Last year Woods was on course to become the first person to win a fourth grand slam title in a row, an accolade he duly picked up when he held off the likes of David Duval and Phil Mickelson for a two shot triumph.

He has had a mixed start to the 2002 season, however managed to pick up his first win of the year at the recent Bay Hill Invitational.

The lengthening of the Augusta National course over the past 10 months has played into his hands though and he is red-hot favourite to defend his title.

He explained: "It's a lot easier for me this year because I didn't have to answer the questions at every tournament site of the year leading up into the event.

"I understood it but it became a little bit on the annoying side. It's the same question, again and again and week after week.

"This year is different, though, there's no doubt about it. The talk this year is not going after four in a row but it's on the course changes."

He has already notched up six majors since he burst on to the scene and admitted that it took time for his unique record to set in last year.

The 26-year-old revealed: "I definitely appreciated it more than I did immediately after I won.

"Because I had just won, it felt like I won the Masters - not like I had won four in a row. I focused so hard on winning this one tournament.

"But the mind doesn't go back and say: 'Oh, I won three previous to that'.

"Certainly, as time has gone on over the last year, looking back over the (television) tapes and watching it, I certainly appreciate it a heck of a lot more than right after I won.

"I was too close to the situation when I won to appreciate it at the time."

He has had a two week break to hone his game ahead of the first major of the year and feels confident of becoming the third back-to-back winner of the Masters after Jack Nicklaus in 1966 and Nick Faldo in 1990.

He added: "I played well at Bay Hill (where Woods won his first PGA Tour title of the year the previous week).

"I've just kept working on the same things and I felt like the practice sessions I had at home were very, very positive."