By Doug Ferguson
The Associated Press

Tiger Woods and his caddie, Steve Williams, survey the new bunker on the par-4, 455-yard 5th hole at the Augusta National Golf Club. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

AUGUSTA, Ga. - Some things about the Masters never change. As usual, Tiger Woods was first off the tee Tuesday morning when the rain relented at Augusta National, the first time he has played the course since he walked away last April wearing his green jacket.

And just like always, the question is not so much whether he can win another Masters, but whether anyone can stop him.

"I guess I'm still the favorite," Woods said with a wide smile.

The odds are even better, considering the circumstances.

Heavy rains have pounded Augusta National since Sunday, conditions similar to last year when Woods walked through muddy fairways and walked over his competition to win by three shots.

Woods also is faced with the kind of challenge on which he thrives: making history.

No one has ever won the Masters three years in a row, and only two other players - Jack Nicklaus (1965-66) and Nick Faldo (1989-90) - even had a chance.

"I think it would be huge to win three Masters," Woods said. "No one has ever done it before. And I've been able to do certain things in golf that no one has ever done before. If you're ever in that position, you want to take advantage of it, because it doesn't happen all the time."

It seems to happen to Woods quite often.

The last time he was in this position was two years ago at the Masters, when Woods was trying to become the first player in history to hold the four professional majors at the same time. He turned back his top two rivals and won two.

He had a chance to become the youngest player to complete the career Grand Slam at age 24 in the 2000 British Open. He won by eight.

Trying to become the only man to win three straight U.S. Amateur titles, Woods rallied from five down after the morning round to win on the 38th hole.

"He's attempting to do something that's never been done, but that's never stopped him before," Phil Mickelson said. "In fact, it's been a motivating factor, to do things that have never been done. So, I would be surprised if he played less than his best."

Mickelson is trying to do something he has never been before - win a major.

Some wonder whether this might be as good a chance as any because the attention has shifted elsewhere - to Woods and his pursuit of history, to Ernie Els and his hot start to the year, to Davis Love III and his overwhelming victory at The Players Championship.

"The winner the last two years didn't slip in under the radar by any means," Mickelson said. "He played pretty well."

The focus also shifted off the course - specifically, to a 5.1-acre lot about a half-mile away where Martha Burk's National Council of Women's Organizations plans to protest Saturday against the all-male membership at Augusta National.

Woods joked in the weeks leading up to the Masters that he would need a parachute to get to Augusta National to avoid the controversy.

It followed him into the course Tuesday, although Woods wanted nothing to do with it.

He was asked about a commercial he did for Nike in 1997, when he said there were some golf courses he still could not play. Asked if he was as passionate about the issue, Woods stared back and said, "I am."

Told that didn't appear to be the case, Woods replied, "That's just your opinion."

The exchange was cool, and Woods steered clear of the dialogue until he was asked whether he would categorize women not being allowed to join a golf club as prejudice against minorities.

"Every one here knows my opinion," he said. "Should they be members? Yes. But I don't really have a vote in how they run this golf course, and this club. Even Jack and Arnie (Palmer), being members, I don't think they have as much say around here as people think."

Meanwhile, Burk criticized a judge whose ruling kept her group from protesting at the front gate of Augusta National, saying "party revelers are taking precedence over legitimate protesters."

"I didn't think they would be so blatant acting in the club's interest and not the public interest," Burk said.

Inside the gates, the interest was strictly on the Masters - and the weather.

It already has been a strange start to the week. More overnight rain and intermittent showers Tuesday limited practice for some players to only nine holes, and still more rain in the forecast for Wednesday.

Crews were spreading pebbles and sand along slopes to keep fans from falling, and players were bracing for a course that will seem even longer.

"This golf course is going to play 7,600 yards," Els said.

Sergio Garcia hit a driver and a 2-iron in the 18th, compared with an 8-iron when he played a practice round last Thursday.

"There's no doubt for the longer hitters it's going to be a little less difficult," Garcia said.

Woods falls into that category, although length isn't his only advantage. Woods also carries the experience of having won three green jackets, including the last two.

"You never what's going to happen," Garcia said. "If he plays well, of course, there's no doubt he's going to be up there."

Past winners

2002	Tiger Woods
2001	Tiger Woods
2000	Vijay Singh
1999	Jose M. Olazabal
1998	Mark O'Meara
1997	Tiger Woods
1996	Nick Faldo
1995	Ben Crenshaw
1994	Jose M. Olazabal
1993	Bernhard Langer
1992	Fred Couples
1991	Ian Woosnam
1990	x-Nick Faldo
1989	x-Nick Faldo
1988	Sandy Lyle
1987	x-Larry Mize
1986	Jack Nicklaus
1985	Bernhard Langer
1984	Ben Crenshaw
1983	Seve Ballesteros
1982	x-Craig Stadler
1981	Tom Watson
1980	Seve Ballesteros
1979	x-Fuzzy Zoeller
1978	Gary Player
1977	Tom Watson
1976	Raymond Floyd
1975	Jack Nicklaus
1974	Gary Player
1973	Tommy Aaron
1972	Jack Nicklaus
1971	Charles Coody
1970	x-Billy Casper
1969	George Archer
1968	Bob Goalby
1967	Gay Brewer Jr.
1966	x-Jack Nicklaus
1965	Jack Nicklaus
1964	Arnold Palmer
1963	Jack Nicklaus
1962	x-Arnold Palmer
1961	Gary Player
1960	Arnold Palmer
1959	Art Wall Jr.
1958	Arnold Palmer
1957	Doug Ford

x-won playoff

Masters at a glance

When: Thursday-Sunday.

Site: Augusta National Golf Club.

Par: 36-36-72.

Format: 72 holes of stroke play, sudden-death playoff if necessary.

Field: 93 players, including five amateurs.

Course changes: The par-4 fifth hole has been lengthened 20 yards to 455. The fairway and its bunkers were shifted right, and the fairway bunkers were extended 80 yards closer to the green.

Noteworthy: Because Augusta dropped its sponsors, the Masters will be the first commercial-free broadcast of a sporting event on network television.

TV schedule:

• Thursday and Friday, USA: 4-6:30 p.m.; 9-11:30 (replay)

• Saturday, CBS: 3:30-6:30 p.m.

• Sunday, CBS: 2:30-7 p.m.

Place your bets . . .

Odds to win the Masters, as set by Las Vegas' Keith Glantz and Russell Culver:

PLAYER	ODDS
Tiger Woods	3-2
Ernie Els	8-1
Phil Mickelson	12-1
Davis Love III	15-1
Vijay Singh	20-1
Retief Goosen	25-1
Padraig Harrington	30-1
Mike Weir	30-1
Jim Furyk	35-1
Charles Howell III	35-1
Sergio Garcia	40-1
David Toms	40-1
Robert Allenby	50-1
Chris DiMarco	50-1
Justin Leonard	50-1
Angel Cabrera	60-1
Darren Clarke	60-1
David Duval	60-1
Peter Lonard	75-1
Chris Riley	75-1
Adam Scott	75-1
KJ Choi	100-1
Bob Estes	100-1
Jerry Kelly	100-1
Tom Lehman	100-1
Rocco Mediate	100-1
Colin Montgomerie	100-1
Nick Price	100-1
Justin Rose	100-1
Scott Verplank	100-1
Stuart Appleby	120-1
Nick Faldo	120-1
Brad Faxon	120-1
Scott Hoch	120-1
Bernhard Langer	120-1
Rich Beem	150-1
Fred Funk	150-1
Shigeki Maruyama	150-1
Jose M. Olazabal	150-1
Craig Parry	150-1
Field (All Others)	10-1

Thursday's Tee Times

8:10 a.m.: Sandy Lyle, Charles Coody, Tommy Aaron

8:21: Seve Ballesteros, Kirk Triplett, Miguel Jimenez

8:32: Ian Woosnam, Scott Hoch, amateur-George Zahringer

8:43: Ben Crenshaw, Nick Price, Fred Funk

8:54 Jeff Sluman, Scott McCarron, Steve Lowery

9:05: Jose M, Olazabal, Colin Montgomerie, Tom Byrum

9:16: Larry Mize, Jonathan Byrd, Tim Clark

9:27: Gary Player, Niclas Fasth, John Rollins

9:38: Rich Beem, Michael Campbell, Scott Verplank

9:49: Mark O'Meara, Paul Lawrie, Loren Roberts

10:00: Jack Nicklaus, a-Hunter Mahan, K.J. Choi

10:11: Tom Watson, Padraig Harrington, Mike Weir

10:22: Davis Love III, Shigeki Maruyama, Rocco Mediate

10:33: Charles Howell III, Adam Scott, Justin Rose

10:44: Tiger Woods, Ricky Barnes, Angel Cabrera

10:55: Craig Stadler, Steve Elkington, Len Mattiace

11:06: Bob Estes, Craig Parry, Jeff Maggert

11:17: Craig Perks, Kenny Perry, Chris Riley

11:28: Raymond Floyd, Billy Mayfair, Chad Campbell

11:39: Brad Faxon, Chris DiMarco, Stuart Appleby

11:50: Fred Couples, a-Alejandro Larrazabal, Jerry Kelly

12:01 p.m: Fuzzy Zoeller, Thomas Levet, Toru Taniguchi

12:12: Tom Lehman, Lee Janzen, Kevin Sutherland

12:23: Arnold Palmer, a-Ryan Moore, Phil Tataurangi

12:34: Jay Haas, Eduardo Romero, Robert Allenby

12:45: Nick Faldo, Toshi Izawa, Justin Leonard

12:56: Vijay Singh, Retief Goosen, John Huston

1:07: Phil Mickelson, David Toms, Peter Lonard

1:18: Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Sergio Garcia

1:29: Bernhard Langer, Darren Clarke, David Duval

1:40: John Cook, Pat Perez, Shingo Katayama

Augusta's 18 holes

Hole	Par	Yds
1	4	435
2	5	575
3	4	350
4	3	205
5	4	455
6	3	180
7	4	410
8	5	570
9	4	460
10	4	495
11	4	490
12	3	155
13	5	510
14	4	440
15	5	500
16	3	170
17	4	425
18	4	465
Out	36	3,640
In	36	3,650
Total	72	7,290