship fixture - a seven-wicket defeat to Leicestershire - and after indications from the club's head coach, Jason Gillespie, that his involvement was likely to be reduced he decided to focus on the shorter formats - beginning with the Royal London Cup, which starts next week.

The trend for players switching to white-ball only deals has been growing - Notts seamer Harry Gurney last month following the example of team-mate Alex Hales - and Wright hopes it will help add a few more years to his career.

"I worked hard on my red-ball cricket over the winter, but once it became clear that I was going to have a lesser role in the four-day team, it made sense for me to commit my long-term future to the white-ball game only," Wright said. "I'm hoping to carry on playing for the next five to six years and therefore I'm delighted to be committing my future to Sussex with this contract.

"I'm hugely proud of my first-class record - it's something that has often surprised people who think of me as having been a white-ball specialist - and I was lucky to join Sussex under Peter Moores and Chris Adams ahead of a period of unprecedented success for the county.

"I'll miss first-class cricket greatly and would always advise any youngsters making their way in the game that four-day runs are always the most rewarding. Dizzy [Gillespie] and Browny [Sussex captain Ben Brown] have my full support going forward and I believe in what they're trying to achieve with this exciting young team."

A World T20 winner in 2010, Wright played more than 100 times for England in limited-overs internationals, although they arguably never saw the best of him. He has subsequently carved out a reputation on the T20 circuit, featuring in the Big Bash and IPL and becoming one of a select band of players to make more than 300 T20 appearances.

Gillespie said: "I'm delighted that we'll be benefitting from Luke's skills and leadership in the shorter forms of the games for the years to come. He's in great shape and I'm sure he'll be playing for a long time yet.

"I sat down with Wrighty at the end of last season and he was keen to work over the winter to try and cement his role in the four-day side. He missed out on selection for the first game with a couple of the other lads given an opportunity and he has been very selfless in making way for other players to come through.

"Luke's been brilliant for Sussex in first-class cricket for many years and his record reflects what he has achieved in that form of the game."

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Rick Barnes, who resurrected the Tennessee basketball program and took the Vols to a No. 1 ranking in the polls this season, is wrestling with a decision to remain at Tennessee or accept a lucrative offer to be UCLA's next head coach, sources told ESPN.

UCLA began aggressively pursuing Barnes last week with a package that would pay him $5 million a year, not counting bonuses and incentives. Barnes was named Naismith Coach of the Year on Sunday and met with Tennessee athletic director Phillip Fulmer later that evening. They had additional conversations on Monday, including some correspondence with interim university president Randy Boyd, about a new deal at UT, sources said.

Barnes, who will turn 65 in July, is expected to make a final decision within the next day. A source told ESPN that he loves living in East Tennessee and loves the people in Tennessee, but also is intrigued by the chance to restore UCLA to its past glory and finish his career at such a tradition-rich basketball school.

Barnes has been at Tennessee since the 2015-16 season and led the Vols to the Sweet 16 this season and a share of the SEC championship a year ago. Barnes signed a contract extension in September at Tennessee running through the 2023-24 season that paid him $3.25 million this season and was scheduled to increase by $100,000 each year of the deal until reaching $3.75 million in 2023-24. His current buyout at Tennessee is $5 million.

Time for our eighth annual Luke Walton All-Stars -- an ode to bit players who bounce around the fringes of the NBA before landing in new roles where things click. (Read about the origins of the column here.)

Joakim Noah, Memphis Grizzlies (captain)

Noah finished fourth in MVP voting in 2014. The next four years brought injuries, the death of a beloved Bulls team, infighting in New York, and a 20-game suspension for violating the league's drug policy. The Knicks waived him in July. For two months, Noah was unemployed.

"Memphis was the only team that showed me any consideration," Noah tells ESPN.com. The Grizzlies promised a small role. That was fine with Noah. He needed to build his confidence back almost from scratch.

He injected energy right away. At his first practice, Noah dunked on rookie Jaren Jackson Jr. and screamed in celebration, "Don't do it to him like that, Sticks!" he and his coaches recall. (Noah's high school nicknamed him "Stickman" because he was so gangly.)

Everyone rose to match Noah's intensity, says Grizzlies coach J.B. Bickerstaff. "He's like that all the time," Bickerstaff says. "He keeps us all on our toes."

It isn't just rabid, chaotic noise, though it is that, too. Noah asks detailed questions in film sessions -- including at halftime -- about schemes, adjustments, and player tendencies. "A lot of guys ask BS questions," Bickerstaff says. "His are real."

Noah knows he will never be a star again. "Physically, I'm just not the same," he says. But he can still push the ball in transition, man the elbows, and pick out cutters:

He posted an assist rate in Memphis almost on par with his prime seasons.

On defense, he gets to spots early, barks orders, and fights hard. "His productivity has been a pleasant surprise," Bickerstaff says.

Noah takes nothing for granted. "I'm more proud of this year than I was when I was an All-Star," he says. "I lost my confidence on the court in a real public way. You don't know if you are going to get that back. Just to have that feeling back -- to be able to be myself, and express myself on the court -- it feels great."

Noah played well enough to earn a roster spot somewhere next year. Does he expect that?

"F--- yeah," he says.

Khem Birch, Orlando Magic

After an early-season practice, Steve Clifford pulled Birch aside, the Magic coach says. Birch was good enough to play in the NBA, Clifford told him, but it would be hard to find minutes with Nikola Vucevic and Mo Bamba ahead of him.

"Whatever you need me to do," Birch responded, "I'll do. I'll be ready."

A few weeks later, Birch called his agent, and said it was time for an uncomfortable conversation. "I talked about going overseas again," says Birch, who previously played in Greece and Turkey. "I never doubted myself. I just didn't think I was going to get an opportunity."

Birch really did not want to go abroad again. He still hasn't received all his guaranteed salary from those years, he says. He remembers one road game in Turkey when referees stopped play because fans pelted Birch's bench with bottles and coins.

Only days after that call to his agent, Orlando announced Bamba would be out indefinitely with a leg injury. Birch felt badly for the rookie. But he knew: He had a chance.

He has made the most of it. Birch knows his role on offense: set hard picks, dive like hell to the rim. Only six rotation big men roll to the basket more often per 100 possessions, per Second Spectrum.

You might go 10 rim-runs without touching the ball. The attention you draw unlocks open looks for others, but who notices? Where does it show up in traditional box score stats that still play a disproportionate role in getting paid? Birch bought in anyway.

"I'm not here to score points or be the hero," Birch says. "I'm just trying to help my team win."

(Birch is easy to miss in other ways. Everyone with the Magic calls him one of the quietest people on the team. One official even asked Birch -- who grew up in Montreal -- whether he kept to himself because he was more comfortable speaking French, Birch says. He does not speak French.)

