Defending champion Sergio Garcia is unconcerned at not being considered likely to make up an elite Masters foursome, having written off his chances of winning a major title before last year's triumph.

Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods are the only players to have won back-to-back titles at Augusta National, and the bookmakers are not overly optimistic about Garcia's prospects of following suit.

Despite winning earlier in the season, as he did last year, and recording three other top-10 finishes, Garcia's odds of a second straight victory are higher than the likes of Paul Casey, Jon Rahm, Rickie Fowler or Jason Day winning a first green jacket.

Sergio Garcia fancies his chances of retaining the Master championship in Augusta this year

They are also double those of the man he beat in a dramatic play-off 12 months ago, Justin Rose, but as a new father Garcia has far more pressing things to think about.

'That doesn't really matter to me because at the end of the day I know what I'm capable of and I know how I'm playing,' Garcia said on a teleconference conducted from hospital on the day his daughter Azalea - named after the 13th hole at Augusta - was born.

'Obviously I feel like my game is in good shape. I'm really happy with all my new equipment. I've had a couple of good weeks so I'm excited to go back there and defend my title as well as I can be and as well as I can do.

Garcia won the title last year after beating Ryder Cup team-mate Justin Rose in a shoot-out

'If I'm looked at as a favourite or not it doesn't really matter, because it depends on myself and what I do and on what I believe.'

Garcia's belief that he was 'not good enough' to win a major and needed to 'play for second or third place' was expressed in frustration to Spanish reporters after he finished 12th at Augusta in 2012, having been a shot off the halfway lead.

And it looked like being an accurate prediction when a three-shot lead early in last year's final round turned into a two-shot deficit to playing partner Rose after 12 holes.

However, after driving into a bush on the 13th and being forced to take a penalty drop, Garcia crucially saved par before making a birdie on the next and a spectacular eagle on the 15th.

Bookmakers have placed Garcia's odds of winning higher than many other competitors

MASTERS FAVOURITES Rory McIlroy 9/1 Justin Thomas 10/1 Dustin Johnson 11/1 Jordan Spieth 11/1 Tiger Woods 12/1 Justin Rose 14/1 Bubba Watson 16/1 Phil Mickelson 18/1 Jason Day 18/1 Ricky Fowler 20/1 Jon Rahm 20/1 Paul Casey 22/1 Sergio Garcia 28/1 Hideki Matsuyama 35/1 Henrik Stenson 40/1 Tommy Fleetwood 40/1 Odds sampled from Bet365. Advertisement

Rose still led by one after a birdie on the 16th, only to bogey the 17th and also bogey the first play-off hole to miss out on a second major title.

'He's been close several times there,' Garcia said of his Ryder Cup team-mate, who was also joint second behind Jordan Spieth in 2015. 'He's got a great game for it. I don't see why he shouldn't be able to win it.

'When it comes down to our battle on Sunday, I thought it was great. I thought it was amazing for both of us to be there, playing well and kind of pushing each other throughout the whole day. I think that everyone saw how much we enjoyed it.

'Unfortunately, one of us had to lose. We were obviously congratulating each other for great shots and the great battle that we were having. Obviously we're good friends, so that kind of helps.

'But it was two guys fighting hard for their first green jacket, but keeping it friendly, being sportsmen and kind of showing everyone that you can still have a great battle without having to be too serious or too competitive in a way.'