USA: GOLF - Masters preparations continue as Tiger Woods recounts the changes in his life since his record-breaking appearance ten years ago

Ten years ago the world of professional golf changed dramatically with the arrival of Tiger Woods, who as a 21-year-old playing his first major as a professional won the Masters. Woods set 20 Masters records with his 1997 performance, becoming the youngest champion in winning by the widest margin (12 shots) and with the lowest score ever -- 18 under par. He has gone on to dominate world golf. But the landscape has now shifted radically for Woods. "My life was totally different than it is now, obviously, with family. My father's gone. Now I'm expecting a child myself, " Woods told reporters on Tuesday after a round of practice at Augusta National where he is shooting for his third major title in a row. "My whole life has changed, and it's been a pretty dynamic change, the entire process the last 10 years." Earl Woods died last May making this the world number one's first trip back to Augusta without his father and mentor. In July, Woods's wife, Elin, is due to give birth to their first child. South African Ernie Els recounted one of his first encounters with Woods in the locker room at the 1996 British Open, the year before Tiger would turn professional and change the landscape of golf forever. "We had a nice quiet chat, but I told him last week at the Tavistock Cup that if I knew then what happened now I would have told him to stay in college for five years," Els told reporters. While Els's number five world ranking, 15 PGA Tour titles and a pair of runner-up finishes at Augusta National mark him out as a contender, his recent performances offer little hint that tailors will be sizing up a green jacket for the big South African come Sunday. Els has not celebrated victory in the U.S since winning three times in 2004 and would have finished last season without a title for the first time since 1991 if he had not returned home to capture the South African Open in November. Sweden's Henrick Stenson, winner of this year's Dubai Dessert Classic is making his second Masters appearance and is touted by many as a dark horse candidate to with this year's Masters. Stenson failed to make the cut last year in Augusta and though having early success this season was not confident in his current form. "I'm looking forward to the week and think I can have a good tournament. I don't know if I'm playing well enough to win, but uh, it's very tricky out there and anything can happen," he said. Seve Ballesteros, who captured the Masters in 1980 and 1983, offered advice to the crop of newcomers. "You have to respect every whole and every shot, 'cause otherwise the golf course will bite you.Very dangerous everywhere you are. There' s nothing easy here," he said. 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 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.

ITN Source | April 6, 2007

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