Oosthuizen looks for different result in second trip to Masters

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Louis Oosthuizen played at Augusta National in 2009. He missed the cut.

Louis Oosthuizen remembers "smiling the whole way round" last year when he played in his first Masters. "I wanted more of it."

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The South African will get his wish. He needed to win the Open de Andalucia to book his return, and just a week after narrowly missing out in Morocco, Oosthuizen sealed the deal in Malaga.

"I didn't play that well," he says of last year's Masters performance, when he shot 73-77 and missed the cut. This week, though, is a different story.

"It'll be nice going there, knowing I'm now playing well and putting well. It's just such an unbelievable tournament."

A year ago Oosthuizen had an anxious time, watching the world rankings to see if he'd be making a first visit to the splendors of Georgia. He celebrated with a beer or two when the magic figures flashed up on his computer.

This time, Oosthuizen could be one of those lively outsiders who are worth watching.

FIRST TASTE

History suggests that first- timers do not fare especially well at Augusta National. It's a learning game as players come to grips with the nuances of the storied course.

That said, there are several Europeans who are having a first taste of the Masters, and given their records they, too, will be worth watching.

I am a little surprised that Oosthuizen's countryman Charl Schwartzel hadn't made the trip before. He's now a four-time winner on the European Tour, and at the age of 25 can already look back on a great list of achievements in his home country and in his amateur career.

Look at the way he played at the weekend at the Shell Houston Open with successive 67s to end up one stroke shy of eventual winner Anthony Kim. It's easy to see that Schwartzel's maintained the form that saw him win back-to-back in January and could be a factor.

There are three Italians playing at Augusta National. Francesco Molinari joins his brother Edoardo and amateur Matteo Manassero in the field.

Edoardo actually played in the Masters in 2006 after he won the U.S. Amateur. Francesco caddied for his brother that year and is playing in the Masters for the first time this year. Both Molinaris are coming off impressive finishes with Edoardo tying for second at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard on the same Sunday Francesco tied for fourth in Spain.

Manassero is the youngest winner of the Amateur Championship. He was just 16 when he won in England last June, and he is makes his Masters debut this week as its youngest-ever competitor. School lessons and exams have been on his mind, but just cast your mind back to Turnberry and his exploits alongside Tom Watson. Manassero has a maturity beyond his years.

The same can be said about England's Chris Wood. Europe's 2009 Rookie of the Year earned a spot when he tied for third at last year's Open Championship. At 6-foot-5 he'll stand out on the fairways of Augusta National, though as yet the year's results have been modest.

Wood's compatriot Simon Dyson also hasn't been able to recapture the form of last year's two victories. He's lively, energetic and has a bubbly personality. He'll relish playing amongst the elite at the foremost venue in world golf.

IF ONLY...

You can guarantee that the bars of Porto Santo will be crammed with players and caddies, aiming for a look at the events on the other side of the Atlantic.

The Madeira Islands Open once again has the misfortune to be drawn along with the Masters on the European Tour calendar. It's an excellent tournament, always well-staged, dating back to former Ryder Cup captain Mark James winning in 1993.

In a way, it's considered a major. You see, Challenge Tour players -- the second rung of the European Tour -- get to play alongside those who are higher-ranked, and all know the event represents a big opportunity, as well as potentially one of the best paydays of the season.

Several in the field can reflect on Masters appearances in the past. The Estoril Open winner Michael Hoey almost won in Madeira last year and made a visit to Augusta in 2002. Patrik Sjoland made the trip in 1999. South African Open champion Richie Ramsay was there in 2007 as the U.S. Amateur winner. Julien Guerrier was at the Masters at the same time, and Reinier Saxton of Holland received an invitation last year.

All know the event in Madeira represents a huge chance to further their careers. All, though, will also have an eye on the lucky ones playing elsewhere.