While his victory at The Open at St Andrews last year gave him all four titles - he won the US PGA in 1999 before defending it last year - he felt he had not yet achieved the Grand Slam.

"Some people say you have to do them within a calendar year and other people say no. It all depends on what your outlook is," said Woods.

Should he complete the feat, it will go a long way to cementing his place as the best golfer ever, an accolade many already feel is a toss-up between him and Jack Nicklaus.

In many ways, the jury will remain out until Woods displays the longevity that characterised 'The Golden Bear'.

After all, Nicklaus won 18 Majors in a 25 year-period between 1961 and 1986, and was competing hard in 1998 at the Masters aged 58, when he was still in the hunt on the back nine of the final round.

But Woods has it within him to win more Majors than Nicklaus ever did.

If he can keep his focus, and hunger to win despite all the riches he has already amassed, then the best-ever mantle will surely be his.

For now, however, his sights are set no further than his seventh appearance at Augusta.

He admits he is a different player from the one that triumphed by a record-breaking 12 strokes four years ago.