He moves his feet on defense, and is a surprisingly explosive leaper. Opponents are shooting only 50.9 percent at the rim with Birch nearby, the third-stingiest mark among all 172 rotation players who challenge at least 2.4 such shots per game. He's also among the per-minute leaders in drawing charges.

"Everyone loves playing with him," Vucevic says.

Since Bamba's injury, the Magic have outscored opponents by five points per 100 possessions with Birch on the floor, per NBA.com. Birch helped stabilize a bench that had been bleeding points. Bamba's injury was a blessing in disguise for Orlando's playoff hopes. That's not an indictment of Bamba; he's 20.

Birch is headed to free agency this summer. "Hopefully I stay in Orlando," he says. "But it's good to know people are noticing me a little."

Richaun Holmes, Phoenix Suns

Ah, the fourth center in The Process. Holmes showed promise as a hoppy dive-and-dunk finisher, but the Sixers had no room for him; they dealt him to Phoenix for cash.

Holmes found himself behind a decorated veteran, Tyson Chandler, and the No. 1 pick in the draft, Deandre Ayton. "It wasn't a fair fight," says Igor Kokoskov, the Suns head coach. But Holmes brought a jolt of energy every time he stepped on the floor. The Suns bizarrely waived Chandler in November -- you're welcome, Bron! -- opening a full-time role for Holmes.

Holmes is shooting 61 percent, mostly on dunks and layups. Like Birch, he has embraced the drudgery of endless zero-to-60 rim runs that yield little in the way of touches or numbers. Only three rotation bigs roll to the rim after setting picks more often, per possession, than Holmes, according to Second Spectrum. Phoenix has been much better with Holmes on the floor.

He has taken zero 3s after launching 77 two seasons ago as the Sixers tried to turn him into a stretch-center and find minutes for him at power forward. He hasn't given up that dream.

"I'll get back to shooting 3s," Holmes says. "But it was important for us as a young team to have defined rolls. Mine was to roll to the rim."

Kokoskov says one of his assistants recently approached him with a message from Holmes: He wants to shoot 3s. "If we're up 40, I'll draw up a play for him to shoot a 3," Kokoskov says with a chuckle. "Right now, I want him to dunk everything. And dunk it hard."

Holmes has flashed some ball skills -- including play-action keepers:

For now, Holmes is thrilled to have a regular role. He remembers his first G-League assignment with the Sixers' team in Delaware. He didn't bring gear -- headband, shooting sleeves, game-ready basketball shoes. He assumed it would be at his locker. Nope. Just a jersey and shorts. Luckily, Holmes says, he was wearing a pair of Nike LeBrons that were good enough for one game. He also hadn't brought any food, expecting an NBA-style pregame spread. He ran to Subway to scarf down something before tip-off, he says.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Holmes says of his path. "Being undervalued and overlooked -- it puts a chip on your shoulder that keeps you working."

Holmes will be a free agent after this season. He has earned a look, even if he hasn't quite answered questions about his rebounding and defense.

Derrick Jones Jr., Miami Heat

Jones started the first three games of the season before injuries knocked him out of Miami's rotation. Then came Dec. 8 in Los Angeles against the Clippers, when Miami had only nine healthy players and junked up the game with a zone defense.

Jones, a 6-foot-7 leaper extraordinaire with a 7-foot wingspan, was the breakout star of that zone. He was everywhere. The zone became a staple, often with Jones and Josh Richardson at the top, arms spread, cluttering every passing lane.

"That day," Jones says, "gave me confidence that I was here to stay."

In Phoenix, his first stop after going undrafted in 2016, Jones occasionally showed up late to practices and meetings. His agent, Aaron Turner, liked the idea of Jones' second chance coming in Miami; he knew the Heat would not tolerate tardiness. "I had to get that straightened out," Jones says. "Had to be on my best behavior. There are no slip-ups here."

Jones believes he can win Defensive Player of the Year one day, he says. The Heat have started him at both forward positions, and often have him guard the best opposing wing. He slides his feet with an unusual blend of speed and balance.

The questions come on the other end. He has shot only 29 percent from deep for his career; defenses ignore him to clog the lane. Jones has responded with smart cuts; turn your head, and he's gone:

Jones has used the same predatory instincts to become perhaps Miami's best offensive rebounder outside of Hassan Whiteside -- a rare thing on a team that has historically punted the offensive glass to get back on defense.

It happened organically, Jones says. He and Bam Adebayo engaged in a secret Summer League competition to see who could gather the most rebounds. When the real season started, Jones kept on crashing. No one told him to stop.

Even if he doesn't have inside position, Jones leaps into the stratosphere, unfurls one of his preposterous arms, and plucks the ball before anyone else can reach it.

The Heat also mitigate Jones' so-so shooting by using him as the screener in pick-and-rolls -- where defenses have to stick close to him.

Jones does not view his jumper as a permanent weakness. "I believe I can be a knockdown shooter," he says. That seems far-fetched, but if he can pull it off, Jones will access new methods of leveraging his athleticism:

Luol Deng, Minnesota Timberwolves

Deng has appeared in only 22 games, surely the lowest ever in the eight-year history of this column. But that is enough for a decorated two-time All-Star -- one of the NBA's ultimate tough guys -- who since that fateful summer of 2016 has been known more as a contract than a basketball player.

Ryan Saunders was so new as Minnesota's head coach, having replaced Tom Thibodeau days earlier, that he was still working out of his old assistant coach's office in early January when he got up to go home around 8:30 p.m. That office faced the court. He looked up and saw Deng working out with a friend. Deng had barely played all season.

"The normal thing for a player to do -- especially one who has had success and made money like Luol -- would be to remove himself from the team," Saunders says. "He did the opposite. He almost became more invested." Deng has been a valuable mentor to both Karl-Anthony Towns and Keita Bates-Diop, Saunders says.

Saunders had long admired Deng. As an assistant with the Wizards under his late father, Saunders crafted what he called "the Luol Deng drill." Prime Deng was a master at catching passes on the move, so he was already at full speed upon his first dribble. After one hard bounce, he pulled up for easy jumpers. Saunders taught that to Washington's young wings.

"I told him, 'I tried to teach your move, and no one could do it!'" Saunders chuckles.

After spying Deng's late-night workout, the coach hatched plans to play him. Saunders threw Deng in on Jan. 12 against New Orleans, and he stayed in the rotation until suffering an Achilles injury six weeks later.

(The irony of Deng entering the rotation only after the Timber-Bulls fired Thibodeau is sort of incredible.)

