Golf: On a fluorescent sign outside a church on Washington Road, close to the entrance gates to Augusta National GC, there is a message to all mortals. "We kneel before just one Master," it says

Inside the gates of the club, however, there is no divine presence, only that of a player, Tiger Woods, who treats the golfing world as his personal domain.

Woods is on a mission in life, to be the best player that ever graced the planet. Some would say he's already there. And if he were to become the first player to win three successive Masters - which he is attempting to do this week - then those advocating his greatness would have yet more ammunition to add to their argument. In eight appearances, he has already won three Masters. Nobody, in truth, is more comfortable shaping golf shots between the pines and the azaleas.

Darren Clarke, one of two Irish competitors in the 93-player field, remarked: "Tiger is the best player in the world by a long way. He is just awesome. If he does achieve three wins in a row, I don't think anyone in the golf world will be surprised. Every part of his game is so good, and if he does make mistakes around Augusta, then the rest of his game can deal with it."

Such respect, however, doesn't mean Woods' rivals are ready to roll over just yet. Despite winning three times already this season, and by his own admission playing as well as he ever has, they know he is not invincible.

And, ironically, Clarke is one of those best equipped to prove Woods' fallibility. On a course which has had copious amounts of rainfall in recent days, the onus will be on long and straight hitting off the tee, and, these days, few players are doing that as well as Clarke. He finished in the top-four of the driving statistics (length and accuracy) in his last two American tournaments, Bay Hill and the Players'.

In fact, on the eve of the championship, Clarke has revealed he has taken up a special, limited membership of the US Tour for this year - which he was entitled to do after winning sufficient prizemoney to finish in their top 150 last season - and, in a major change in direction, that he plans to take up full membership next year.

"It's always been obvious that I like playing here, and I want to compete with the best players in the world on a more regular basis and to test myself," he explained.

For now, though, Clarke's eyes are focused on the Masters. "I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I am very comfortable with my game. I'm hitting it miles," he remarked, which is a good attribute to have on a course measuring 7,290 yards but which, according to Ernie Els, is playing "more like 7,600 yards. These conditions will really help the guys that hit the ball longer."

Woods concurred: "The condition of the course certainly favours someone who is hitting the ball high and long and straight. This week, you've got to keep the ball on the fairway. But you've got to get it out there. These fairways are playing really soft right now, and they're picking up mud too, so you've got to get some luck and hopefully not pick up too much mud on most of your tee-shots."

During practice, players could be seen lifting and cleaning their balls. That won't happen once play starts. As Phil Mickelson observed, "We'll play the ball down with mud. History tells us that."

In looking at potential contenders, and rivals to Woods, then the big-hitters - like Clarke, Els, Mickelson, Davis Love, Angel Cabrera and Vijay Singh - are the most obvious. In terms of distance, Padraig Harrington, Retief Goosen, Mike Weir and Jim Furyk are long but not as long as "the bombers"; however, they have an ability to plot their way around a course, and must also be considered serious contenders.

Els is probably the most realistic challenger to Woods' dominance. The South African has won four times this year - twice on the US Tour, twice on the European Tour - but missed the Players' championship with a wrist injury, sustained when hitting a punch bag in training.

"It's one hundred per cent now," he said, and also insisted the rest had done him the world of good mentally.

Els also believes he is better equipped to take on Woods. "If you start playing Tiger on Thursday from the first tee, I think you're going to beat yourself up and not play your normal game," he said. A year ago, he floundered coming down the home stretch, but Els doesn't think it would happen again if he got into that position.

"We work on things all the time, and when you get to the moment, you've really got to be headstrong. I've got to be more disciplined and play the percentages, to make the right choices."

Love's win in the Players' Championship, and particularly his final round performance, also means he is ready to launch an attack on the title he wants more than any other.

"It's nice that I consider myself one of the favourites," said Love, playing in his 14th Masters. "And it is nice to be excited about the way that I am playing rather than frustrated with where my game was."

Of the European challenge, it is not a case of looking at things through green-tinted glasses to suggest that Harrington and Clarke represent the best prospects for a first European winner since Jose Maria Olazabal in 1999. This championship has been the focus of Harrington's preparations, while Clarke is playing beautifully from tee-to-green. If his quick-fire putting routine works, then Clarke could be looking at his best Masters since 1998 when he finished eighth.

No player has won three green jackets in a row. When Jack Nicklaus attempted to achieve the feat in 1967, he missed the cut; and when Nick Faldo attempted to do so in 1991, he finished tied-12th. Woods, as his life mission dictates, will attempt to re-write the record books. Again.