NEXT

Who you calling green?

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"Is swinging for the fences a term that can only be applied to baseball? Or would it work here?"

Yes, he's baby-faced, but German upstart MARTIN KAYMER fought through the peach fuzz to earn an invite to this year's Masters (his first major). At 23, the second-year pro is six years younger than the average PGA Tour rook, but he's already 26th in the Official World Golf Ranking, higher than past major champs Mike Weir (Masters, 2003) and Retief Goosen (U.S. Open, 2001, 2004). The reigning Rookie of the Year on the European Tour, Kaymer owns a victory this season, at the Abu Dhabi Championship, and a second-place finish, one stroke behind Mr. Woods, at February's Dubai Desert Classic.

While no one says Kaymer is the next Tiger (the tag once all-too-hastily pinned on Adam Scott and Sergio Garcia) PGA vets are taking notice. "He's a great talent," says Ernie Els. "He's long, with great touch." Kaymer, though, shrugs off the praise. "I'm just happy to be here and to be able to play the big events," he says.

"Here" is among the world's top 30 golfers, and he's the only pro under 25 who can make such a claim. It marks a meteoric rise for a player who wasn't even in the top 150 two seasons ago. But now that Kaymer will be showing off his sweet stroke among the azaleas and tall pines of Augusta, those "big events" include the biggest of them all.

"You've got to watch this kid," Els says. "He's going to be something, I promise."

Prep Talk

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This is fast becoming NOT the only reason to hit up Jerz.

Northern New Jersey has always been a must-visit for hoops recruiters. That's where Louisville's Rick Pitino found this year's top senior prospect, 6'9" PF Samardo Samuels (Newark-St. Benedict's). But the Garden State isn't just stacked on the hardwood these days. Florida-bound Will Hill (Jersey City-St. Peter's) was the top-rated DB in 2008. On the pitch, U.S. U-18 midfielder Matt Kassel (Bridgewater-Raritan) could be MLS-bound, while the stickwork of laxer Chad Wiedmaier (Morristown-Delbarton) landed him a spot at Princeton. And 6'4", 260-pound frosh Nick Vena (Morristown) heaved the shot (66'7") the longest toss for any high schooler this year. The only thing missing from North Jersey's NEXT résumé: an elusive national dodgeball title.

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