Tiger on the prowl again

But history, rather than any individual foe, has been Woods’s measuring stick and the runaway world number one aims to match Ben Hogan’s 1953 feat of winning three majors in a row while becoming the first repeat winner of the PGA in 63 years.

Last month the sensational American won the British Open by eight strokes with a record 19-under-par total to complete a career Grand Slam of the four majors at the tender age of 24.

Woods celebrated by going fishing, taking a vacation and hanging out with friends.

"I did relax and I did enjoy. I did savor the moment of winning the British Open," said Woods, who came to Valhalla last Tuesday for an early preview of the course. "But I also understood and realised in the back of my mind that there is always this kind of inkling. There is one more ahead of you. Don’t lose sight that the year is not over yet."

The party is over and Woods is back to the business of being the best golfer on the planet. Tiger is on the prowl to register another career first — the successful defence of a major title. "I have never done it," said Woods, "so obviously it is going to be quite a test."

As always, expect Woods to be impeccably prepared for the exam.

"I think it sets up well for anyone who hits the ball high," said Woods, who was still an amateur and so did not play in the 1996 PGA here. "Obviously, that is the way Nicklaus golf courses are kind of designed. You have to bring the ball in high. I have traditionally played well on Nicklaus-designed courses."

Woods deviated from his usual pre-major routine by playing last week in the Buick Open, which he said helped him to re-tool his swing following the British Open. "I needed to work on getting the ball back up in the air again. We’re used to running the ball on the ground, and I had changed my swing plane quite a bit over at the British Open. I needed to start hitting the ball up in the air, which you need here."

The constant adjustment and refinement of his game is one of the things that sets Woods apart and the results this season have been staggering. Woods has won six titles, including a 15-stroke triumph at the U.S. Open before his British Open win. He leads the money list with $5,792,821, more than $2.7 million ahead of second-placed South African Els.

The former Stanford University student stays on an even keel, refusing to get caught up in the trappings of his extraordinary success, or to dwell on his clippings including the recent cover story done on him in U.S. News periodical Time Magazine.

"I read about half of it," Woods said about the Time story."I don’t know what the end of it was, but I read about half of each section and I said, that was enough."

Woods may write a new chapter to his storied 2000 season as he tries to duplicate Denny Shute’s repeat PGA victory of 1937 and Hogan’s unmatched triple of 1953. A student of golf history, Woods reflected on a comparision of his approach to the game to that of Hogan, known for his work ethic and resolve.

"Hogan did it in a different way," Woods said. "He played at a time when the media atmosphere wasn’t as it is now, as well as the fanfare. But the way he played golf mentally and emotionally, he blocked everything out, and that’s what I try to do."

Woods will have another legend literally walking beside him over the first two days of the championship as his own idol, Nicklaus, will play the first 36 holes with him and Singh. "It was a pleasant surprise," Woods, who tacked a chart of Nicklaus’s milestone victories on his wall as a kid, said about the grouping. "Jack is obviously the greatest champion of all time, and it is neat to be playing with him, and possibly in his last PGA Championship. It is going to be quite an honour and a lot of fun."