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Only Rory can stop me: Tiger Woods admits McIlroy is the biggest threat at the Masters


Only Rory can stop me: Tiger Woods admits McIlroy is the biggest threat at the Masters


"I've had Mickelson, Singh, Els and Duval for a number of years. Now Rory’s the leading one" PLUS It's Blubber Watson and Thursday tee-times




 Five star: Woods is after a fifth Green Jacket and his first Major in five years


From Neil McLeman in Augusta

Tiger Woods insists Rory McIlroy will be his biggest rival at the Masters as he bids to win his first Major in five years.

The American snatched the world No.1 spot from the Ulsterman last month and is the red-hot favourite to don his fifth Green Jacket on Sunday.

US PGA champ McIlroy, back from his own slump this season, said he cannot yet be compared with a golfing ­superstar who has won 14 Majors.

But Woods, seeking his first Major since the 2008 US Open, said the world No.2 was his biggest obstacle in the 93-man field in Georgia this week.

The 37-year-old said: “I’ve had Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, Ernie Els and David Duval for a number of years, and now Rory’s the leading one of this new, younger generation.”

But asked if he would relish a back-nine showdown with McIlroy in the final round, he added: “Well, I’d like to be there first, and we’ll figure out who is there, as well. My main responsibility is to get there and then be part of that mix.”

McIlroy has struck up a bromance with Woods since also signing with Nike this year.

But the 23-year-old – whose tennis-star girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki will carry his bag in Thursday’s par-three tournament – modestly claimed they do not yet share a proper rivalry.

He said: “Tiger has been on tour for what? Twelve more years than me or ­something like that.

“When you speak of rivals, you tend to have rivals who have had similar success. He’s got 77 PGA Tour events, I’ve got six. He’s got 14 Majors, I’ve got two.

“If I saw myself as a rival to Tiger, I wouldn’t be doing him much justice.”


Little old me? McIlroy tried to play down talk of a rivalry with Woods
Getty

The challenge to Woods this week will not only be McIlroy, but to prove he can still close the deal when it matters most.

On the front page of Sports ­Illustrated this week there is a
rear-view photo of Woods with the headline: Back.

Over his next four rounds at the Augusta National, the golfing world will discover if that ­statement is really true.

And Woods joked it was “scary” being back in Augusta to make his 19th Masters appearance.

He was also back in the news pages on Tuesday, with the his old nemesis the National Enquirer claiming his ­relationship with skier Lindsey Vonn is already heading ­downhill.

Another concern sure to be playing on Woods’ mind is his failure to win here since 2005.

He said: “It feels like a long time. I’m not happy I haven’t won more. I’ve been in the mix and not done it.”

After winning at Torrey Pines on one leg, arguably the best performance of Woods’ career was finishing fourth at the Masters in 2010 in his first appearance since the scandal which rocked his life.

But last year, his remarkable run of seven top-six finishes ended when he was tied 40th after failing to break par. Woods has now won his last two ­tournaments – and six times in his last 20 starts.

He is putting like the old Woods. Now he needs his driver to behave on a 7,435-yard course which has been Tiger proofed since his last win.

He added: “I feel I’ve improved and I’ve got more consistent, and I think the wins show that. I’m excited that at this point in my career I’ve been able to get healthy and give myself another chance. It would be nice to win another Major.”

Winning his next Major will restart his march to Jack ­Nicklaus’ record of 18 and give golf a huge surge of interest.

Woods said: “It took Jack until he was 46. So there’s plenty of time left for me.”

Off the course, Woods is happier as he adjusts to life as a divorcee. He added: “I feel balanced. Life is better since I’ve had kids.”

Woods will play his opening rounds with Scott Piercy and Luke Donald, who was world No.1 at Augusta last year. “Can’t wait to get underway!” said the current world No.4.

* BUBBA WATSON fought back tears as he revealed the emotion of wrapping his baby son in his Green Jacket.

The American won the Masters last year only 13 days after he and his wife Angie had adopted Caleb, then one-month old.

