He owns four Masters titles, won in his first 11 tries. The last three visits here have not been kind by Tiger Woods standards. He finished third in 2006 and was runner-up the last two Tournaments.

So is he due to win No. 5 at Augusta National? After the heart-stopping drama (heart-breaking if you’re Sean O’Hair) at Bay Hill, has Woods regained the “rush” (his word) that he hadn’t felt since last June’s U.S. Open victory? Will his knee hold up against the rigors of walking this demanding course?

Woods obviously has never lacked self confidence. So he answered yes to all of the above as he seeks to move within one Green Jacket of Jack Nicklaus.

Curiously, Woods seems concerned about his putting, which sounds odd in the wake of his winning stroke on the 72nd hole at Bay Hill.

“The last couple of years my putting has been streaky here,” Woods said, referring to the lengthening and toughening of Augusta National in recent years. “I get on rolls where I make everything and I get on rolls where I didn’t make a thing. Consequently, I didn’t win.

“You have to be very consistent around this golf course. It’s not how it used to be. You have to be patient and make the putts when you have the opportunities because they are not going to come as frequently as they used to.”

The rush at Bay Hill is one thing, but can Woods channel that feeling again at this Masters? If he does, surely there will be talk of a Grand Slam, and Woods is the only player to know what it feels like to hold all four major titles at the same time, albeit not in the same calendar year.

“I know I can do it. I’ve done it,” he said. “It’s hard for me to sit here and tell you that it can’t be done, because I’ve done it before. It’s just a matter of winning the right four at the right time. Hopefully it will start this week for me.”

Wow. What a rush that would be.