Tiger Woods announced last week that he is out of the 2014 Masters due to a back issue that required surgery and will necessitate rest and rehabilitation.
Nagging injuries are also affecting the play of several of the favorites heading into Augusta.
Back in January Phil Mickelson withdrew from the Farmers Insurance Open citing a sore back. He notched his second w/d of the year, when he was forced to retire on Saturday from the Valero Texas Open, citing an oblique strain from over swinging on the range.
Jason Day finished tied for runner-up in 2011 and was third at the Masters in 2013. He won the WGC-Accenture Match Play in February and was one of the front-runners heading into Augusta. He has been dealing with a thumb problem that has limited his play.
Day has not played a competitive round on the PGA Tour for six weeks, but reports are that he will tee it up on Thursday morning at the Masters.
2013 U.S. Open champion, Justin Rose has been dealing with a shoulder issue all season. After a fifth-place finish at the HSBC World Champions in November, he did not play until the Northern Trust in February.
Rose only has one top-10 finish this season and his last two starts were T-8 at the Valspar Championship and a missed cut at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Henrik Stenson, who won the FedEx Cup and the Race to Dubai last season, also has a hand and wrist injury, but appears to be returning to form.
Brandt Snedeker, who desperately wants to win a green jacket, has dealt with rib injuries throughout his career, but appears to be healthy heading into Augusta.
With the new wrap-around season on the PGA Tour, players have already played several events and nearly every player is dealing with nagging injuries.
Augusta National is extremely hilly and puts a tremendous strain on feet, ankles, knees and hips. Just walking the course for several days is a strain.
Even though there is no real rough at the course awkward side-hill, down-hill, and up-hill lies require unusual stances and swings that may affect weak body parts.
The 2014 Masters may well be the story of the last man standing on Sunday evening to don the Green Jacket.