No tournament means more to Tiger Woods than the Masters, and the world’s top-ranked player is the overwhelming WagerWeb.com favorite to win his fifth green jacket this weekend at Augusta.

Woods has three wins this season, but he won’t be considered “back” until he wins a major. He still hasn’t since the epic Monday victory over Rocco Mediate in the 2008 U.S. Open. It has been eight years since Woods rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt to win the Masters in a playoff for his fourth green jacket. He appeared to be well on his way to living up to the audacious prediction made by Jack Nicklaus, who played a practice round at Augusta with Woods and Arnold Palmer. Nicklaus came away so impressed that he considered his six Masters and the four won by Palmer and said, “This kid should win more than that.” But the major Woods was supposed to dominate has become the major he can’t seem to win anymore.

This year could be different. