“The winner of this tournament doesn’t just win a major,” Phil Mickelson said in 2001, when the 30-year-old was still trying to win his first major championship.

“He becomes a part of the history of the game, and that’s what excites me. This tournament creates something that is very special, and year in year out, history is made here.”

Come 2013, Mickelson is now a three-time Masters Champion, and a veteran of the Sunday shootouts at Augusta National — a launching pad for the careers of many golfers, including himself.

But despite all of Mickelson’s success since his first win at Augusta; the three other major titles and his induction in the World Golf Hall of Fame, the excitement he feels as a golfer trying to win the Masters hasn’t changed.

“To feel that excitement, to feel that pressure, to grace Amen Corner knowing that you need birdies and trying to win a Green Jacket . . . that is the greatest thrill that a golfer can ever experience,” Mickelson said in his Tuesday press conference.

On Thursday morning, the eyes of the sporting world will ascend on the hallowed Augusta National Golf Club for the 77th playing of The Masters Tournament.

The 2013 version brings with it as much anticipation as any year in recent memory. Bubba Watson will defend his title against a field of 93 players that includes the youngest participant in Masters history, 14-year-old Guan Tianlang of Thailand, as well as the usual suspects from the top of the world ranks.

The story lines are endless. Can Tiger Woods win his 15th major title? Will Rory McIlroy overcome early season adjustments to win his third major? Is Mickelson still capable of taking over Augusta for his fourth green jacket, or will one of the high-ranking European players like Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter or Justin Rose finally put it together to win their first major?

Watson is looking to become only the third player in history to defend his Masters title (Jack Nicklaus 1965-66, Nick Faldo 1989-90, Woods 2001-02). He was emotional in describing what he did with his “take home” Green Jacket, which he took home and wrapped his adopted infant son, Caleb, in after the tournament.

“We were swapping stories back here and my man [Claude Mielsen, moderator of the press conference] right here last year drove me from No. 10 to Butler Cabin and I said, ‘Is this my green jacket?’ He said, ‘Yeah this is your green jacket that you’re taking home,'” Watson said. “I told him I was going to go home and wrap Caleb up in it . . .That’s the only thing I did with it. Out of respect, out of honor.”

In 2012, Watson defeated South African Louis Oosthuizen in a playoff with the now infamous snap-hook gap wedge out of the right trees on the long par four No. 10 to secure his first major victory.

Oosthuizen had turned the 2012 Masters on its head early on Sunday when he holed his second shot, a 4 iron from 253 yards on the par-5 No. 2 for an albatross that sprung the South African into the lead at 9-under. He finished at 10-under, in a tie with Watson and two shots ahead of American Matt Kuchar, who made a late back nine charge with an eagle at No. 15, but followed that up with a bogey at the par 3 No. 16 to end his chances.

Woods is the odds on favorite (3/1) is coming into Augusta with a head full of steam, winning three of his first five events so far this year and in doing so reclaiming his place as the No. 1-ranked player in the Official Golf World Rankings. No. 2 Rory McIlroy (8/1) arrives at Augusta with a new sense of confidence with back-to-back top-10 finishes at Houston and the Texas Open.

On his press-induced rivalry with Woods, McIlroy added at his Tuesday press conference:

“When you speak of rivals you tend to speak of rivals who have had similar success,” he said. “He’s got 77 Tour titles, I’ve got six. He’s got 14 majors, I’ve got two. If I saw myself as a rival to Tiger, I wouldn’t be doing him much justice.”

Rivalry or not, Woods and McIlroy should provide plenty of fireworks this week.

At 3 p.m., when Jim Nantz leads us off with his initial intro, golf history will remake itself one more time. It’s Masters Week. Enjoy.

Click here to see the hundreds of photos we’ve snapped of Augusta National this week.

The Course

Augusta National Golf Club

Augusta, Georgia

Par 72

7435 Yards

Architects-Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie. Redesigned by Tom Fazio in 2002

Course Record-63 Nick Price (1986) Greg Norman (1996)

Tournament Records

Most Victories: Jack Nicklaus (6)

Lowest Score: Tiger Woods 270 (18-under) 1997

Largest Margin of Victory: Tiger Woods (12 shots) 1997

Most Appearances: Gary Player (52)

Most Cuts Made: Jack Nicklaus (37)

Lowest Career Scoring Avg. with 50+ Rounds: Tiger Woods (70.87)

Key Pairings

Brandt Snedeker, Ryo Ishikawa, Justin Rose: 9:17 a.m.

Zach Johnson, KJ Choi, Graeme McDowell: 9:50 a.m.

Bubba Watson, Ian Poulter, Steven Fox: 10:34 a.m.

Tiger Woods, Luke Donald, Scott Piercy: 10:45 a.m.

Jason Day, Rickie Fowler, Paddy Harringotn: 10:56 a.m.

Phil Mickelson, Louis Oosthuizen, Martin Kaymer: 1:30 p.m.

Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley, Freddie Jacobson: 1:41 p.m.

Jason Dufner, Matt Kuchar, Bill Haas: 1:52 p.m.

Click here to see the hundreds of photos we’ve snapped of Augusta National this week, and click here for more Masteres discussion in the “Tour Talk” fourm.