He was astonishingly good considering he hadn't played for most of two years, and that the Wolves used him mostly as a wing. Deng hit 61 percent of his 2-point shots, plowing through smaller guys in transition and in the post -- where he finishes with a silky jump hook:

Minnesota scored 1.44 points per possession any time Deng shot out of the post, or dished to a teammate who let fly -- the second-fattest figure among 159 guys who recorded at least 25 post-ups, per Second Spectrum. He still runs hard into the catch:

His long arms and nimble feet still serve him well on defense; the Wolves even had him guard some opposing superstars, including James Harden.

It is one of the glorious, random stats of the season: The Wolves -- the 36-44, drama-ridden Wolves -- outscored opponents by 10 points per 100 possessions during Deng's 392 minutes.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little surprised at how well he played," Saunders says.

Jared Dudley, Brooklyn Nets

Dudley is now a three-time Walton -- the most appearances by any player, and a testament to how often he has toggled from rotation guy to benchwarmer (and back).

It's jarring when Dudley shoots. He has to be wide open. He is allergic to the rim. He has finished only 10.4 percent of Brooklyn possessions with a shot, drawn foul, or turnover -- the fourth-lowest usage rate among all rotation players. (The lowest belongs to PJ Tucker, who has graduated from Walton status in his second season as Houston's heavy-minutes stopper.)

But there is a method to Dudley's seeming passivity. He's a good enough long-range shooter that defenders rush out to him. He's a smart passer amid that scramble. He sees how he might create something for a teammate before he even gets the ball, which is why he gets rid of it so fast. You get frustrated when Dudley demurs on an open triple, but two passes later, you understand: Someone else gets a better look.

He thinks one step ahead on defense, too. He's slow and ground-bound, but he's somehow in the right place exactly when he needs to be. His brain makes his body fast. He might not stop you, but he's going to make you do some extra work.

Everyone loves an unselfish teammate. Dudley has leveraged that adoration into a role as veteran soothsayer. He watches film with Caris LeVert, and points out passes LeVert missed, the two say.

After a heartbreaking crunch-time loss to the Thunder in December -- Brooklyn's eighth straight -- dropped the Nets to 8-18, players sniped at each other, Joe Harris told me in March. Dudley led a players-only film session the next day, freezing the tape when he saw a chance to hold someone accountable.

The soothsayer role is tricky. Teammates can tire of the same voice. They grow wary of soothsayers playing up their importance in the media. Dudley has struck the right balance on a young team that needs veteran leadership.

Honorable mention Walton status to fellow Net Ed Davis, a rebounding machine and beloved teammate wherever he goes.

Bruno Caboclo, Memphis Grizzlies

It's still unclear whether Caboclo could play for a good NBA team, but he doesn't look out of place in an NBA game. That is a milestone.

Caboclo is shooting 36 percent from deep in Memphis on decent volume, and he's not afraid to launch semi-contested bombs. He runs the floor, lopes in for offensive boards, and has all the tools to be a plus defender across every position.

He is even dribbling with new decisiveness when defenders run him off the arc:

There is still so far to go. Caboclo hurries his 3-pointer if he senses a whiff of pressure, hurling high-arching prayers in the general direction of the backboard. He is somehow both wild and tentative at the same time off the dribble. You can see him learning the boundaries of his physical possibilities. He seems startled on some drives that he is already at the rim, and surprised on others that he has not gotten as close to it as he thought.

But this all counts as progress. The Raptors invested enormous resources -- time, people, money -- just guiding Caboclo through day-to-day adulthood. It is starting to pay off in Memphis.

Shaquille Harrison, Chicago Bulls

Harrison was still on a 10-day contract last season in Phoenix when he lined up to defend Dennis Schroder, then with the Hawks. Harrison picked Schroder up full-court. And then he did it again. After several possessions, Schroder, joking but probably a little exasperated, whispered to Harrison, "Yo, you don't have to do this," Harrison recalls.

"No, I do," Harrison responded. "Trust me."

Harrison knows he has to defend like all hell to stay in the league. He's just 29-of-111 from deep over two seasons, and he barely even looks to shoot from midrange.

He prefers to burrow in for floaters, which he can loft with either hand. But Harrison is not an explosive vertical athlete; about 10 percent of his attempts have been blocked:

Defenders duck way under screens, making it hard for Harrison to puncture the defense, draw help, and unlock profitable passes. His assist rate dropped this season, and Chicago mostly played him alongside other point guards who ran the offense.

But that chest-to-chest defense remains. It has been there since kindergarten, when Harrison discovered the easiest way to score was to steal the ball and coast in for layups. Coaches finally asked Harrison to defend with his hands behind his back, because the unfiltered Harrison experience was unfair to the other children, he says.

Perhaps it won't surprise you, then, that Harrison doesn't mind the hard-charging style of Jim Boylen, the Bulls' new head coach -- including the hours-long practices that nearly fomented rebellion in Boylen's first week in the top job. "It wasn't new to me," Harrison says. "I've had coaches who had practices like that. A lot of guys were hurting, but it was another day in the office for me. I think I'm kind of a Jim prototype."

He's right. "He's my kind of guy," Boylen says. "I have never seen anyone embrace constructive criticism like Shaq. I've coached him hard, and he's taken it in the chest."

Harrison improved his finishing around the rim late in the season. He's smart about faking toward picks, coaxing the defense that way, and darting the other direction -- an antidote to the "go under everything" gambit.

He plans to spend the summer working on his jump shot. Harrison's brother, Monte, is a prospect with the Miami Marlins, and Harrison has talked about the two being the next pair of NBA-Major League Baseball brothers, Boylen says. Honing at least a usable midrange jumper would transform Harrison from a fringe backup on bad teams into a solid backup on good ones.

"That can take me from five years in the league, to 10," Harrison says.

Kenneth Faried, Houston Rockets

On Jan. 16 in Houston, another game in which Faried would play zero seconds for Brooklyn, he noticed the injury-plagued Rockets starting Tucker at center and saw his future. "'They are not even playing a big!'" Faried remembers thinking. "'I could come here and play right away.' It sucked [Clint] Capela was hurt, but it opened a door for me."

That brain wave accelerated buyout talks with the Nets, sources say; Faried debuted for the Rockets five days later.

If you wanted to pick one player to define the league's evolution over the last three-plus years, you could do worse than Faried. (Greg Monroe would like a moment, too.) He became a starter in Denver as a rookie, and averaged double figures in scoring for five straight seasons. But the tectonic plates of the game were already shifting beneath his feet. He couldn't shoot 3s, protect the rim, or switch on defense.

Few players have fallen further, faster. Faried must be shocked on one level, but he says something that happened during his first year in Denver taught him NBA stardom is fragile.

"I saw Denver sign Nene for all that money and trade him that same year," Faried says. "After that, I said, 'OK, this league is cutthroat.' No one really cares about you. They treat [Nene] like that?"

Faried never lost faith. "In my mind, I'm a starter," Faried says. "I always felt I had a place in this league. I never let anyone tell me I didn't belong."

