Americans aiming to turn the tide

History can be made in the US Masters at Augusta this weekend - in a way that seemed unimaginable just 10 years ago.

When Tiger Woods completed the first-ever clean sweep of the majors by claiming his second green jacket nobody could have thought that a decade later the golfing landscape would be so different. A win at the Masters would complete a European Tour clean sweep - and leave America without any of the majors or the Ryder Cup for the first time.

Phil Mickelson, defending champion and favourite to retain the green jacket this week, said: "I think it's been great for world golf that we have had so many non-Americans playing well and moving up the world rankings. I think it's created some international exposure and really good for the game in general."

Martin Kaymer and Lee Westwood, paired together in the opening two rounds for the third time this year, stand first and second on the world rankings.

Westwood, runner-up in two of the three majors he played last year, could regain top spot with a top-four finish on Sunday.

But it is a first major he craves and he tees off boosted by the knowledge that his 13-under-par score last year, although it left him three behind the inspired Mickelson, would have made him Masters champion in all but nine of the 74 tournaments so far.

"I certainly didn't do too much wrong - Phil just did a lot of things right," he said.

"Even if I had shot 69 and become the first player to have four rounds in the 60s that still wouldn't have won. I played well the last day under pressure.

"The confidence in my game has moved on - I have moved everything up a little bit and hopefully if I play the same it will be good enough."