Masters set for Woods & Mickelson duel

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have dominated talk in the build-up to this week's Masters with fans relishing a possible head-to-head between the Augusta National specialists.

The American duo have won five of the last six titles at Augusta and are odds-on favorites to be in the thick of contention in Sunday's final round.

World number one Woods is bidding for a fifth green jacket at one of his favorite venues while title-holder Mickelson is gunning for his third.

Although the pair have never previously dueled in the final round of a major championship, that scenario is always more likely on the slick, heavily contoured greens of Augusta where experience is a prized commodity.

"If you look at the course of the history of this event, you start seeing the same guys win this event multiple times," Woods told reporters as he prepared for Thursday's opening round.

"I think it's all about understanding how to play it, where to miss it, shot selections. Once you figure it out, you see the same guys up there at the top of the board.

"Phil has been up there many a times, and once he won a few years ago, all of a sudden it gave him the confidence to do it again last year."

Woods, hunting his 13th major title, is always tightly focused on his own game but conceded he would enjoy a last-day duel with Mickelson.

"It doesn't happen that often where we're both playing well at the same time, the same week, the same event," the 31-year-old American said. "It's one of the hard dynamics of the game of golf.

"But we've definitely gone at it here in this event. Any time you get to go at it with any of the top players in a major championship and they are playing well, it's always fun."

Mickelson, who clinched his first major title with a gripping one-shot victory over Ernie Els at the 2004 Masters, shares Woods's love for Augusta.

"I've played very well here in the past and it's certainly a course that I feel comfortable on, whether I've played well going in or not," the left-hander said.

"I remember '03 I was playing terrible and was able to finish third. And when I've entered it playing well like last year, I've been able to win," added Mickelson, who has produced top-10 finishes in his last 12 starts at Augusta.

Augusta native Charles Howell III, who won his second PGA Tour title at the Nissan Open in February, always expects Woods and Mickelson to shine at the Masters.

"They are pretty good to start with, and you've got to look at how many tournaments they have won between themselves," the 27-year-old said.

"Obviously they come into the majors having won a lot, and the wealth of confidence that that breeds is big. On top of that, I think they have probably the two best short games in golf.

"Major championships, especially at this place, are so demanding around the green. Between their confidence and their short games, I think it's hard to look much past that."

Power hitting is also a requisite on the par-72 Augusta National layout which was stretched to a formidable 7,445 yards for last year's tournament, making it the second longest course in major championship history.

Mickelson, however, respects the course for its all-round challenge.

"I think the Masters tests your full game better than any major," the world number four said.

"You have to drive it long, but you have to drive it straight. The fairways are tight with all of the trees that have been added.

"And your irons have to be almost perfect with distance control because you have so many elevation changes and so many small sections of the greens to hit to."

Big-hitting Vijay Singh, the 2000 champion, is another player likely to be a factor after winning twice on the PGA Tour this season in 10 starts.

Also worth monitoring are world number two Jim Furyk, U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy of Australia, Sweden's Henrik Stenson, winner of last month's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, and Britain's Paul Casey, who tied for sixth on his Masters debut in 2004.

The pine tree-lined course is expected to run firm and fast during the tournament with cool, dry weather forecast for all four rounds.

April 5, 2007