Tiger talk dominates Augusta build-up

AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) - Tiger Woods has dominated much of the talk ahead of Thursday's opening round at the U.S. Masters where the world number one will be bidding to win his 15th major title.

Long established as the best player of his generation, the 33-year-old American is arguably the greatest of all time and has an uncanny ability to deliver the decisive shot when it matters most.

A four-times champion at Augusta National, Woods will be competing in his first major since his playoff victory at the U.S. Open in June before he was sidelined for eight months while recovering from reconstructive knee surgery.

"When you get to the bigger stage, Tiger is the top dog and he deserves the attention with what he's done," British Open champion Padraig Harrington told reporters while preparing for the year's first major.

"He's coming back from injury, it's a fantastic story and it's good to be told."

Woods has appeared in only three PGA Tour events since making his much anticipated return to the circuit but he triumphed in his most recent start, at the Arnold Palmer Invitational 10 days ago.

"He makes that putt two weeks ago and everyone is impressed but no one is surprised," said Geoff Ogilvy, referring to Woods's 16-foot birdie putt on the final hole at Bay Hill.

"He's never missed one (a clutch putt) yet and he doesn't know how to miss it. Every time he has that putt on the last green, you assume he's going to make it."

According to Ogilvy, Woods still retains a strong psychological hold over his rivals.

"With Tiger, the intimidation is you know that it's going to happen," said the Australian world number four, who won his first major title at the 2006 U.S. Open. "Not that he's necessarily going to win but you know he's going to play well."

Woods is ideally suited to the par-72 Augusta National layout, which was stretched to a formidable 7,445 yards for the 2006 Masters, making it the second-longest course in major championship golf at the time.

He is among golf's biggest hitters, has a superbly creative short game and is arguably the best putter of all time from inside 15 feet.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE

The biggest challenge at Augusta comes on the slick, severely sloping greens and Woods has become well acquainted with their nuances since making his Masters debut as an amateur in 1995.

"I feel pretty good at Augusta," said Woods. "I know how to prepare the way I like to play the tournament."

Anticipation of the almost inevitable title challenge by Woods is one of several intriguing storylines this week.

Harrington will be bidding for a third consecutive major victory, Greg Norman returns to Augusta for the first time since 2002 and young guns such as American Anthony Kim and Rory McIlroy are set to make their debuts at the Masters.

Irishman Harrington took the greatest advantage of Woods's injury absence for the last six months of 2008, winning the British Open at Royal Birkdale and the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills.

However, the 37-year-old Dubliner is doing his best to play down the hype of whether he can follow in the footsteps of Woods (2000), Jack Nicklaus (1971-2) and Ben Hogan (1953) and win a third consecutive major.

"It's a chance to win another major and it's a chance to win the Masters," said Harrington.

"All of those things bring their own pressure ... (but) it doesn't make the pressure any different to turning up at any major and trying to win it."

Experience is always a prized commodity at Augusta and twice champion Phil Mickelson and 2000 winner Vijay Singh are likely to be leading contenders this week.

South African Trevor Immelman defends the title he won by three shots in tricky, swirling winds last year.

(Editing by Justin Palmer)