He was a perfect stand-in for Capela, and now fittingly for Nene when Nene contracts a case of Nene-itis. He knows the role: screen for James Harden, roll hard, dunk lobs. He runs the floor, tries on defense, and has even hit 7-of-19 on 3-pointers. (Seriously: Mike D'Antoni lets everyone shoot 3s. He let Michael Carter-Williams fire at will. It's kind of surprising that Capela has taken only two in his career.)

"Everybody is shocked I'm knocking it down," he says. "But soon they're going to be running at me, and then it's pump fake, and next thing you know, I'm at the rim." That is a fitting coda to the Faried saga: use 3s to get more of the roaring 2s that made him famous.

Also receiving votes: Thomas Bryant, Alex Len, Dewayne Dedmon, Danuel House, Noah Vonleh, Luke Kornet, Gary Clark, Maxi Kleber, David Nwaba, Rodney McGruder, Alfonzo McKinnie (no Warriors!), Boban Marjanovic (too famous!), and recent Waltons Gerald Green, Seth Curry, JaVale McGee, Royce O'Neale, and Mike Scott.

WATERBURY, Vt. – The American-Canadian Tour its point-counting season at Maine’s Oxford Plains Speedway this Sunday with the Oxford 150.

Just like in 2017 and 2018, many eyes will be on Vermont’s Scott Payea when the field takes the green.

Payea enters the year looking to join a select group in ACT annals. The veteran has won the last two ACT championships with some of the most impressive numbers in ACT history. He has won seven races in that time, including a record-tying four straight in 2017. Payea also has a streak of 26 straight top-10 finishes dating back to the 2016 campaign.

Another championship this year would put Payea in elite company. ACT has awarded nearly 60 touring series championships between the ACT Pro Stock Tour, ACT Late Model Tour and Série ACT. Only four drivers have won three straight titles. Robbie Crouch and Junior Hanley both did so on the ACT Pro Stock Tour, while Brian Hoar (twice) and Jean-Paul Cyr have pulled off the feat with the ACT Late Model Tour. Despite the opportunity to make history, Payea is taking the same measured approach to the season as he always does.

“We’re going to approach this season just like we did the last couple years,” he said. “We’ve spent all winter in the shop working hard, and we’re going to take each race one at a time. We’re going to do our homework in the shop each week and hopefully show up with the best car each race.”

Payea is entering his fourth year driving for Rick Paya and RPM Racing. The Payea-Paya combo already has 10 wins with finishes of second, first, and first in points. If teams get stronger by staying together, the duo may be better than ever this season – especially since Payea says they have unprecedented stability from 2018 to 2019.

“I think this is the first year we’ll have the exact same crew members coming back,” Payea remarked. “I think that’s a big positive for us. It’s tough – the competition is tough every year. You have guys that are building on their programs, so we just need to stay on top of our game and really focus on what we do at the race track. We work hard in the shop all week, but at the race track, we still need to be on top of our game, because (the Tour) is so competitive that anybody can compete for the win.”

The team will have some tough challengers in its quest for another title. Jimmy Hebert and Rich Dubeau return after finishing in the top-five in points last year. Three-time champion Wayne Helliwell Jr. is back with ACT after a two-year absence.

Top rookies from 2018 like Dylan Payea and Christopher Pelkey are back with a season of experience. Ryan Kuhn has joined the Tour after winning the 2018 Seekonk Speedway championship while former Série ACT champion Jonathan Bouvrette leads a large Canadian field. Payea knows these drivers and many others won’t give an inch on the track.

“Any given race, it could be any one of them that’s tough,” Payea said. “It’ll be interesting to see who can put the full season together. Jimmy (Hebert) has shown some tremendous speed week after week, so if he can put the full season together and really challenge, he’s one to look out for. And Rich (Dubeau) and his team – you’ve got to love a team like that who just keeps building on their success. They had a great first outing at Richmond. I’m looking for big things from him this year.”

In addition, Payea will tackle a schedule with several changes. The ACT Late Model Tour returns to Star Speedway and Autodrome Chaudiere for the first time since 2013 and 2015, respectively. Second dates have been added at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park and White Mountain Motorsports Park. The latter is a 250-lap, $10,000-to-win showdown that Payea finished third in last year as an open event.

“I like some new challenges,” Payea said. “I’ve never raced at Star before. That’ll be exciting to go experience a new track on the Tour. Another trip to Thompson will be great as well. We’ve had some okay runs there, but we’ll look to build on those.”

The season begins for Payea and the rest of the ACT Tour at the historic Oxford oval. Payea has a win at the track but was involved in spins at both events last year. Despite those incidents, he finished in the top-10 in each event and will look for a better result this time around.

“We’re just looking for a solid start,” Payea concluded. “Hopefully we have a good car and we can run up front and compete for the win. But just having a clean, solid start will kick off the season right.”

The post Payea Ready To Begin Hunt For Another ACT Title appeared first on SPEED SPORT.

Nottinghamshire 408 and 329 for 5 dec (Clarke 97*, Nash 75, Duckett 61, Mullaney 52) lead Yorkshire 291 (Root 73, Patel 3-31) by 446 runs

Joe Root, struck on the helmet, first ball by Stuart Broad. It did not auger well for Yorkshire. It did not feel all that great for Root. But that was the lowest point of the day for England's Test captain as unbeaten hundreds of considerable resolve by Root and Gary Ballance enabled Yorkshire to secure a draw against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge without further alarm.

Nottinghamshire had declared overnight with a lead of 446 and accounted for Yorkshire's opening pair in the space of 11 overs, but light faded from their challenge as the day progressed and a draw was agreed at five past five with Yorkshire 277 for 2.

Most of the attention will rest with Root, who was making one of his rare Championship appearances for Yorkshire and who initially seemed intent on collecting enough injuries to complete a Box Set. An injured finger while fielding on the third evening was followed by a rattled helmet on the fourth morning as he ducked into a bouncer that failed to get up.

That entailed an eight-minute delay while Root awaited a helmet and was checked for concussion. Time also to reflect on the nature of a moribund but slightly uneven pitch and how to adjust his technique to combat it. He joked that he was unhappy that Broad did not follow up with a volley of abuse.

On one of those two-temperature sunny days in early Spring in which youngsters wear t-shirts and those of greater years still don winter coats and sweaters, Root and Ballance then batted out the rest of the day in a manner that justified the optimism of their coach, Andrew Gale, on the previous evening that a draw was well within their grasp.

The closest they came to being split in a stand of 253 in 67 overs was when Ballance misjudged a single into the off side but Jake Ball failed to follow up a good stop by throwing down the stumps. Root also survived a big appeal for 46 for a catch down the leg side as he hooked at Paul Coughlin.

