Golf: Tiger favourite at British Open, Campbell outsider 

Tiger Woods

ST ANDREWS - The omens suggest it and most of his rivals think it: Tiger Woods is the red-hot favourite for this week's British Open.

The 29-year-old American coasted to victory by eight shots the last time the championship was staged at the home of golf and has made a habit of shining in the majors whenever Jack Nicklaus has decided to take a final bow.

New Zealand's Michael Campbell, winner of the last major - the US Open - remains an outside shot for the tournament. Campbell, who is quoted at $40 by the TAB, tees off at around 8pm. 

Nicklaus, who lifted the Claret Jug three times between 1966 and 1978, will make his final Open appearance at St Andrews next week and Woods plans to take full advantage.

"It's been good, every time he's retired," Woods said with a broad smile during a news conference at the Old Course.

"I wish he'd keep retiring. I won at Valhalla (the 2000 US PGA Championship) and at Pebble Beach (the 2000 US Open), and then here (in 2000). And then Augusta (National for the US Masters) this year.

"Hopefully, we can do it again. It's been very good so far."

The 65-year-old Nicklaus bade farewell to the Masters, a tournament he won a record six times, in April after missing the cut by five strokes.

Two days later, Woods clinched his fourth green jacket and ninth career major when he sank an 18-foot birdie putt at the first extra hole to beat compatriot Chris DiMarco at Augusta National.

When Woods triumphed at St Andrews in 2000, he famously avoided each of the 112 pot bunkers at the Old Course on his way to a record 19-under-par total of 269.

The weather gods also smiled upon him that week with four days of sunshine and barely a breath of wind.

"There were two factors in 2000," recalled the world number one. "I hit it well and I got lucky a few times. There's absolutely no doubt about that, because I should have been in probably three or five bunkers easily.

"Just off the tee shots alone, the ball happened to hop over a bunker and catch a side and kick left or right of it. Little things like that. Fortunately for me it was happening that week. I got lucky a few times."

Phil Mickelson, last year's US Masters champion, was mightily impressed by Woods's clean sheet with regard to the bunkers.

"There are a lot of them to hit, and that's some pretty stellar play," said the American left-hander. "He's able to take a lot of them out of play off the tee.

"I think some of the tee boxes will make it more difficult to do that this year because a lot of the bunkers will be much more in play now. But it's still very doable, very possible.

"When he won the tournament in 2000, I don't think he did so because he missed bunkers. I think he missed bunkers because he was playing so well and had such control of his golf ball."

With a similar forecast to 2000 for the next four days at the Fife seaside course, the omens are favourable for Woods.

Along the par-72 layout has been lengthened by 164 yards since his 2000 success, its defences are virtually non-existent if the wind fails to blow.

"Lengthening those tee boxes is not hurting the long hitter," said 2003 US Open champion Jim Furyk. "It's actually making it better for him (Woods).

"At the 14th, I watched him fly the bunkers, 290 yards and into a little breeze. The fourth is another key hole where it is about 285 yards to get over that mound with heather on it.

"Guys can fly the ball 285 now. I personally can't do it but there's a lot of guys who can."

Nick Faldo, a three-times Open champion, cannot see beyond Woods as the winner come this weekend.

"Tiger is the favourite, obviously," said the 47-year-old Englishman.

"He's played, he's won and he comes here with a mission, as always, and his record at every event where Nicklaus is basically handing over the torch, he's the one who wins every time."

The 134th British Open starts on Tuesday when American Todd Hamilton will defend the title he won last year in a playoff with Ernie Els at Royal Troon.

- REUTERS, additional reporting NEWSTALK ZB