"You expect the unexpected, " shrugged Chris DiMarco, who had duelled so magnificently with Woods through the shadows of Amen Corner and over the finishing holes, "but unfortunately it's not unexpected when he's doing it." Woods faltered for a moment after the drama of the 16th, and then played two sumptuous shots in the play-off to join Arnold Palmer on Augusta's roll of honour with four wins.

Now Jack Nicklaus with six victories is there to be caught.

The suggestions that Woods is at odds with his game going into the 70th Masters cannot be ignored. Inconsistent iron play and moderate putting by his standards saw him slip to a tie for 22nd place at the recent Players Championship. It's the sort of form that raises questions until the penny drops that he failed to finish in the top 50 at last year's Players before triumphing once again at Augusta.

The criteria regarding form normally applied to the top players do not wash here. Woods's keenest rivals have learned that he is human . . . witness his performances between the end of 2002 and 2004 when he failed to win a major in 10 attempts . . . but they know in their hearts he is in a different league.

And whereas Nicklaus once owned the keys to Augusta National, Woods now holds the lease. In his nine appearances as a professional, he has only finished outside of the top 20 once. As the course has been lengthened and the fairways narrowed since his destructive 12-shot procession in 1997, he has been under increased pressure off the tee, however, no one putts with the same finesse, no one has such a creative short game and no one controls the distance of his irons with the same precision. When Woods drives up Magnolia Lane, he is coming home.

While the criticism that he stumbled over the line last year is also valid, he and DiMarco went into the play-off a full seven strokes clear of Retief Goosen and Luke Donald in joint third place. So, Woods was struggling with his game and yet DiMarco was the only player in the field to mount a challenge on the final day. As if anyone needed to be reminded, the world number one's struggles are relative.

The perception that he has somehow failed to set the PGA Tour alight this season is laughable when set against wins at the Buick Invitational and the Ford Championship. Throw in another success on the European Tour in Dubai, and take his withdrawal from the Nissan Open out of the equation, and that makes three victories in six events. Now, about those questions over his form?

The low cloud is elsewhere. The redemption of 12 months ago was tearfully dedicated to his ailing father, and judging by the urgency of his return journey from north Florida to Los Angeles on the eve of the Players Championship, Earl Woods's health has deteriorated even further. In fact, during the Players, Woods intimated that he might not be able to defend his Masters title.

With his father, who is battling cancer and a heart condition, so ill, his ability to block out distractions, emotional and otherwise, will be strained to the maximum.

Padraig Harrington managed an exceptional feat of concentration by winning the Barclays Classic at Westchester in the weeks before his father's death last summer, however, Woods will be much more in the spotlight over the next few days.

This Masters could be his ultimate test.

Because the first major of the season is played at the same venue, the less the Masters changes, the greater its appeal.

There are legitimate beefs over Augusta's policy regarding race, its men-only membership and its general exclusivity, yet when it comes down to golf alone, there is something seductive about the old-style clubhouse, the majestic sweep of the course and the fact that year in, year out, the same spectators occupy the same vantage points at the same holes. Like it or leave it, the Masters equals tradition.

In spite of that enviable cachet, it seems that the men of the Masters want to turn their tournament into the US Open. In a slavish response to advances in equipment, they have tinkered, and tinkered again, so much so that after adding length to six holes over the winter, their famous course now stretches to a brutal 7,445 yards.

What could be so wrong with Woods's 12-under-par winning total last year? If the Masters' backroom have become converts to the philosophy of 'level par good, under par bad' espoused by the US Open, no Augusta spokesman has bothered to explain the changes to a course which was never designed to be punishing by its creator, Bobby Jones, in the first place.

New trees have also been planted, fairways narrowed and rough added in an effort to put manners on the big-hitters.

For the most part, the players have kept their counsel not wanting to psych themselves out before the tournament, while Woods has been his usual diplomatic self.

"The biggest change since I've been coming to Augusta is the sheer length of the holes, " he said recently. "Now the premium is on the tee shots as well as the second shots. They're trying to test your overall game."

Not so, responded an animated Nicklaus who wondered if the changes had been masterminded by "someone who doesn't know how to play golf". If that was simply a dig at the renowned architect, Tom Fazio, Nicklaus then let the committee men have it with both barrels. "I think they've ruined it from a tournament standpoint. They've totally eliminated what Bobby Jones tried to do in the game of golf." If someone from Augusta was to respond to the criticism, he might suggest it was all a bit rich coming from Nicklaus who was one of the longest hitters in his heyday.

That said, the likes of Fred Funk and Scott Verplank, who are 50 yards behind Woods on a good day, should probably bin their invitations right now, yet thankfully golf is not so simple that all the shorter hitters should abandon hope before they get to Augusta.

A player such as Jose Maria Olazabal who is in good form and who has a proven track record at the Masters could pose a threat to Woods. If Olazabal won't be coming into the longer par fours with a short iron, he is such a good ball-striker, such a good short-game exponent and so experienced around Augusta, that it would be foolish to rule out his chances.

The same does not apply to either Vijay Singh or Sergio Garcia. The former was the champion in 2000, the latter has recorded a couple of top-10 finishes, and both are consummate from tee to green, but both are currently putting like amateurs. To compound Garcia's woes, he has failed to match par in the final round five times already this season.

There are also doubts concerning Ernie Els despite one or two glimpses of inspiration at Sawgrass. The South African, who came agonisingly close in 2004 to the title he now covets more than any other, is still not as sharp as he would like after missing much of the second half of last season through injury.

The main challenge to Woods is likely to come from Phil Mickelson and Goosen.

One with the requisite length and touch to succeed again, while the other is a magnificent putter on challenging greens.

But then Augusta can inspire like no other major venue, and when all the speculation ends on Thursday, as many as 50 players will stride to the first tee believing they have a shot at immortality. "The last thing you want to do is turn up at Augusta looking for something in your swing, or in your putting, because you'll be found out, " warns Harrington.

You know exactly what Harrington means, but Woods proved him wrong last year, and history should repeat itself this week.

MASTERS FACTS AND FIGURES LAST FIVE WINNERS 2005 Tiger Woods 276 (-12) defeated Chris DiMarco in play-off 2004 Phil Mickelson 279 (-9) 2003Mike Weir 281 (-7) defeated Len Mattiace in play-off 2002 Tiger Woods 276 (-12) 2001 Tiger Woods 272 (-16) MOST WINS 6Jack Nicklaus (1963, 65, 66, 72, 75, 86) 4Arnold Palmer (1958, 60, 62, 64) Tiger Woods (1997, 01, 02, 05) 3Jimmy Demaret (1940, 47, 50) Sam Snead (1949, 52, 54) Gary Player (1961, 74, 78) Nick Faldo (1989, 90, 96) 2 Horton Smith (1934, 36) Byron Nelson (1937, 42) Ben Hogan (1951, 53) Tom Watson (1977, 81) Seve Ballesteros (1980, 83) Ben Crenshaw (1984, 95) Bernhard Langer (1985, 93) Jose Maria Olazabal (1994, 99) RECORD WINNING TOTALS Lowest . . . 270 Tiger Woods 1997 Highest . . . 289 Sam Snead 1954;

Jack Burke 1956 SUDDEN-DEATH PLAYOFFS 1979 Fuzzy Zoeller birdies number 11 to defeat Tom Watson and Ed Sneed 1982 Craig Stadler defeats Dan Pohl at the "rst hole 1987 Larry Mize stuns Greg Norman with famous chip-in at the 11th 1989 Nick Faldo gets the better of Scott Hoch 1990 Faldo this time defeats Raymond Floyd at the second extra hole 2003 Mike Weir beats Len Mattiace at the "rst hole COURSE RECORD 63Greg Norman, "rst round 1996; Nick Price, third round 1986 BEST FRONT NINE 30KJ Choi, second round 2004;

Greg Norman, fourth round 1988; Johnny Miller, third round 1975 BEST BACK NINE 29 David Toms, fourth round 1998; Mark Calcavecchia, fourth round 1992 YOUNGEST WINNER Tiger Woods 21 years, three months and 14 days (1997) OLDEST WINNER Jack Nicklaus 46 years, two months and 23 days (1986) COURSE CHANGES 1st hole (par 4) Tee moved back 20 yards. Trees added to the left side of the fairway. Length increased from 435 to 455 yards.

4th hole (par 3) Tee moved back 35 yards. Lengthened from 205 to 240 yards.

7th hole (par 4) Tee moved back 40 yards. Green re-grassed to create possible right-rear pin position. Trees added to the right and left side of the fairway. Length increased from 410 to 450 yards.

11th hole (par 4) Tee moved back 15 yards. Trees added to the right side of the fairway and fairway shifted to the left. Length increased from 490 to 505 yards.

15th hole (par 5) Tee moved back 30 yards and shifted approximately 20 yards to the player's left. Length increased from 500 to 530 yards 17th hole (par 4) Tee moved back 15 yards. Length increased from 425 to 440 yards