Woods grouped with Cabrera and Appleby at Augusta

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) - Tiger Woods will launch his bid for a 14th major title in the company of U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera of Argentina and Australia's Stuart Appleby at this week's U.S. Masters.

A four-times winner of the year's opening major, Woods is scheduled to tee off at 1045 local (1445 GMT) in Thursday's opening round at Augusta National Golf Club.

"I'm looking forward to this week," the American world number one told reporters after playing nine holes in practice on Tuesday.

"It's our first major and the golf course is a little soft right now but I'm sure it will speed up come Thursday. Overall, this golf course, as usual, is in pristine shape."

Overwhelming favorite to claim the title for a fifth time, Woods has been virtually unstoppable this year, winning his first four tournaments before finishing fifth at last month's WGC-CA Championship in Miami.

"It's just another week," said Woods, who has triumphed nine times in 11 starts worldwide since last August. "You've got to be focused and ready to come on Thursday and get everything going the right way."

Twice Masters champion Phil Mickelson has been drawn with Argentina's Andres Romero and K.J. Choi of South Korea for the first two rounds. They start at 1341 (1731) on Thursday in the third-last group.

Fijian Vijay Singh, who won the 2000 Masters, will tee off with Americans Steve Stricker and Stewart Cink at 1330, one group in front of Mickelson and company.

British Open champion Padraig Harrington has a 1034 start with 2003 Masters winner Mike Weir of Canada and India's Jeev Milkha Singh.

South African world number three Ernie Els has been grouped with seventh-ranked American Jim Furyk and Shingo Katayama of Japan. They tee off in the penultimate group at 1352.

First off following a ceremonial tee shot by golfing great Arnold Palmer will be 2003 British Open champion Ben Curtis and fellow American Shaun Micheel, winner of the 2003 PGA Championship.

(Editing by Sonia Oxley)