Tiger factor preys on his rivals' minds

Top golfers usually focus on their own strategy before a major championship but the fact that Tiger Woods could complete the third leg of a calendar grand slam at the British Open is preying on their minds.

World number three Ernie Els acknowledges the American is on another level, Colin Montgomerie concedes that Woods is favourite at Muirfield and six-times major winner Nick Faldo says the 26-year-old is "a step above everybody else".

"These days, you play the golf course and you play Tiger," said South African Els at the par-71 Muirfield course where the Open begins on Thursday.

"He's going for the Grand Slam and you know he's going to be in contention this week. You can beat the field by a couple of shots but you might not beat Tiger at the end of the day.

"He's just a totally different talent, and it seems he's there every time.

"Even if he's not playing very well, he's still going to be there and, if he's only five shots behind, there's always the feeling he can get something going on Sunday."

Woods is already halfway towards completing the first professional Grand Slam of all four majors in a calendar year, following his triumphs at the U.S. Masters in April and at last month's U.S. Open.

OVERWHELMING FAVOURITE

He played Muirfield for only the first time on Sunday but is the overwhelming favourite to clinch his eighth major championship in just 12 starts this week.

"He's given the other guys a nasty shock," said Englishman Faldo, who won two of his three British Open crowns at Muirfield.

"He's the man to beat. Tiger is definitely a step above everybody else.

"The way he's worked on his swing -- both physically and mentally -- he's a very strong man in all departments.

"And if he's not swinging right, he can muscle it around the course and every time he has a lead he is winning. Tiger's not got a dent in his confidence."

Seven-times European number one Montgomerie believes Woods is the man to beat, as long as the world number one benefits from good fortune with conditions at Muirfield.

"I think the weather has a great deal to do with it," said the 39-year-old Scot.

WAY BACK

"If somebody goes out early on Thursday and shoots 65 and he (Woods) gets the wind in the afternoon and comes in with a 73, it's a long way back from there.

"It's a lot to do with the weather. But, if he gets a good side of the draw, then he's top favourite."

Of all the year's four majors, the British Open at Muirfield always going to be the toughest for Woods to win given the vagaries of the weather and the luck of the bounce in links-course golf.

At the same time, public expectation of a calendar grand slam is heightening and the pressures on him to achieve are increasing. If anyone can prevail, though, it is Woods.

He began the year as a 50-1 shot to complete a calendar grand slam and his odds were cut to 4-1 by British bookmaker William Hill after his U.S. Open victory at Bethpage Black last month.

Golfing great Jack Nicklaus, whose career haul of 18 major titles has been targeted by Woods, says the world number one is his own biggest obstacle at Muirfield.

"The only obstacle I ever faced was myself," he said. "It's the only thing I could control.

BETTER PLAYER

"If Tiger plays his 'A' game -- he's a better player than they (his rivals) are -- he will either win the tournament on his own merits or not win on his own merits."

"Tiger doesn't seem to fall apart."

But Nicklaus added that the big-hitting Woods would have less of an advantage on a par-71 layout, which measures only 7,034 yards and is protected by thick rough.

"He will not have a big advantage because of his length and strength," he said.

"If it is knee high, I don't care if you're Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus or King Kong, you're not going to hit it out of there. That's what it was like in 1966 when I won (at Muirfield).

"Not only did you lose your ball, sometimes you lost your caddie when he was looking for your ball.

"I don't think Tiger has a tremendous advantage (on that course). The only advantage he has is he's a better player than everyone else. That's a pretty good advantage."