 Dredge is one of 18 debutants at this year's Masters |
Bradley Dredge says he has been in awe of Augusta after getting his first taste of the Masters course this week. "Augusta Golf Club has made a great job of making the course into a very special place," said Dredge, 33, ahead of his Masters debut on Thursday.
"All the players and caddies always enjoy coming here because there is definitely an aura about the place.
"You feel it on the first tee. I'm surprised how confined it is, but that helps give it a unique atmosphere."
Dredge squeezed into the Masters field through the world rankings - with invitations given to the top 50 players who are not already exempt.
He almost made it to Augusta in 1992, but defeat in the final of the British Amateur Championship meant he missed out on the winner's invitation.
 | 606: DEBATE |
The Tredegar-born player has become one of the most consistent players on the European Tour in recent years, clinching his second Tour victory last year after enjoying a career high Order of Merit finish of 16 in 2005.
He will be among 18 first-time participants at Augusta this week, and the former World Cup winner admitted the temptation to simply savour the occasion will be difficult to resist.
"It's easy to come here and wonder around, but at the end of the day I'm a professional golfer and I'm here to try to compete and do the best I can do," Dredge told BBC Sport.
"You've got to have your mindset correct before you come here and get yourself into a work mode.
"It's another golf tournament - it's a special event, but it's a golf tournament and I'm here to perform."
The Welsh contingent at Augusta will be completed by 1991 champion Ian Woosnam.
Last year's Ryder Cup captain has played only three events this year - missing the halfway cut in all of them - and his preparations this week have been disrupted by his long-standing back problem.
The 49-year-old will be looking to make it to the weekend rounds for the first time in seven years, although the ever-increasing length of the Augusta course makes his task harder each year.
| Tiger Woods plays fantastic around here so it'll be a tough ask to get a European champion again |
"Making the cut for me at The Masters now is the equivalent of me winning the tournament," said Woosnam.
"I return to Augusta with fond memories and always enjoy the champions' dinner on Tuesday nights but it is a struggle to just get around the extended course now, let alone to compete."
Woosnam will play alongside Sweden's Robert Karlsson and American Tim Herron at 1640 BST on Thursday, while Dredge will have former champion Sandy Lyle and Dean Wilson for company (1333 BST).
Dredge prepared for the event with a week's practice in Spain, but he has also read extensively on the course and the event to help counter his lack of Masters experience.
"I've actually read Mike Weir's book where he talks about how he likes to play the golf course and about some of the shots he played here in the last round when he won," revealed Dredge.
"So by reading things like that and talking to some of the guys, you can actually gain a lot more information before you even get here - it's almost like doing some homework."
The last European winner at Augusta was Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal in 1999, while Paul Lawrie's win at the Open later that year was the last European success in any major.
Padraig Harrington will lead Europe's hopes of ending the barren run this year, but Dredge says it is hard to imagine anyone beating Tiger Woods.
"He plays fantastic around here so it'll be a tough ask to get a European champion again," he said.
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Masters 2007: Latest weather forecast