A burst of three successive boundaries then took Root past 50, Nottinghamshire's slips disappeared with an air of resignation, and runs came with growing ease. Nottinghamshire's deep-set fields by the end even hinted that they half imagined Yorkshire might have a tilt at a ten-an-over run chase. Instead, a draw was agreed upon completion of Ballance's hundred.

On such a placid surface, Nottinghamshire resorted to a regular supply of short balls, something that Root felt was a good lesson for county bowlers so often reliant on seaming pitches. "It's nice now to see bowlers exploiting a different plan, and to go short. I'm sure we will see a lot more of that if the surfaces stay the same and it will be great for the development of the next generation, and the players who are just below the current England team.

"You want to set the example and try and use your experience to your advantage, but I think I did ride my luck on occasions. It's always hard to say it's one of your best knocks when you've not won the game. I took a few painkillers just so it didn't distract me from what was important but the head feels fine and the hand feels fine. The only thing that was hurting when Broady hit me was my ego."

Root carries a nation's hopes for the Ashes; Ballance, by contrast, although only 29, has fallen out of favour and appears to have played the last of his 23 Tests - against South Africa on this ground nearly two years ago. Yet in first-class cricket Root and Ballance reach fifty in a higher percentage of innings than any other current English-qualified batsman, better than one in three. And when it comes to the percentage of hundreds, Ballance is unsurpassed.

Steven Mullaney had declared Nottinghamshire's second innings overnight on 329 for 5, leaving Joe Clarke stranded on 97 not out, three runs short of becoming the youngest player to make two hundreds in a match for the county - and on his debut for the county, too. Team needs above all other considerations had been strictly applied and adherence to such a principle should not be lightly dismissed.

"It was my decision," Mullaney said, "but I spoke to Joe and he was the first one to come up to me last night when he wasn't out and he said whatever is best for the team and if you want to declare. That's the sort of bloke he is and the sort of team that we want to build."

Ball took both wickets to fall, having Harry Brook caught at third slip for 2 and Adam Lyth played on for 21. Root has one more Championship match for Yorkshire, at the Ageas Bowl; Ballance is around all season and ultimately it will be his form, as much as anyone's, which will determine Yorkshire's season.

Northamptonshire 445 (Procter 81*, Wakely 76, Rossington 67, Murtagh 6-80) and 10 for 0 drew with Middlesex 271 (Harris 61*, Buck 5-54) and 317 for 4 dec (Malan 160*, Holden 54)

Dawid Malan's first century since May helped Middlesex secure a battling draw at Northants. At the time he came to the crease, Middlesex were 10 for 2 in their second innings, still 164 behind having been required to follow-on. But, under the watchful eye of national selector, Ed Smith, and Lions coach, Andy Flower, Malan resisted for almost six hours in making his highest score since 2015.

It was a satisfying innings for several reasons. For a start, it saw Malan help his side - this is his second season as captain - recover from an underwhelming opening two or three days of the season while, from a personal perspective, it helped him prove a point in front of Smith.

It was Smith who suggested, at the time of Malan's dropping from the Test team last year, that "his game may be better suited to overseas conditions." So to score runs here, in conditions where the ball seamed throughout the match and against a demanding attack was, as he put it, "extremely pleasing".

"It's nice to do it in front of him," Malan said. "I like proving points. I saw him arrive at lunch and it makes it extremely pleasing to bat like that in front of him. You can do all the talking you want, but it's all about scoring runs, really. There are eight Championship games before the Ashes. If someone can score two, three or even four big hundreds, you never know."

Malan cut a somewhat disconsolate figure last month on England's Caribbean tour. Despite averaging 50.00 with a strike-rate of 150.60 in T20Is, he was consigned to a role as 12th man throughout the series, forfeiting a more lucrative role in the PSL as a consequence. He retains ambitions in all three international formats but will know, aged 31, and with younger men vying for the same positions, time is not really on his side.

"Yes, I want to play for England in all three formats," he said. "I've shown glimpses that I can do it, but last year I looked too far ahead and took my eye off the ball. Right now, I'm just focused on playing well for Middlesex."

Malan impressed with both his elegance and his determination. He scored just 24 in opening session of the day but, as his dominance grew, unveiled some of the flowing drives and pulls for which he is familiar. He remained a bit frustrated with the team's overall performance - "we were nowhere near our best with the ball and there were too many soft dismissals with the bat" - but was encouraged by the fight shown on the final day.

Beautifully though Malan batted, Northants will rue a couple of missed opportunities. He was dropped twice, once in the 50s and once in the 60s, with Jason Holder putting down a tough chance at slip and Rob Keogh another tough one at backward point. Malan might also reflect that, if he is really to push for a spot in England's Test side, he might have to bat in the top three. They're not looking for anyone from No. 4 to No. 8 at present.

Smith and Flower may have been equally interested in the performance of Max Holden. With Malan he added 105 for the fourth-wicket, looking increasingly fluent as he progressed. It took an outrageous moment of fortune to dismiss him: a fierce cut thumped into Rob Newton's knee, taking evasive action at silly point, only to rebound to Adam Rossington behind the stumps.

Northants persisted admirably. But, as the day wore on, their bowlers started to tire; they had spent more than 180 successive overs in the field, after all. They can feel encouraged they enjoyed the best of the first three days of this game, but their coach, David Ripley, admitted the club does not currently have the sort of talent in the system that might one day replicate the deeds of David Willey, Olly Stone or Ben Duckett; all, to a greater or lesser degree, homegrown players.

Equally, uncovering the hidden gems in the club game - the likes of Richard Gleeson and Azharullah - is becoming ever harder. The fact that four of the five mentioned have departed to bigger clubs does not make his task any easier.

"It's a bit frustrating having your players picked off," he said. "Hopefully having a top division of 10 teams will take the pressure off a bit. We're in the bottom three in terms of the wages we pay and we don't have the depth of squad of some of our rivals. But we're a good team and, if we have some luck with injuries, we can push for promotion."

Ripley also confirmed that Cricket West Indies had placed no specific limit on Holder's workload, though there was an understanding that he would not be over bowled.

Middlesex's declaration left Northants facing a hypothetical target of 144 in 21 overs. In truth, Middlesex's aim was simply to repair their slow over rate from the first-innings and, with Northants having agreed not to chase the target, the match ended in somewhat farcical fashion with the likes of Eoin Morgan, Sam Robson and John Simpson (in a cap) having a bowl and Malan keeping wicket without pads. Suffice to say, none of them showed any great untapped ability and the batsmen declined run-scoring opportunities.

So, a slightly unsatisfactory end. But Malan's earlier resistance was real and might well have made an impression on Smith and co.

Worcestershire could be without Ben Twohig for the entire season after he sustained a serious injury. Twohig, the 20-year-old left-arm spinner, is understood to have suffered the anterior cruciate ligament injury while playing five-a-side football.

