Woods Augusta favourite despite recent form

In sharp contrast with last year's event, the build-up to next week's U.S. Masters has been dominated by on-course issues rather than golfing politics.

Pre-tournament speculation has focused on whether three-times champion Tiger Woods can return to winning ways in the majors after a barren run of six starts and on how much his rivals have closed the gap on the world number one.

Established challengers such as Vijay Singh, Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson and Davis Love III have all displayed superb form in recent months and will arrive in the leafy surrounds of Augusta National in confident mood.

Defending champion Mike Weir, Ireland's Padraig Harrington and Britain's Darren Clarke are also likely to shine in the opening major of the year, which runs from April 8 to 11, while much is expected of the younger guns such as Australia's Adam Scott and Texan Chad Campbell.

Scott, widely touted as heir apparent to Woods as world number one, won the prestigious Players Championship on Sunday while Campbell showcased his rich talent with a six-shot victory at the Bay Hill Invitational two weeks ago.

Woods last year had been bidding for an unprecedented third win in a row, but pre-Masters talk then was clouded by a planned protest against the club's male-only membership policy and a U-turn by Augusta over tightening the tournament's qualification criteria for ageing past champions.

This year, however, is very different, with the focus firmly fixed on golf.

The Woods aura of invincibility is all but gone and, for much of the last 12 months, the game's leading player has struggled to dovetail accuracy off the tee with precise approach play.

Typically, though, the 28-year-old American is approaching the opening major of the year in positive mood.

"Overall, I'm pleased with the things that I'm working on starting to come together," he told reporters at the weekend.

"I'm starting to show signs. I just need to replicate it more often. I'm looking forward to the Masters, no doubt about that.

"I'm curious to see if it's actually going to be dry because we have yet to play Augusta since they have lengthened the golf course and changed the different tee angles and stuff," added Woods, Masters champion in 1997, 2001 and 2002.

For the 2002 tournament, Augusta underwent significant changes. Nine of its holes were lengthened to stretch the famous layout to 7,270 yards, making it the fifth longest course in major championship history.

Since then, though, only two holes have been amended. The tee at the par-four fifth has been pushed back, with fairway bunkers moved 80 yards closer to the green, and 36 pine trees now line the right of the fairway on the par-four 11th.

Heavy rain at Augusta for the last two years prevented the revamped course from showing its teeth but that could change dramatically if the sun shines next week, hardening up the wide fairways and the heavily contoured greens.

However Love, twice a runner-up at Augusta, expects the bigger hitters to thrive.

"If it's long and wet, and they say it's going to rain the first part of next week, the long hitters will still have an advantage, no matter who wins," the 1997 U.S. PGA champion said at last week's Players Championship.

Left-hander Weir, who won last year by edging out American journeyman Len Mattiace at the first extra hole, is in upbeat mood for his title defence.

"Any time you win a major, I think there's probably a different level of respect because I think the players ultimately know how hard it is to win one," he told reporters last month.

"Definitely I have a little more confidence in my game now," added the 33-year-old Canadian, who won the Nissan Open in Los Angeles last month.

World number three Ernie Els, who banished his preoccupation with the invincibility of Woods by winning the 2002 British Open at Muirfield, is also looking forward to Augusta.

"This season I've won a couple of times, once on each tour, and for the most part my swing has felt good and my ball-striking solid," the smooth-swinging South African said this week.

"I need to work on my consistency a bit, and my short game could be a lot sharper than it is right now.

"That'll be my main priority leading up to Augusta," added Els, who has finished no worse than tied for sixth at the last four U.S. Masters.

The stage is perfectly set for the first of the year's four majors: holder Weir and three-times winner Woods are in bullish mood, but so too are their main challengers.