GOLF

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One of the heaviest hitters on the tour, Bubba Watson stands a shot against Eldrick.

ALL AGAINST ONE
Wanna beat you-know-who at Augusta? Here are eight simple rules.
By Jason Sobel

The streak is seven-and-counting, and oddsmakers now call Tiger a 10-11 favorite to win his fifth Green Jacket on the second Sunday in April. Where does that leave the rest of the field? Our expert offers hope. After all, Tiger can't win 'em all. Can he?

GRIP AND RIP
Tiger owns the par 5's at Augusta. In 13 Masters, he's a combined 93-under on the long holes. But that doesn't mean others can't keep pace. Last year, winner Zach Johnson was 11-under for the four par 5's, two strokes better than Tiger—and the difference in the tournament. The Tour's longest hitters this season, Bubba Watson (311.2 ypd) and J.B. Holmes (306.2), can also challenge Tiger.

DUCK WHEN HE YELLS FOUR
On the other hand, the 10 par 4's own Tiger: He's an abysmal 24-over for his career. K.J. Choi and Robert Allenby rank among the Tour's top 10 on par 4's this year, and their creative shotmaking is ideal for Augusta's tricky layout.

PLOT A COURSE
Then stick to it. In 2007, Johnson went conservative and laid up on the par 5's. A year earlier, Phil Mickelson played two drivers, using one to hit a fade and the other a draw, depending on the hole layout. Yes, both earned Jackets.

PRAY FOR RAIN
A year ago temps were in the 40s and winds buffeted Augusta, causing the course to set up like the British Open. Woods couldn't bomb and gouge the doglegs and instead had to run tee shots down the fairway. Similar conditions this year will favor Brits Luke Donald and Paul Casey and give Tiger shivers.

START HOT
Tiger's lowest opening round at Augusta: 70. His first-round average since 1995: a mediocre 72.1. Lefty is two strokes better (70.9) and can pressure Tiger early, forcing him to make up strokes.

FINISH HOTTER
Tiger is great on moving day (69.6), but his final-round average (71.1) doesn't spread fear. He'll need a lead to avoid feeling heat from finishers Steve Stricker and Justin Rose, among the Tour's top 10 in final-round scoring.

PLAY ALL 18 HOLES
Tiger struggled on the back nine on Thursday and Saturday last year. "I basically blew this tournament with two rounds of bogey-bogey finishes," he says. Rory Sabbatini closed with par-birdie for T2, ending the Tiger-is-uncatchable myth.

HOPE HE BREAKS A CLUB AGAIN
Tiger smashed his 4-iron against a pine tree to save par on the 11th during his final round last year. If he shatters his driver early in a round, all bets are off.

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Poulter talks a big game, but can he deliver?

FANTASY CLUB
By Shawn Peters

Want to win your fantasy best-ball matchup the week of the Masters? Forget the big names who take up most of your budget. Instead, pair your ringer with three under-the-radar types. Remember, picking Vijay scores major points, but top-10 finishes by Jerry Kelly and Vaughn Taylor last year won the week for many.

• JUSTIN LEONARD
  His four top-10 finishes this season is one shy of last year's total. He's the only player to rank in the top 10 in driving accuracy and putting average, both huge at Augusta. He's your guy if conditions are firm and fast and require finesse.


• IAN POULTER
  After saying he's the only player who can match Tiger, this is Poulter's first shot on the big stage. He finished T13 at Augusta in 2007, and his Tour scoring average this year (69.82) makes him a serious birdie-binge threat in 2008.


• NICK WATNEY
  He's in the top 10 in par-5 scoring through March 17, and long enough off the tee (26th on Tour) to exploit birdie opportunities. A first-time Tour winner in 2007, he isn't in the World Golf Rankings' Top 100 yet, but that will change.

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