Augusta National. The Green Jacket. Amen Corner. The manicured fairways. The blooming azaleas.

Unmistakably, the Masters.

Golf's first men's major of the year is upon us, with the world's finest players making their annual pilgrimage to one of sport's most iconic venues.

The first tee shot will be hit at 13:00 BST on Thursday - after the ceremonial drives from legendary champions Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson - with a field of 88 aiming to sink the winning putt come Sunday.

Here are the main talking points going into the 87th edition of the Masters...

Can McIlroy finally land the Grand Slam?
Based on his current form and past performances at Augusta, this is another golden opportunity for Rory McIlroy to finally land the title which has so far eluded him.

The Northern Irishman blew a four-shot lead going into the final day of the 2011 Masters and has since finished in the top 10 on seven occasions.

In recent years, slow starts have stalled the 33-year-old's attempts to complete a full sweep of the four majors in the men's game.

Two months after missing out at the Masters, McIlroy lifted his first major at the 2011 US Open and went on to win the 2012 US PGA Championship before claiming back-to-back titles at the Open Championship and the PGA in 2014.
Read More Courtesy BBC.COM