As the Masters begins on Thursday, PGA Tour golf for the third straight year is enjoying the sort of fascinating storylines and appealing mix of superstars it last enjoyed way back in the 1970s. This year’s tournament promises the sort of sports drama, in a breathtakingly picturesque setting, that should inspire literary takes on it worthy of John McPhee or the late John Updike.

Until McPhee steps in, a preview is very much in order. Without lyrical literature, here are the main players to watch, and why their stories right now are compelling.