Brad Bryant is the man that nobody wants, or at least the player no one should entertain in relation to the Golf Masters. The 43-year-old may never recover from the stigma of being the only player in competition not to have earned a single pound.

So who is golf's major underachiever. Bradley Dub Bryant, affectionately known as Dr Dirt, a sobriquet bestowed by Gary McCord in the late 1970's, was born in Amarillo, Texas. He went to the University of New Mexico and turned professional in 1976. His brother Bart has also played on the Tour.

His only victory was the 1995 Walt Disney World Oldsmobile Classic, but Bryant has actually been a reasonably proficient member of the Tour with a string of runners-up placings over the years including the Tournament Players Championship (1982), Byron Nelson Classic (1983, 1991), Buick Classic, Doral-Ryder Open (1994) and the Kmart Greater Grensboro Open (1994).

Last season he finished 81st on the money list despite being hampered by a degenerative disc problem in his back and he was also suffered shoulder pains. It is the combination of these injuries that have kept him sidelined this season unable to play anything more strenuous than charity events, though he did win one of these at the Shell Houston Open.