A former England Under-19 player, Twohig made his List A and first-class debuts last season and did well enough to win a run of games in Worcestershire's Championship side towards the end of the season.

It is entirely possible the injury will renew debate over the wisdom of professional cricketers playing football. Ashley Giles, the director of England's men's teams, had already made it clear he does not favour the idea.

"We've got to keep our best players on the park and I'm not sure playing football is the best way of going about that," he told ESPNcricinfo in January. "If you look at what football does, the benefits from a physiological and fun point of view are outstripped by the dangers."

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The ball rested barely 4 feet from the cup, and everyone surrounding the green, in the grandstands or watching on television fully expected Tiger Woods to hole that putt and move on.

It was the 18th hole of his quarterfinal match with Lucas Bjerregaard at the WGC-Match Play, a do-or-die moment. Woods shockingly missed, the ball hitting the left edge and spinning out.

Woods was as stunned as those watching, his tournament over. He dragged the ball back to the same spot, tried the putt again and missed it worse, later saying he misread the putt.

This is but a single instance, something that could have happened on any hole, during any round at any tournament.

But does it portend anything more?

Both statistically and anecdotally, Woods has had more struggles on the greens than at any time -- save for perhaps one year -- in his legendary career.

In consecutive tournaments earlier this year, Woods three-putted six times, a first in more than 20 years for back-to-back events. Two of the four worst putting weeks of his career occurred in 2018 -- and he twice made equipment changes before going back to his trusty Scotty Cameron putter, which he is using now.

And the number of times he calls in caddie Joe LaCava to help with a read at least appears to be more than usual, as Woods, for most of his career, has done it on his own.

Augusta National, of course, is no place to have putting problems.

Although he looked and felt better on the greens at TPC Sawgrass for the Players Championship and at Austin Country Club for the WGC-Match Play Championship, the Masters, which begins Thursday, presents a different test, one that is stressful and exacting.

And one that is imperative he passes if he is to have any chance at winning a fifth green jacket.

"The longer you play, we're all going to have patches where we just don't putt well and patches where we make everything,'' Woods said. "And I've had my share of runs where I've really played well. For me personally, if I can see the line and I feel like I'm releasing this thing and that toe's flying over, I feel good. That's a good feeling for me.

"Other guys don't putt that way, don't feel that way, but I grew up in more of a feeling like Bobby Locke and [Ben] Crenshaw and those guys who let the putter go. If I do that, I feel great.''

WOODS WILL NOT CONCEDE that putting gets more difficult with age. At 43, he is subject to the conjecture that you just won't be as good as you used to be on the greens. For every Jack Nicklaus, who seemed to defy age with the putter, there is an Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson or Ben Hogan who did not.

"I may have been luckier than most going into their 40s,'' said Crenshaw, a Hall of Famer who won two Masters, his last in 1995 at age 43. "It was a notion that a lot of people had, that when you get into your 40s, your putting starts to go. You certainly hear that, and you try not to believe it, try not to think about it. But I think it does slip for some people. It's kind of fascinating to me.

"When you don't see results, you experiment a little bit. You have to change things up, but be patient. Everybody goes through streaks where you feel a little bit helpless.''

Woods has never been one to make big changes when it comes to putting. Posture appears to be the biggest adjustment, and that has evolved at times as he's dealt with his numerous back issues.

When he skipped the Arnold Palmer Invitational last month due to a neck strain, Woods noted that he had difficulty getting in the proper position to practice putting effectively.

Steve Stricker, 52, who defied putting problems in his 40s, has helped Woods at times, mostly notably the week of the 2013 WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral, where Woods went on to win.

"There were a few things there,'' Stricker said. "His alignment was bad, his path was not so good. Everybody kind of works themselves in and out of bad habits. That's the nature of this game. You're always trying to fight those bad habits.

"I watched a lot of the Mexico tournament [where Woods struggled on the greens]. It didn't look bad. And it can be so minute. It can be a misread. It can be speed. It can be the slightest of things. He'll be fine. And that's what I tell him. You just have to trust it.''

Stricker, the U.S. Ryder Cup captain who has 12 PGA Tour victories, won nine of his titles in his 40s but still agrees that putting is more difficult with age.

"I can relate to that,'' he said. "I seem to work a lot harder at it with a little less success. It might be your eyes. Your eyes start to change, you start to see things a little bit differently. It gets into your putting, and then there is the mental side. You don't see it the same, and doubts start creeping in.''

For what it's worth, Woods had vision correction surgery (LASIK) in 1999 and again in 2007, when he realized he needed to have the procedure performed again. It took place soon after the Masters because "my vision started slipping. I was starting to get headaches from squinting all the time.'' He added at the time: "Mine stayed the way it should, for what, eight years now? That's pretty good.''

Woods has not said if he has had any more corrective eye surgery since 2007.

PUTTING IS MEASURED in many ways. Putts per round is a basic metric, and typically anything under 30 is considered good, although so many factors go into that: how many greens did the player hit? Where were his approach shots on the green?

Putts per green in regulation average is another metric, but of course does not take into consideration greens missed.

A more modern measurement is a statistic embraced by the PGA Tour in recent years called "strokes gained.'' It was developed by Columbia University professor Mark Broadie. Is a method of comparing a golfer against the tour average, and the Tour has calculated data back to 2004.

"Strokes gained putting'' shows how a player's putting ranks compared to the tour average. Dominic Bozzelli leads the PGA Tour with a strokes gained putting average of 1.135 per round -- which means he beats the field average by more than 1.135 strokes per round. Woods is ranked 78th at .191. For 2018, he was 48th.

But two of his worst measured strokes gained rounds occurred in 2018 - at the Wells Fargo Championship (-1.46) and at the Memorial Tournament (-1.46). The other two that were in the top four came in 2010, which happened to be the worst putting year of his career.

With strokes gained data, Woods' best putting years were from 2004 to 2009 when he was first once, second three times, fifth and 21st. He was 109th in 2010. His last full season before 2018 was 2015, when Woods ranked 32nd.

Broadie offered up some numbers not provided by the PGA Tour. He made his calculations that also take into account strength of field. Although Woods has played 21 rounds, Broadie is using just 15 rounds -- one of the rounds at the Farmers Insurance Open is not measured via the tour's Shotlink technology; and he did not include the rounds played at the recent World Golf Championship because it is match play and not stroke play.

For strokes gained putting, Broadie has Woods ranked 66th on the PGA Tour compared to 44th last year. (He is sixth in overall strokes gained, compared to fifth in 2018).

There are other ways to dive in to putting. The tour keeps stats from every conceivable distance. For example, Woods is 84th on the PGA Tour making putts from the range of 4 to 8 fee. From exactly 5 feet, he is tied for 50th. Broadie has Woods ranked 148th on putts from 0-6 feet (compared to 97th last year), which would be -0.10 strokes gained at that distance.

