Colin Montgomerie reckons Jordan Spieth can leave his rivals green with envy at Augusta this week - by winning another Green Jacket at the Masters.

The young Texan superstar defends the title he won in dominant fashion a year ago but the world class players are queuing up to make sure he doesn’t claim back-to-back triumphs.

With Jason Day in sizzling form, following successive victories on the PGA Tour recently, and the likes of Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott and Bubba Watson moving themselves into position for a major assault, this week’s tournament in Georgia promises to be a blockbuster.

Spieth, Day and McIlroy have won five of the last six Majors and Monty is relishing the prospect of this ‘Big Three’ going head-to-head.

There are plenty of other runners and riders, though, as the global game continues to benefit from a formidable strength in depth but Montgomerie reckons Spieth’s putting can be the difference in this game of fine margins.

The former European Ryder Cup skipper said: “The one I like watching most is Jordan Spieth. I love to see the way his putts are holed in an aggressive manner. The Masters is always 75 per cent on the greens. I love the way that Jordan approaches the putts at the Masters in that very confident way. Everyone can hit the ball; it’s the guy who can get the ball in the hole who wins the Masters.

“I love watching the putting at the Masters because you can tell very quickly who has it and who hasn’t that week. Jordan’s had it the last two years finishing runner-up and winning and I think when he gets to Augusta he will be reignited with this ability on the greens which is better than Rory definitely and Jason Day slightly.

“When he gets to the putting green and gets the bit between his teeth he will feel at home and feel ‘yes. I am better than anybody especially here because it’s the most difficult place to putt in the world’. He’s the best, no question.”

“Aggression wins at Augusta. Bubba Watson has won twice there because he has been aggressive. You can’t play for pars there – to win the Masters you need birdies. That’s why I go back to Jordan Spieth because he is so good on the most difficult greens in the world.”

“The putts he has holed in the last two years have been phenomenal for a young guy. He has that confidence and authority on the greens. He will again be the man to beat, there’s no question.”

Seven of the world’s top 14 players have all knocked off victories so far in 2016 but McIlroy has yet to savour success in the new campaign.

Indeed, the only player among the top six in the world without a victory is the Northern Irishman who returns to Augusta looking to become only the sixth player in history to complete the career Grand Slam.

Monty added: “I think the reason why he hasn’t won is because the competition is so damn good. Jason Day beat him in the Matchplay semi-final; Rory didn’t beat himself. Jason went out and won that.

“The competition is extremely high not just from Jason and Jordan Spieth but from the next rung of the ladder who are really on form. It’s very difficult to win. That’s why he hasn’t won yet. He’s so good from tee to green it will happen. It’s just a matter of being patient.”

“We’re very fortunate in the world of golf that we have three guys coming into the first Major as joint favourites for the first time. There has always been one favourite but now there are three.”