A two-time winner here, Mickelson is primed to add to his major collection at the Masters this week and is not overly concerned that Woods has been established as an overwhelming favourite.

"I don't think it really matters if you're favoured or not or what people expect," Mickelson said.

"I think that nobody expected, let's say, last year's winner, but yet we as players knew what a good player Zach Johnson was and knew he was going to contend and continue contending in majors.

"I think how you're perceived heading into the tournament really doesn't matter."

Mickelson has won here twice, loves the course and is feeling confident coming into the season's first major.

He won at Riviera earlier this season and is content with the state of his game entering the unofficial start of the golf season.

"I've had some 20th-place finishes the last few weeks, and I actually feel really good about my game because my ball-striking has been good to this point," Mickelson said.

"I feel good about the way I'm hitting it and the area I need to spend some time is chipping and putting and that's an area I've never really been concerned with. I am excited heading into this tournament where I feel comfortable on and around the greens."

Mickelson tied for 24th here last year while trying to defend his title.
It was the first time he finished out of the top 10 here since a tie for 12th in 1998. Along with his two victories, the left-hander has finished third four times, so he obviously knows his way around Augusta National.

"I love this golf course, I love this tournament and I love when I get here, how you don't have to be perfect," Mickelson said.

"You don't have to hit everything perfect to be able to score well."

You may not have to be perfect, but it appears players will have to be close to it if they hope to derail the Tiger Woods express.

Woods has three wins in four PGA Tour events this season and added a win on the European Tour already this season as well.

Much of the talk early in the season has centred around Woods winning a Grand Slam and that hype has reached a fever pitch this week.

Woods has fuelled the talk by calling a Grand Slam "easily within reason" and Mickelson agrees to a point.

"I always felt it was possible too," Mickelson said.

"I don't think it's an impossible feat, I just think it's going to be a tough one. It's certainly a possibility. And he has already won four majors in a row. I think it's do-able."

Meanwhile, former Ryder Cup player David Feherty will be back commentating on the Masters today – remarkably.

It is just three weeks since the Ulsterman suffered a punctured lung, three broken ribs and ruptured bursa sac in his elbow.

Feherty was hit by a truck when out riding his bicycle near his Dallas home and told the New York Post newspaper he was "six inches from having my head crushed like an egg".

The 49-year-old, 52nd on his only appearance at The Masters in 1992, was overwhelmed by the goodwill messages that followed as he recovered first in hospital and then at home.