Tiger’s rivals lose their balls at Augusta

Have the world's top golfers gone soft in the face of the formidable Tiger Woods? When Tiger showed up at this weekend's US Masters tournament he reiterated a boast he made in January that his recent form is good enough for him to achieve golf's Grand Slam - never achieved by any man in the modern game.

It means winning all four major championships in a season, beginning with the US Masters, which started on Thursday at the Augusta National course in Georgia. From there he'd need to go on to win the US Open at Torrey Pines, California in June; the British Open at Royal Birkdale, Lancashire in July, and the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills, Michigan in August.

What has shocked some golf commentators is not that Tiger should have the self-belief, but that so many of his rivals also believe he can do it. "It's not impossible," said the great Phil Mickelson, "I think it's doable." (Continued below)

Or try this from the formidable South African Ernie Els: "It's definitely in his reach. You know, he's definitely capable."

"Have you ever heard anything like it?" asked Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times in an article headlined: 'When it comes to Tiger, everyone is throwing in the towel'. Accusing golf's finest of "kissing up to Tiger", he sought out Marc Shatz, a Beverly Hills sports therapist, who winced at the players' quotes.

"If I were counseling a golfer, I would remind him that while Tiger is the world's best player, he is also flesh and blood, he hooks and slices, he is not a god," Shatz said. "I would tell him that by being so deferential, you end up mentally playing for second place."

As if to prove Shatz right, Tiger got off to his grand slam bid with a lousy start at Augusta. After the first round, he was four behind the joint leaders, England's Justin Rose and South Africa's Trevor Immelman.