Another Green Jacket for 'El Pato'?

The Masters kicks off this week at Augusta National Golf Club with one story dominating all others: Tiger Woods.

At the end of day 1, a series of great subplots have developed: 50-year-old Fred Couples leading the field, 60-year-old Tom Watson one shot back and 16-year-old Italian Matteo Manassero shooting a round of one under par.

Lost in the shuffle is the story of the fantastic Latin American golfers who also hope to contend. Last year, Cordoba, Argentina native Angel "El Pato" Cabrera showed he's one of the greatest pressure players in the world when he knocked off Kenny Perry in a playoff. Also ready to contend on golf's greatest stage is Colombian Camilo "El Hombre Araña" Villegas (so know for his Spiderman-esque flexibility and style in reading greens).

The Latin American golfers are a ways back after day one, but with three more days of Tiger-dominated golf ahead, there's still plenty of time for El Pato or Camilo to steal the headlines.

Online Sources: ESPN, Guardian, Daily Telegraph

Image Source: Guardian

Daily Headlines: July 17, 2009

* Mexico: Authorities sent over 1000 federal police to the state of Michoacan after a spike in drug gang-related violence including twelve killed policemen whose bodies were placed along a highway.

* U.S.: In a positive sign for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, several Senate Republicans said that they would not filibuster her bid for the top tribunal.

* Brazil: Locals are peeved at finding over 1400 tons of toxic waste from Britain that was illegally dumped in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul.

* Europe: Spanish golfer Miguel Angel Jimenez leads after the first round of the British Open while Colombia’s Camilo Villegas is in a five-way tie for fourth.

Image- AP (“Packages containing marijuana are displayed to the media in Tijuana, Mexico, Wednesday, July 15, 2009. About 2920 kilograms of marijuana were sized during an operation at the Tijuana-Mexicali highway. (AP Photo/Guillermo Arias)”.)
Online Sources- CNN, Reuters, BBC News, Bloomberg