Course new, but top threat looks familiar

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Tiger Woods walked briskly out of the Augusta National clubhouse Tuesday morning and was headed for the first tee, unaware of a small problem his caddie had already solved.

A wooden clock at the tee box told golfers the course would open at 8, but it was only 7:25.

Steve Williams simply moved the hands back a half-hour, and when Woods arrived at 7:28, the defending champion flicked the big hand back two more minutes. Then he teed up his ball and launched a drive that landed safely just left of the massive fairway bunker.

Yes, it's always Tiger Time at the Masters.

Most of the focus at the 66th Masters is the renovation of Augusta National, which stretched the course by 285 yards and changed half of the holes.

What hasn't changed is the man to beat.

"The player to look at is the No. 1 player ranked in the world -- Tiger," Phil Mickelson said. "He's the guy that everybody has got to watch out for. And given his length and accuracy and distance control, he's going to be the guy to beat."

So, what else is new?

Woods set 20 records when he won the Masters in his professional debut in 1997, including the 72-hole scoring record (270) and the margin of victory (12 strokes).

Even more stunning was his performance last year, when he became the first player to sweep the four professional majors by holding off David Duval and Mickelson, his chief rivals, on the back nine for a two-stroke victory.

When the Masters begins Thursday, Woods will try to join Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo as the only repeat winners at Augusta National.

A repeat victory will not be the same as a repeat performance. Woods figured that out Tuesday morning when he hit an 8-iron into the first green; in past years, a drive that pure on the opening hole would have left him only a sand wedge.

Is it harder? Certainly. Some players believe the scores will be as many as three strokes higher a round because of the longer clubs required to hit into greens that are just as slick and contoured as ever.

Does that make it easier for the big hitters such as Woods, Mickelson and Duval?