Tiger Woods clear favourite for title

Tiger Woods's tilt at a unique calendar grand slam foundered at last month's British Open but the world No. 1 still will be the dominant figure at this week's U.S. PGA championship.

The 26-year-old American is poised to become the first professional to win three of the year's four majors in a single season for the second time and has been quoted by British bookmakers as a 6-4 favorite to achieve the feat.

Only two professionals have ever won three major titles in a calendar year -- Ben Hogan, in 1953, and Woods himself, in 2000.

"It would rank right up there to win three majors in a year and to do it twice," said Woods of his bid for a third U.S. PGA crown this week.

"Myself and Mr. Hogan have done it and hopefully I can do it again. It's already been a successful year and I would just like to make it more successful."

Should Woods triumph Sunday at Hazeltine, he would also become the first player in history to complete the so-called American Slam of the U.S. Masters, U.S. Open and U.S. PGA titles.

Hogan's haul of three majors in 1953 embraced the Masters, the U.S. Open at Oakmont and the British Open at Carnoustie.

But he was unable to play in that year's U.S. PGA championship at Birmingham because the-then matchplay event's semi-finals were scheduled for the same day that he had to qualify in Scotland for the British Open.

Woods won the last three major titles of 2000 but had to settle for fifth place in that year's Masters.

Several factors would appear to play into Woods's hands at Hazeltine this week.

Since his bid for a calendar grand slam of the four majors was sunk in the driving wind and rain of Muirfield last month, he will have been itching to bounce back in the best way possible.

He won the U.S. Tour's Buick Open by four shots at Warwick Hills Sunday in his first start since the British Open and can be expected to maintain that 'bounce-back' mode in Minnesota.

"I look at it this way: how can you have a letdown? It's a major championship and the last one of the year," said Woods.

"That's the great thing about our major championships, there's four a year and, even if I didn't win the British Open, I've still got another one here to have.

"I have won two this year; it's not like I have had a bad year. If I could somehow sneak another one out this week, I think this would be considered one of the top years."

Another factor in the big-hitting American's favor is the length of the par-72 Hazeltine.

At 7,360 yards, it is the fourth longest course in major championship history and, as was the case with the 7,214-yard Bethpage Black that hosted this year's U.S. Open, Woods will probably be one of a mere handful of players who will benefit.

"Every major championship sets up for him (Woods) unless they force everybody to hit irons," said his close friend Mark O'Meara, who played a practice round with the world number one at Hazeltine last week.

"His game is power and driving. I foresee him doing well here. He'll be fired up because it's a major championship."

Although the U.S. PGA championship is largely overshadowed by the other three majors, it generally offers the best quality field of the four.

This year is no exception and, if no one drops out of the 156-strong draw before Thursday's opening round, the 84th U.S. PGA championship will be the first major ever to include 99 of the top 100 players in the world.

Last year, the tournament set the existing record in a major with 95 players from the world-ranked top 100 taking part.

Other genuine contenders this week include British Open champion Ernie Els, who comes into the tournament with increased confidence following his Muirfield success, and world number two Phil Mickelson, hunting his first major in his 42nd start.

No European player has won the U.S. PGA since Scotland-born Tommy Armor triumphed at Fresh Meadows in 1930.

The most likely European challenge at Hazeltine will come from Spaniard Sergio Garcia and Irishman Padraig Harrington, who have both produced top-10 finishes in the last three majors.

Defending champion David Toms, who set the lowest 72-hole total in a major championship with his 15-under-par aggregate of 265 at the Atlanta Athletic Club last year, has been steady all season in the U.S. without winning a title and could well shine.

But the clear favorite for the fourth and final major of the year is the player who won the U.S. PGA crown at Medinah in 1999 and at Valhalla in 2000 -- Eldrick Tiger Woods.

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