And when the defending champion was asked what he had done with the winners’ jacket over the last 12 months, the usually madcap Watson choked.

He said: “Last year, I was driven from 10 to the Butler Cabin and I said ‘Is this my Green Jacket?’

“The member said ‘Yeah, that’s your Green Jacket that you’re taking home’.

“But I told him that I was going to go home and wrap Caleb up in it.

“That’s the only thing I did with it.

“I didn’t do any of my funny antics that I normally would do. Only thing I did was wrap Caleb up in it.”
Thursday's tee times

(US unless stated)

12.50pm Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player (honorary starters)

1pm & 3.56pm Sandy Lyle (GB), John Peterson, a-Nathan Smith

1.11pm & 4.07pm Larry Mize, Brian Gay, Russell Henley

1.22pm & 4.18pm Ian Woosnam, David Lynn (GB), Kevin Na

1.33pm & 4.30pm David Toms, Richard Sterne (South Africa), Ted Potter Jr.

1.44pm & 4.40pm Tom Watson, Ryan Moore, Kevin Streelman

1.55pm & 4.51pm Robert Garrigus, Carl Pettersson (Sweden), Tim Clark (South Africa)

2.06pm & 5.13pm Mike Weir (Canada), Lee Westwood (GB), Jim Furyk

2.17pm & 5.24pm Brandt Snedeker, Ryo Ishikawa (Japan), Justin Rose (GB)

2.28pm & 5.35pm Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain), Marc Leishman (Australia),

am-TJ Vogel

2.39pm & 5.46pm Charl Schwartzel (South Africa), Webb Simpson, Peter Hanson (Sweden)

2.50pm & 5.57pm Zach Johnson, KJ Choi (South Korea), Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland)

3.12pm & 6.08pm Michael Thompson, John Huh, John Senden (Australia)

3.23pm & 6.19pm Stewart Cink, Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium), Thaworn Wiratchant (Thailand)

3.34pm & 6.30pm Bubba Watson, Ian Poulter (GB), am-Steven Fox

3.45pm & 6.41pm Tiger Woods, Luke Donald (GB), Scott Piercy

3.56pm & 6.52pm Jason Day (Australia), Rickie Fowler, Padraig Harrington (Ireland)

4.07pm & 1pm John Merrick, Thorbjorn Olesen (Denmark), DA Points

4.18pm & 1.11pm Craig Stadler, Ben Curtis, am-Michael Weaver

4.29pm & 1.22pm Mark O’Meara, Martin Laird (GB), Jamie Donaldson (GB)

4.40pm & 1.33pm Paul Lawrie (GB), Thomas Bjorn (Denmark), Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spain)

4.51pm & 1.44pm Trevor Immelman (South Africa), George Coetzee (South Africa), am-Alan Dunbar (Northern Ireland)

5.13pm & 1.55pm Ernie Els (South Africa), Steve Stricker, Nick Watney

5.24pm & 2.06pm Ben Crenshaw, Matteo Manassero (Italy), am-Guan Tianlang (China)

5.35pm & 2.17pm Bernhard Langer (Germany), Lucas Glover, Henrik Stenson (Sweden)

5.46pm & 2.28pm Vijay Singh (Fiji), Bo Van Pelt, Yang Yong-eun (South Korea)

5.57pm & 2.39pm Angel Cabrera (Argentina), Sergio Garcia (Spain), Adam Scott (Australia)

6.08pm & 2.50pm Fred Couples, Dustin Johnson, Branden Grace (South Africa)

6.19pm & 3.12pm Hunter Mahan, Hiroyuki Fujita (Japan), Francesco Molinari (Italy)

6.30pm & 3.23pm Phil Mickelson, Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa), Martin Kaymer (Germany)

6.41pm & 3.34pm Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), Keegan Bradley, Fredrik Jacobson (Sweden)

6.52pm & 3.45pm Jason Dufner, Matt Kuchar, Bill Haas

All times are UK; am- amateur

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