Tiger set for Masters

No one in the last half-century of golf has ever looked more unbeatable than Tiger Woods. He is winning about 60 percent of the tournaments he plays around the world, a staggering rate of success, each victory putting him deeper into record books alongsid

Woods is only 32, yet he already has surpassed Arnold Palmer and caught Ben Hogan on the U.S. PGA Tour list of career victories. And with a winning streak that spanned seven months, he was again linked to Byron Nelson’s 11- tournament winning streak from three generations ago.

”It seems like every time he tees it up, he does something historic,” said Stewart Cink, who was on the losing end of one of Woods’ record-setting victories this year.

”Statistically, it’s not historic because it’s been done before ûby him, and a select few others.” Expectations have never been higher for Woods going into the Masters, this time with one subtle difference.

Woods created the hype himself. And it took only three words. ”Easily within reason.” That’s how he described the chances of winning the Grand Slamûall four majors in the same yearûand Woods mentioned the probabilities of such an improbable feat even before he launched his first tee shot in 2008.

Then he won his season-opener by eight shots. And even when his winning streak ended at Doral, Florida, that did little to lessen the odds. ”At some point, it’s going to be unfair to compare Jack Nicklaus to Tiger Woods,” Paul Goydos said.

”What he’s accomplished is nuts. It’s nuts. The only thing keeping Tiger Woods from being crowned the best player ever is longevity.” Woods is the only player to hold the four professional majors at the same time, a historic stretch that began with his 15-shot victory in the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach and ended 294 days later with his two-shot victory at the Masters.

He says he is even better now. He is older, smarter, stronger. He has such command of his swing that he can identify flaws and fix them in the middle of a tournament, sometimes in the middle of the round. And there does not appear to be anyone capable of stopping him on a consistent basis.

______ Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.  

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