The Masters :: Non-winning veterans

Check out these veterans of the Masters who have never been able to qualify for the tournament as a past champion. Can any of the players below break that duck in 2015?

Ernie Els – 21st Masters

Few golfers have been closer to success at Augusta National than Els, who has finished runner-up twice at the tournament. The 45-year-old finished three shots behind Vijay Singh in 2000 and four years later, the South African looked to have done enough to earn a play-off against Phil Mickelson after a blistering final round of 67. However, the American birdied the final hole to deny Els what would’ve then been his fourth major title.

In the five tournaments from 2000-2004, the two-time winner of both the Open Championship and the US Open had a worst finish of T6, but in his nine appearances since – he failed to qualify in 2012 – Els has missed the cut four times, with a best finish of T13 in 2013.

Jim Furyk – 19th Masters

Furyk will be teeing it up for the 19th time at the Masters next week, with the chance of the 44-year-old making the cut seeming very likely. In 18 appearances at Augusta, the 2003 US Open champion has made the cut 16 times, with 12 of those resulting in top 25 finishes.

The American’s best showing at the first major of the year was fourth in 1998 and 2003. On both occasions, Furyk was never really in contention, shooting 67, 68 on the weekend in 1998 to finish two shots behind winner Mark O’Meara. In 2003, he was five shots behind Jeff Maggert after the third round and, despite shooting another 68, he finished two shots behind Mike Weir and Len Mattiace.

Sergio Garcia – 17th Masters

At the age of 35, it’s hard to believe that the Spaniard is about to play in his 17th Masters tournament, but he’s been an ever-present at Augusta since winning the Silver Medal in 1999.

Garcia’s best finish at the Masters was a T4 spot in 2004, where he shot 66 – the lowest round of the tournament – on the final day, but ended six shots back from winner Phil Mickelson. Garcia shot another 66 on day one in 2013 to co-lead with Marc Leishman, but followed that up with a 76 on the Friday, a round he couldn’t recover from, ending up T8 and six shots behind Adam Scott and Angel Cabrera.

Miguel Angel Jimenez – 16th Masters

Another Spaniard on the list, Jimenez missed the cut in his first two trips to Augusta in 1995 and 1999 but has only done so once since, back in 2003. In nine appearances from 2005 – he didn’t play in 2013 due to injury – he has made it to the weekend every time and recorded his best Masters finish at last year’s tournament.

The 51-year-old was two shots behind Bubba Watson and Jordan Spieth after the third round and despite a one-under par final round, Watson closed with a 69 to finish four shots clear of Jimenez in fourth.

Lee Westwood – 16th Masters

Over the past five years, Westwood has shown remarkable consistency at Augusta with a worst finish T11 in 2011 and in those 20 rounds, he hasn’t shot lower than one two-over 74.

The 41-year-old led by one shot after the first round in 2012, but came closest to donning the green jacket in 2010. Leading by one shot on 12-under par from Phil Mickelson heading into Sunday, Westwood shot 71 – his worst round of the week – to finish three shots behind the American, who claimed his third green jacket after a bogey-free final round of 67.

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Other notable non-winning veterans of the Masters who will be teeing it up at Augusta National next week include Steve Stricker and Padraig Harrington (15th Masters), Tim Clark (14th), Darren Clarke (13th) and Thomas Bjorn (12th).

The Masters :: Your thoughts

Can any of the players listed above become the Masters champion in 2015? Leave your thoughts in the ‘Comments’ section below.