AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) - It has been nearly a half-century since a Masters debutant slipped on the Green Jacket but American veteran Wyndham Clark and Swedish young gun Ludvig Aberg could deliver a major surprise at Augusta National this week.

Not since Fuzzy Zoeller beat Ed Sneed and Tom Watson in a playoff to win the 1979 Masters has a rookie walked away with the coveted title.

But Clark and Aberg are not your typical Masters newcomers.

It may be Clark's first Masters but the 30-year-old sits a threatening number four on the world rankings and has a resume that includes a U.S. Open title.

World number nine Aberg, just 24, is already a winner on the PGA and DP Tours and was a member of Europe's victorious Ryder Cup squad last year.

"It's a tricky balance," said Aberg, whose best result on the PGA Tour this season is a runner-up finish to Clark at Pebble Beach. "Obviously I'm feeling all the first-time feelings that everyone's feeling, but I'm also trying to be OK with all those things coming at me at the same time.

"All I'm trying to do is just embrace all the nerves and all the excitement that I feel and at the same time know my capabilities and know my qualities and know that's probably going to be good enough to compete.