Maybe the toughest of the current crop of Europeans, Darren Clarke has the mettle and the putting stroke to win the Masters. Clarke didn’t take many steps forward in 2004, with two thirds and a fourth in the U.S. and the same in Europe. His only win came in the VISA Taiheiyo Masters in Japan, but he had a dramatic Ryder Cup and finished the year ranked No. 14 in the world. There’s a steely confidence in Clarke’s eyes, the kind of look you often see a few hours before someone puts on a green jacket.

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ONES TO WATCH  • Ernie Els  • Sergio Garcia  • Retief Goosen  • Padraig Harrington  • Davis Love III  • Phil Mickelson  • Adam Scott  • Vijay Singh  • Mike Weir  • Tiger Woods

DARK HORSES  • Darren Clarke  • Fred Couples  • John Daly  • Chris DiMarco  • Todd Hamilton  • Charles Howell III