"The biggest issue appears to be his short putting,'' Broadie said. "But it's a small sample.''

And then there is three-putt avoidance. Woods has three-putted 14 times out of 288 holes to rank 209th on tour. Jordan Spieth is tied for 162nd. Justin Rose leads the category, having three-putted just three times in 360 holes.

When he three-putted six times at the Genesis Open, Woods said that he "putted as badly as a human being can putt.'' Then a week later in Mexico City, he did it again. During the final round in Mexico City, Woods missed six putts inside 10 feet and three inside 6 feet. "My good putts didn't go in and my bad putts were atrocious'' he said.

"The big key in any major championship is not making double (bogeys) and avoiding three putts,'' said one of Woods' former coaches, Hank Haney. "Penalty shots have killed him in recent years, but avoiding three putts has always been a key to his success at Augusta. You can make up for a three-putt, eagle the 8th or a par-5.''

Sounds easy enough (and Woods did make two eagles at Augusta National last year) but Woods ranks just 83rd on the PGA Tour in par-5 scoring average at 4.61. In 2013, when Woods won five times, he ranked fourth. And for a majority of his career when he was No. 1 in the world, he was always first or second.

NOT EVERYONE BELIEVES that 40 is some sort of demarcation line in putting. Phil Mickelson, 48, who has won tournaments in each of the past two years and won three times in 2013, when he was 43, has put considerable effort into beating back Father Time on the greens.

"I spent time with [short-game expert Dave] Pelz, and we did a lot of math and a lot of study of technique, and we tried to develop ways to maximize the odds,'' Mickelson said. "Whether it was changing stroke, launch angle, loft, hand position, shaft ankle. Whether it's a slice putt, a hook putt. We spent a lot of time analyzing that. And it took a couple of years to where the technique and the set-up matched up.''

Still, Mickelson has had his share of putting problems of late, ranking 116th in strokes gained this year.

Ernie Els, 49, has also gone through the putting gauntlet, going from the game's best to a player who looked lost and experimented with a number of methods. Three years ago, he took a 9 on the first hole of the Masters, having six-putted the green.

And this is a player who won a U.S. Open on the fast-paced greens of Oakmont, four major championships total and more than 60 tournaments worldwide.

"I went through a wobble in my head,'' Els said. "Right now, I'm good. I put more loft on my putter, and I'm putting as good as I did in my prime. I think there's something that just goes on in your head. You play the game that long, you listen to other people, and stuff creeps into your head. There are so many different ways of putting.

"In certain circumstances, yes. Jack Nicklaus said he never went through any of that. Then there's Johnny Miller, and he basically left the game because of it. You get a lot of players who never find it again.''

As for Woods, Els said: "I watch him, and it looks as pure as ever. I think what happens is you start reading the greens a little differently. His reads might not be as good. When I look at him, it looks as good as it did back in the day. He had that [issue] with his chipping [in 2015], and that was because of bad mechanics -- too much lean in the shaft, so he couldn't get his hands to the ball, couldn't find the bottom of the swing. But his putting looks fine.''

Last year, Greg Chalmers, 45, led the PGA Tour in strokes-gained putting -- but is the only player to do so in his 40s in the past 10 years.

FOR WOODS TO CONTEND AT THE MASTERS, he does not have to be the best putter in the field, nor even necessarily in the top five. Augusta's greens are difficult for everyone, and his experience on the course over the years offers him an advantage.

In statistics kept by Augusta National, Woods ranked outside of the top 20 in two of his four victories, and his best was tied for eighth. Only once did he average as many as 30 putts per round.

But here is the most telling statistic about Woods' victories in 1997, 2001, 2002 and 2005: The first three times he led the field or was tied in greens in regulation; the last year he was second.

He never failed to hit at last 50 out of 72 greens, and during his 2001 "Tiger Slam" victory, he hit 59 out of 72 -- missing just 13 greens for the week. He never had more than four three-putt greens during any of his victories.

The good news for Woods is that it is still a strong part of his game. He ranks third on the tour in greens in regulation, averaging more than 74 percent.

But once on the greens, can he give himself enough realistic looks for birdie and avoid three-putts on the occasions where he is a long way from the hole?

"I did my best when I felt comfortable and relaxed,'' Crenshaw said. "If I could swing my arms and take the wrists out of it. There's still no substitute for hitting the ball solid. To me, it was always speed. If I could hit the ball the right pace, then I'd have a good chance. You have to put those things together, and sometimes that's hard.

"With Tiger, his stroke technically looks very good. There again, it is tough to put speed and line together. And mostly when your speed is off, you putt worse. I don't think guys misread putts as much as they misgauge their speed.''

A year ago, in Woods' first Masters since 2015, he three-putted twice on the final day and took 32 putts after hitting 15 of 18 greens. He missed five putts inside of 6 feet and still shot 69.

Often, you hear Woods say a standard phrase: "That is probably the worst I could have shot.'' And it is often related to how well he struck the ball, only to struggle on the greens.

"You hear Tiger talk about his 'feels' all the time,'' said Brandt Snedeker, 38, who is another nonbeliever when it comes to advancing age being a problem. "He feels like he releases the putter, but if you watch him, he really doesn't do that. But it feels that way to him, and that is what he is trying to achieve. His stroke still looks good to me.''

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- What is required to win a green jacket as the Masters Tournament champion?

Guys have to hit it long and accurately off the tee, bravely fire second shots to avoid Rae's Creek and other pitfalls, and of course, putt exceptionally well on some of the slickest greens in the world.

A winner must do all of that while controlling his emotions in front of huge crowds and knowing that there's a good chance the course will play differently each of the four days.

Who has what it takes to win the Masters this week? Here's a look at each of the 87 players in the field, divided in groups from the legitimate contenders to the past champions to the amateurs:

Tier I: The guys who can win

Here are the legitimate contenders to win the Masters Tournament. They have the games, guts and nerves to handle four pressure-packed rounds on one of the most treacherous tracks in the world.

Rory McIlroy
For the fifth time at Augusta, McIlroy will try to complete the career grand slam by winning a green jacket. He finished tied for fifth in 2018 after posting a 74 on Sunday.

Dustin Johnson
He's arguably the most talented player in the world, but his experience at Augusta is mostly marked by heavy jet skis and tricky stairs. His best finish in eight tries is a tie for fourth.

Justin Rose
Rose is almost a modern-day Lee Trevino. He has 11 top-25 finishes and five top-10s at Augusta, including runners-up in 2015 and '17.

Bubba Watson
His courage, creativity and newly found yardage off the tee make him a contender to win a green jacket for the third time. Will his putting -- he's ranked 162nd in strokes gained in putting -- prevent him from doing it?

