Trevor Immelman never could have imagined the allure of the Green Jacket. It has all been quite overwhelming for the Masters Champion.

“When I have traveled with the Green Jacket in the last year, taken it to places like China and Japan, the way you are received, because you're wearing the Green Jacket, really is special,” Immelman said.

“I mean, people have the utmost respect for the history of Augusta National, the history of Masters Tournament, everything that Cliff Roberts and Bobby Jones set out to make it.”

For Immelman, the best part is being able to share his victory with anybody who chooses to be inspired by it.

“I'm a humble guy from South Africa,” Immelman said. “To be wearing the Green Jacket in front of people who really appreciate it like that is something that is truly special. Those are moments that I'll be able to take with me for the rest of my life. I mean, I've had some absolutely unbelievable experiences over the last year. It really has been great.”

Immelman’s defense of the Masters title is just one of several compelling storylines waiting to be written this year at Augusta National.

Immelman will be sharing the attention with Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, who arrives at Augusta National in search of a third straight major championship; four-time Masters winner Tiger Woods; and Greg Norman, who returns for the first time in seven years. That’s quite a foursome to begin with, but not nearly the end as several other central themes will be played out, including the impressive start to the 2009 season by Phil Mickelson, already a two-time winner, and the emergence of the great young international players such as Rory McIlroy, Ryo Ishikawa and Danny Lee.

Immelman doesn’t mind sharing the limelight.

“That doesn't faze me in the slightest,” Immelman said.

The defending Champion knows he’ll face intense challenges, beginning with Woods’ bid for a fifth Masters title, which would certainly put the exclamation point on his comeback after a prolonged absence following knee surgery only days after winning the 2008 U.S. Open last June.

“Tiger 100 percent deserves all the attention he gets,” Immelman said. “In fact, I don't think he gets enough attention. The guy is superhuman in some respects.

“The things that he's achieved in such a short career really is fascinating if you break it down and take a close look at it. The game needs him. We need him to be back. We need him to be playing well. We need him to step up back into the leadership role, if you will, of our sport. So that doesn't affect me in the slightest.

“I think for us to be playing in his era is something special for us. I mean, I think all of us have been very fortunate to be part of his era. I have tremendous respect for the guy and tremendous respect for the way in which he conducts his business and conducts himself. I just feel fortunate to be a part of it and obviously have that feather in my cap of, you know, winning the Masters with him playing.”

Woods will arrive in Augusta off a victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in his third start after an eight-month layoff. Everybody knows what that victory at Bay Hill means. Woods is back in full-flight.

“It feels great,” Woods said. “One, it feels great to be in contention again, to feel the heat on the back nine. And then obviously the big bonus is to win a golf tournament. It's always nice to win a tournament pre-Augusta, and I was able to do that again this year.”

Only Jack Nicklaus, with six, has won the Masters more often than Woods.

While Woods was recovering from injury, Harrington rose to the occasion by winning both major championships contested in Woods’ absence.

After winning the British Open at Royal Birkdale, he won the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club. On both occasions, he produced heroic final round efforts and extraordinary displays of shotmaking and putting.

Harrington is now recognized, and properly so, as one of the game’s great players. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I don’t necessarily want to be under the radar,” he said. “I thought w inning once, one major in 2007 (the British Open at Carnoustie), that's really bringing me to the next level. But the two wins definitely added significantly to that, even at home in Ireland. It has been a change, but as I said, it's one of those things that you always want.”

For Harrington the focus shifted to Augusta National soon after the victory at Oakland Hills.

“I’ll take it as a compliment that somebody is asking me if I can win the Masters,” he said. “Even I will say that there's no doubt that thinking of the Masters has got me more obsessive about practicing than I should be. I've always been pretty bad, but I would suggest that I dragged it on a little bit too much into the season because I was trying to get my game ready for a date three months ahead (when) I should have been trying to get my game ready for the start of the season.”

Norman qualified to return to Augusta National with a splendid performance at last summer’s British Open. He finished tied for third at Royal Birkdale behind Harrington and Ian Poulter. And while Norman couldn’t hold on to the lead in the final round, there was enormous satisfaction in his finish and what it meant.

“Just the fact that it's the Masters, and I wanted to get back there for a lot of reasons,” said Norman, who will be accompanied by his new bride, Chris Evert, on the trip to the Masters.

“Chrissie has never seen the Masters. So to get her there and to see what I think is the greatest golf championship and my favorite golf tournament of all-time was another factor, as well.”

Immelman, who made his first appearance in the Masters as an amateur in 1999, won on his sixth attempt. He shot 68-68-69-75 for an 8-under-par 280 total, three shots better than Woods.

“I'm really just looking forward to getting back to the Tournament, getting back on the ground at Augusta National, enjoying everything that comes along with being defending champion,” Immelman said.

“It's obviously something that at this point has been the defining moment of my career, something that I will never forget.”