(L-R) McIlroy, Lee and Ishikawa make their Masters debuts this week
It is a brave man who says Tiger Woods will definitely not be world number one in five or even 10 years.
But this week's Masters still offers a glimpse into where a future challenge could come from, with three teenagers all competing at Augusta for the first time.
And even if they have to wait a long while to topple Woods from a perch he has occupied for the last 200 weeks and for 542 in all, notice has been served that the trio - Ryo Ishikawa, Danny Lee and Rory McIlroy - are players who are going places fast.
Ishikawa is still only 17, but won on the Japanese Tour at 15 and since turning professional last year has added two more victories and is the youngest player ever to make the world's top 100. He has already earned more than 100 million Yen (£677,000).
Augusta National decided Ishikawa - "The Bashful Prince" as he is known - deserved a special invitation, making him the second-youngest player ever in the tournament. American amateur Tommy Jacobs was 17 years one month in 1952, Ishikawa turns 18 in September.
"My ultimate goal is to win the Masters, but to achieve that I have set up small goals in each practice," he said. "Hopefully I can get to the final goal."
Lee looking good
New Zealander Lee, an 18-year-old of Korean descent, was the youngest-ever US Amateur champion last August, taking that record from Woods, and in February at the Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth became not only the second amateur ever to claim a European Tour title, but also the circuit's youngest-ever winner.
Both the winner and the runner-up at the US Amateur qualify for The Masters and, in accordance with tradition, Lee will be paired with defending champion Trevor Immelman in the first two rounds.
He turns professional straight afterwards and already has a two-year European Tour exemption.
Asked what he wanted to become known as he replied: "The next Tiger Woods maybe. All I want to do is just break what he's done."
Holywood star
Then, of course, there is McIlroy, 20 next month and already a Holywood star. Holywood near Belfast is his home.
The impact McIlroy has made this season has been nothing short of staggering, with leading players all the way up to Woods himself announcing him as the game's next big thing.
Winning the Dubai Desert Classic in February made him the second-youngest player ever to reach the world's top 20. Sergio Garcia was six days younger in 1999.
Woods commented: "He has all of the components to be the best player in the world, there's no doubt."
Ernie Els said: "I think you are probably looking at the next world number one."
Mark O'Meara, McIlroy's playing partner the first two days in Dubai, commented: "Ball-striking wise Rory is probably better than Tiger was at that age. His technique is better."
And Geoff Ogilvy, who beat the youngster in the WGC Match Play quarter-finals, stated: "It's feasible that he's going to be top two or three within a year. I mean, he's that good."
McIlroy reacted to all that by saying: "You can't let those things sort of get into your head. But it's obviously nice for those guys to say those things - it fills you with a bit of confidence that you're doing the right things."
His talent has been known about for a long time. At 16 he had an amazing course record 61 over the championship links of Royal Portrush and two years ago he was third after an opening 68 at The Open.
After collecting the silver medal as leading amateur there he played in the Walker Cup and on turning pro finished third in the Dunhill Links to secure his European Tour card without visiting the qualifying school.
How McIlroy qualified for his Masters debut showed a great deal about his
ability too. He went to the South African Open 50th in the world, knowing that dropping one spot would cost him an Augusta spot. He finished third and moved to 40th.
The Masters will be the first time all three have been in the same tournament - but such is their ambition that they will not be focusing on each other, but on what it will take to win.
