The quest for the Green Jacket is underway. The first Golfing Major of the year began earlier on Thursday at the Augusta National Golf Club. Scottie Scheffler is bidding for back-to-back titles and that will make him just the fourth man to defend a Masters title. Rory McIlroy has not won a Major since 2014 and needs to win at Augusta to complete the Grand Slam. Jon Rahm had three wins at the start of the year and the three players have made the battle for the No. 1 ranking a spectacle. Five-time winner Tiger Woods is competing this week as well in what is just his second start of the year. His great rival Phil Mickelson is making a 30th start at Augusta and remains confident about adding to the three titles he has won previously. There are 18 LIV players in the field as well and the expected cold vibes between players on both sides of the Golfing divide turned out to be a non-starter. A LIV player winning on Sunday will be a massive public relations coup for the new league. Veteran Golf writer Joy Chakravarty sets up the 87th edition of the Masters in a conversation with Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo.

The Masters are underway...Golf's Best battle for the Green Jacket

Former world number one amateur Nick Taylor bent but did not break, surviving an error-strewn stretch and whipping winds to win the Pebble Beach Pro-Am by four strokes in California on Sunday.

Taylor set up victory with a chip-in birdie at the 15th hole and was flawless down the stretch to become the first Canadian to win the storied event on the Monterey Peninsula.

<h6><img alt="Cup" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2acfde9b-3fb1-469d-90a1-de0c5d05e622" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29_85.jpg" /> 
Nick Taylor raises the trophy for winning the AT&amp;T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links| Reuters</h6>

Despite dropping four shots in four holes from the 11th, a two-under-par 70 was enough to fend off Phil Mickelson, in the process becoming the event's first wire-to-wire winner since Mickelson 15 years ago.

"Pebble Beach, I couldn't ask for a better place to have my second win," Taylor told PGA Tour Radio after finishing at 19-under 268 for his second PGA Tour victory in his 160th career start.

"I haven't been in contention as much as I'd like to be but I feel like my game has been really good the last year and hopefully this is a springboard for great things," said the 31-year-old.

Among his rewards will be a first invitation to Augusta National for the Masters in April. He was inspired to pursue golf seriously after watching compatriot Mike Weir win there in 2003.

Despite the comfortable final margin on Sunday, it was not easy for Taylor, who had to go head-to-head with gallery favourite Mickelson.

Mickelson, seeking a record sixth Pebble Beach victory, pulled to within two shots after Taylor double-bogeyed the par-five 14th, but that was as close as the American got on the back nine after having previously fallen five shots behind at the turn.

"That middle stretch on the back nine is really tough," Taylor said.

"Fourteen is a brutal hole. You're just trying to not make a disaster. I made a seven but it almost settled me down a bit.

"Phil made six and I only lost one off the lead but that chip in (at the 15th) was massive to get it back to three."

Mickelson faded to shoot 74 and finish third as fellow American Kevin Streelman (68) grabbed second place.

Former world number one amateur Nick Taylor bent but did not break, surviving an error-strewn stretch and whipping winds to win the Pebble Beach Pro-Am by four strokes in California on Sunday.

Former world number one amateur Nick Taylor bent but did not break, surviving an error-strewn stretch and whipping winds to win the Pebble Beach Pro-Am by four strokes in California on Sunday. Taylor set up victory with a chip-in birdie at the 15th hole and was flawless down the stretch to become the first Canadian to win the storied event on the Monterey Peninsula. Nick Taylor raises the trophy for winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links| Reuters Despite dropping four shots in four holes from the 11th, a two-under-par 70 was enough to fend off Phil Mickelson, in the process becoming the event's first wire-to-wire winner since Mickelson 15 years ago. "Pebble Beach, I couldn't ask for a better place to have my second win," Taylor told PGA Tour Radio after finishing at 19-under 268 for his second PGA Tour victory in his 160th career start. "I haven't been in contention as much as I'd like to be but I feel like my game has been really good the last year and hopefully this is a springboard for great things," said the 31-year-old. Among his rewards will be a first invitation to Augusta National for the Masters in April. He was inspired to pursue golf seriously after watching compatriot Mike Weir win there in 2003. Despite the comfortable final margin on Sunday, it was not easy for Taylor, who had to go head-to-head with gallery favourite Mickelson. Mickelson, seeking a record sixth Pebble Beach victory, pulled to within two shots after Taylor double-bogeyed the par-five 14th, but that was as close as the American got on the back nine after having previously fallen five shots behind at the turn. "That middle stretch on the back nine is really tough," Taylor said. "Fourteen is a brutal hole. You're just trying to not make a disaster. I made a seven but it almost settled me down a bit. "Phil made six and I only lost one off the lead but that chip in (at the 15th) was massive to get it back to three." Mickelson faded to shoot 74 and finish third as fellow American Kevin Streelman (68) grabbed second place.

Golf: Canadian Nick Taylor outplays Mickelson to win at Pebble Beach

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