Woods: four Masters titles
Tiger Woods is in confident mood as he prepares to bid for a fifth Green Jacket next week - and understandably so.
The world number one is odds-on with most bookies to claim the first major of the season after winning seven tournaments in a row.
That run came to an end at last month's WGC-CA Championship when he finished fifth, although the fact that he was just two shots off the pace after a scrappy week spoke volumes for his confidence.
"I'm excited about returning to Augusta National," Woods said. "Overall, I feel very good about the way I'm swinging the club.
"Although my winning streak ended at Doral, I'm very pleased about the way I have played and hope the positive momentum carries over to Augusta.
"Ever since I joined the PGA Tour in 1996, my goal has always been to win every tournament. That's just the way I think. If you don't feel that way, why enter?
"Although I got off to a great start this year by winning my first four events, including Dubai, I knew it was unlikely I would go undefeated. That didn't stop me from trying."
Woods is ideally suited to Augusta, which was stretched to a formidable 7,445 yards for the 2006 Masters, making it the second longest course in major championship history.
"I feel pretty good at Augusta," he added. "I know how to prepare the way I like to play the tournament and it helps that I have gained a lot of knowledge from members and former champions I have played practice rounds with."
Only minimal changes have been made at Augusta since last year and Woods decided against playing an early practice round this week.
"It's going to be long and difficult and you're going to have to have all aspects of your game firing," he said. "The only thing we don't know is what the wind is going to do."
