Tiger Woods of the U.S. hits from the 13th tee during a practice round for the Masters at the Augusta National Golf Club this week. - Reuters

AUGUSTA, Georgia (AP):

DAYBREAK AT Augusta National brought together the two most prominent figures at the Masters, the first showdown of the week between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.

It was brief. Woods showed up on the first tee and looked back toward the putting green in Mickelson's direction. "Let's go," he said.

He was talking, of course, to Mark O'Meara, who picked up his golf balls and joined his buddy for a practice round.

It is easy to exaggerate the rivalry of Woods and Mickelson, especially at the Masters. Snapshots on late Sunday afternoon the past few years, have been Mickelson slipping the green jacket on Woods, or vice versa. And while there are 97 players in this year's tournament, at times it seems as though there are only two.

Woods won in 2001-oddly enough, the only time he has played with Mickelson in the final group at the Masters - and in 2002. Mickelson won his first major at the Masters in 2004. Woods answered with a play-off victory in 2005, Mickelson won in a walk in 2006.

It is reminiscent of the early 1960s, when Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus traded green jackets.

"I hope not," Mickelson said, "because that would mean what I don't want it to mean this week."

Woods is favoured to continue the cycle this week based on recent history outside of the Masters. He already has won twice this year, in the Buick Invitational and the CA Championship at Doral, and he is going for his third straight major championship.

Mickelson, however, presents a serious obstacle to Woods at Augusta National, if he is not already an equal.

Woods is two-up in green jackets, but Mickelson has a more consistent record over the past 10 years. 'Lefty' hasn't finished out of the top 10 at the Masters since 1998, while Woods has had three years since that year when he never seriously contended.

Proof for Mickelson came in 2003, his worst season on the U.S. PGA Tour. He still only finished two shots behind.

"It's certainly a course that I feel comfortable on and have played well here, whether I've played well going in or not," Mickelson said. "I remember in '03, I was playing terrible and was able to finish third. And when I've entered it playing well, like last year, I've been able to win. It's a course I feel very good on.

"But so does Tiger," he quickly added. "He plays this course very well. He's very tough to beat out here."

Woods has not been unbeatable in recent weeks. Sure, he won for the third straight year at Torrey Pines (his seventh straight PGA Tour victory) and for the third straight year at Doral, but his putting cost him at Dubai, Bay Hill and Match Play.

His biggest concern at Augusta National, naturally, is with the putter.

"I just have to get the speed of these a little bit better," he said. "They have changed every day. Come Thursday (today), they are always a little bit different. They just turn the vacuums on these greens and suck all the moisture."

As much as Woods and Mickelson have dominated the Masters this decade (for trivia buffs, it was Mike Weir who interrupted their reign by winning in 2003), they rarely go head-to-head. The only occasion was in 2001, when Woods won by two.

"Once you figure it out, you see the same guys up there at the top of the board," Woods said. "Phil has been up there many times, and once he won a few years ago, all of a sudden it gave him the confidence to do it again last year."