Woods bids to win US Masters

Tiger Woods will lead a field of the world's top golfers when he bids to win the US Masters for the fifth time.The world number one, who has won 12 Major titles to date and is just six adrift of all-time record-holder Jack Nicklaus, is bidding to dethrone last year's winner Phil Mickelson.And Woods, who will be going head-to-head with Paul Casey in the opening two rounds at the Augusta National, is looking forward to the challenge he will face this weekend.He said: "I want it to always be fun because if we're going at it that means we've both got a chance to win the tournament."If we're both in contention, which we've done here before, in the past, we've certainly had fun coming down the stretch on the last nine holes."With Woods' dominance of the game, Americans have won seven of the last ten US Masters titles. But with non-American competitors outnumbering the domestic competition in the field at Augusta for the first time, David Howell believes it could be the turn of the Europeans this time around.The Englishman said: "We've got a weight in numbers there, but the best players in the world are still, you know, still Tiger, Phil; obviously Vijay, and Adam Scott won again last week."So, we've got a couple of Europeans in the top ten in the world, and a good bunch of us nestled in behind."Obviously, everyone's crying out for a European - or British - winner, and, the sooner it comes along, the better for all of us. Especially for me, if it's me!"© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.

ITN | April 4, 2007

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