Two years behind schedule, the rivalry between Tiger Woods and David Duval has finally come to fruition.

Excuse these guys if they don't get all worked up with excitement.

"They want Tiger to have a rival," Duval said Tuesday, looking ahead to the PGA Championship which begins Thursday at Atlanta Athletic Club. "Whatever."

From Phil Mickelson to Sergio Garcia, Woods has stared down many would-be challengers during his short but brilliant career. In Duval's case, this is the second time around.

In 1999, Duval bumped Woods from No. 1 in the world with the best run of his career, including four victories before the Masters. Their budding rivalry even sparked the prime-time, made-for-TV "Showdown at Sherwood."

Woods, of course, reclaimed the top spot in the rankings and left Duval - and everyone else, for that matter - in the dust by winning five of six majors beginning with the 1999 PGA Championship.

So much for another Arnie vs. Jack.

Woods' streak of four straight majors - the "Tiger Slam" - ended in June when Retief Goosen won the U.S. Open. Unfortunately, Tiger vs. Goose doesn't have much of a ring to it.

Tiger vs. Duval certainly does, and the latter did his part a month ago by claiming his first major title at the British Open. The man in the wraparound sunglasses has again become the most compelling player this side of Woods.

"I think he's going to be a little more confident now in major championships because he knows what it takes to win a major championship," Woods said. "Anyone who wins a major understands, knows what it takes coming down the stretch, what it takes to prepare for a major, what kind of mental frame you need to have for the entire week, and what kind of game it takes.

"David accomplished all of the above."

Duval refuses to be tugged into the me-vs.-him mentality. He takes no special satisfaction in beating any particular player, especially a friend such as Woods.

"I just want to play great," Duval said. "I don't think in terms of a rivalry. I view him as somebody I have to beat. I don't view him as my sole competition."

The emotional Woods and icy Duval would seem to have little in common, but their relationship has grown over the years.

They're represented by the same agency. They're raking in millions from the same sponsor. They're fishing buddies from time to time.

"We have very similar interests, very similar perspectives on life," Woods said. "Put it this way: I've enjoyed getting to know David. I know he doesn't open up to everybody. That's fine. But if he does know you and does trust you, then he'll open up quite a bit."

For all the talk of another "Battle of Atlanta," it would certainly be unfair to call this a two-man tournament.

Garcia is a viable contender who finished just one shot back of Woods in the memorable 1999 PGA Championship. With Duval off the market, Mickelson has the undisputed - and dreaded - title of "best player never to win a major."

"I knew David would win one," Woods said. "Phil will win one. It's a matter of time."

Mickelson is among the favorites on the Highlands Course, where anyone with a booming driver should have a big advantage. He certainly doesn't mask his desire to finally break through in a major.

"It has taken a lot more time than I anticipated and I hope that it will eventually come," Mickelson said. "I believe that it will. This week is a nice place to start."

Woods is coming off a 25th-place finish at the British Open, his worst showing in a major since 1998. He has played four tournaments without a top-10 finish.

Asked to rate his game on a scale of 1 to 10, Woods joked, "Somewhere in there."

Still, the two-time defending champion admitted that his play has not been as consistently good as it was a year ago, when he won 10 times and became the first man since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win three majors in one season.

"It's not like I've played so bad that I've gone off the map," he said. "I was just a little bit off this summer. The great thing is I've played well before in the past and I know what it feels like. I just need to get it - and keep it."

For a par 70, the 7,213-yard layout is exceptionally long. The 18th hole is 490 yards, the longest par-4 in the tournament's history. Four other par 4s are at least 450 yards, and the two par 5s are more than 540 yards.

Woods rarely hit driver at the U.S. Open because of the firm conditions and bending fairways of Southern Hills. Ditto for Royal Lytham & St. Annes, where additional pot bunkers - bringing the total to 196 - required navigation, not sheer power.

The PGA Championship is different.

"This is a perfect setup for Tiger," Goosen said. "He's going to be smiling all the way around the course."

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