Brooks Koepka
The three-time major champion says his dramatic weight loss has cost him distance off the tees. The good news: He won't have a problem finding meat-and-threes in Georgia.

Francesco Molinari
The Italian was playing some of the best golf in the world until he lost in the semifinals of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play last month. His best finish at the Masters is a tie for 19th in 2012.

Jon Rahm
The talented Spaniard had a pair of top-5 finishes in majors last year and seemed more mentally equipped to finish big events until his meltdown on Sunday at the Players. He had a solo fourth at Augusta last year after opening with a 75.

Rickie Fowler
The best player in the world to never win a major would probably like to shed that title. He finished second at the Masters in 2018, 1 shot behind champion Patrick Reed.

Jason Day
Day had a tie for second and a solo third in his first three Masters appearances, but he hasn't been nearly as good since. Hopefully his back holds up for four rounds.

Paul Casey
The Englishman won the Valspar Championship last month after a woeful appearance at the Players. He rallied to finish tied for 15th at the 2018 Masters after posting 74-75 his first two rounds. He had three straight top-10s at Augusta before that.

Bryson DeChambeau
Who can't wait for DeChambeau to ruffle traditionalists' feathers by leaving pins in the holes while putting on the most revered golf course in the world? At least he's deliberate on tee boxes.

Justin Thomas
Augusta National has been the former Alabama star's Clemson so far. He has posted only one score in the 60s in 12 career rounds at the Masters and hasn't finished better than a tie for 17th.

Tommy Fleetwood
The Englishman is still seeking his first PGA Tour victory after a near-miss at the Players. He tied for 17th in his second Masters appearance in 2018.

Tiger Woods
The four-time Masters winner keeps giving us hints of his former dominance, albeit without the results. He finished tied for 32nd in 2018, with three rounds of par or worse.

Phil Mickelson
The three-time Masters champion is trying to become the oldest majors champion, at more than 48 years. After finishing tied for 36th in 2018, Lefty wants to give Jake Owen his money's worth.

Tier II: If everything goes right ...

Here are the dark horse candidates to slip on a green jacket on Sunday. The list features past champions, including the most recent one, whose games have been works in progress so far this season. Will it all come together at Augusta?

Jordan Spieth
The 2015 Masters champion's game still seems to be a work in progress, especially off the tee, but Augusta National seems to bring out his best. He came into the 2018 tournament in a similar slump but finished solo third, two shots behind Reed.

Tony Finau
Finau dislocated his ankle while celebrating a hole-in-one during the Par-3 Contest -- and then popped it back into place -- and somehow finished tied for 10th.

Xander Schauffele
Schauffele has two wins and six other top-25s in 10 PGA events this season. He finished tied for 50th in his first Masters appearance in 2018.

Louis Oosthuizen
The South African was runner-up in 2012 with a memorable albatross and had a hole-in-one -- off J.B. Holmes' ball -- in 2016. He missed the cut four times and hasn't finished higher than a tie for 12th in his nine other appearances.

Adam Scott
The 2013 Masters champion has one top-10 finish at Augusta since he beat Angel Cabrera in a playoff to win the green jacket. He tied for 32nd last year.

Matt Kuchar
The former Georgia Tech star will find friendly galleries at Augusta, where he has four top-10s in his past seven appearances.

Hideki Matsuyama
The Japanese golfer has finished in the top 20 four straight times at Augusta, including 19th in 2018. He posted scores of par or better in 12 of his past 16 rounds at Augusta.

Patrick Reed
The reigning Masters champion hasn't won anything since he held off Fowler, Spieth and Rahm on Sunday last year. He has one top-10 finish in 10 Tour starts this season.

Sergio Garcia
The Spaniard followed his 2017 Masters title by missing the cut with 81-78 last year. It was only the 11th time a defending champion missed the cut the next year. Even worse, Garcia's 36-hole total of 15 over was the worst by a defending champion. Of course, that 13 he recorded at the par-5 15th in the opening round didn't help.

Marc Leishman
The Australian won the CIMB Classic in October and finished in the top 10 in half of his 10 Tour events this season. He had a solo ninth at the Masters in 2018.

Cameron Smith
The 25-year-old Australian provided a glimpse of his enormous potential by firing a 66 on Sunday last year to tie for fifth at the 2018 Masters.

Kevin Kisner
The Aiken, South Carolina, native grew up about 20 miles from the gates of Augusta National and would love nothing more than to win a green jacket. He took down some of the game's best to win the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.

Brandt Snedeker
Snedeker has found his game again and is back after a one-year absence. He finished tied for 15th or better in four of his 10 Masters appearances.

Henrik Stenson
Stenson finished in a tie for fifth at the Masters last year, with four straight rounds under par. He struggled this season before reaching the round of 16 at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.

Tier III: Hey, miracles happen

They are the long shots. This tier includes a handful of aging former champions, a hometown favorite making his long-awaited return and some first-timers.

Webb Simpson
Kevin Na
Keegan Bradley
Charles Howell III
J.B. Holmes
Keith Mitchell
Gary Woodland
Rafa Cabrera Bello
Ian Poulter
Emiliano Grillo
Charley Hoffman
Jimmy Walker
Branden Grace
Si Woo Kim
Zach Johnson
Fred Couples
Bernhard Langer
Haotong Li
Tyrrell Hatton
Eddie Pepperell
Satoshi Kodaira
Thorbjorn Olesen
Matt Wallace
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Patrick Cantlay
Billy Horschel

Tier IV: Happy to make the cut

They aren't expected to be among the contenders, unless something magical happens. Some know-it-all probably said the same things about Danny Willett, Charl Schwartzel and Trevor Immelman before they unexpectedly won, too.

Martin Kaymer
Stewart Cink
Andrew Landry
Aaron Wise
Michael Kim
Kevin Tway
Adam Long
Patton Kizzire
Kyle Stanley
Alex Noren
Kiradech Aphibarnrat
Lucas Bjerregaard
Justin Harding
Shane Lowry
Corey Conners
Shugo Imahira

Tier V: Past champions

They're here only because they own green jackets and earned the right to come back and play. Their days of competing are in the rearview mirror, however.

Angel Cabrera
Trevor Immelman
Sandy Lyle
Larry Mize
Jose Maria Olazabal
Charl Schwartzel
Vijay Singh
Mike Weir
Danny Willett
Ian Woosnam

Tier VI: Amateurs

They're the new kids on the block and the most talented (and most fortunate) amateur players in the world. They're trying to do what Ryan Moore (tied for 13th in 2005), Hideki Matsuyama (27th in 2011) and Bryson DeChambeau (21st in 2016) did before turning pro.

Viktor Hovland
Devon Bling
Jovan Rebula
Takumi Kanaya
Alvaro Ortiz
Kevin O'Connell