Weather set fair for Augusta - The Masters 2006

After four years of tinkering, tightening and stretching, the Augusta National Golf Club may finally realise its potential as golf's consummate test when the 70th U.S. Masters tees off on Thursday.

In an attempt to keep pace with the high-tech advances in golf technology, Augusta's guardians have lengthened the famed layout by 460 yards since 2002 while fairways have been squeezed to keep a premium on accuracy.

But Augusta National has not had a chance to bear its new found teeth with torrential rains the last four years taking the bite out of the many changes.

"It will be interesting to see if this year we can play the golf course dry, because ever since the major changes in '02, we haven't played the golf course dry yet," said four-times champion Tiger Woods. "It's been wet every year.

"If the fairways are firm and they're running, then I can see it being a great test. But if they're soft, then I think it eliminates a lot of guys that have the skill to play but they just don't hit the ball far enough."

With the forecast predicting hot dry weather and only a chance of thundershowers over the weekend, Tom Fazio's controversial facelift of the world's most exclusive golf club could finally be revealed.

At a menacing 7,445 yards, Augusta has been transformed into the second longest course in major championship history while the heavily contoured and lightning quick greens remain a daunting challenge.

Not since Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal slipped into his second green jacket with a two-stroke victory over American Davis Love III in 1999 has the Masters been played without a rain disruption.

The last three years, first round play has spilled over into Friday and in 2003 was wiped out completely turning the picturesque venue into a foul smelling quagmire.

"It wouldn't be very fair for me to make an opinion about the changes because I haven't played the course," said Olazabal. "I talked to the boys that have played the course already and they say it's really, really very, very tough.

"Since they started making the changes, we've played every year in wet conditions.

"It's going to be very interesting to see what happens if we get a dry week. We will see what the scores are and I think, you know, the decision will have to be made if they are needed I guess.

"You're not going to see many birdies. I remember when we played in 1990, the greens were really hard and fast.

"We had a hard time stopping nine irons and wedges. We might be hitting seven irons and six irons.

"We have seen the direction they have taken and time will tell if they are right or wrong."

Not everyone has been enthusiastic about the changes.

Woods said the latest alterations were made in haste before they had a chance to see how the course plays in dry conditions.

Augusta members Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, who own 10 Masters titles between them and are accomplished course architects in their own right, have also been vocal critics.

"It's very tough," said South Africa's Ernie Els, after previewing the course. "If we have tough weather conditions, it's going to be a very tough week.

"Where it used to be kind of the most fun of all the majors, it's becoming the hardest one now."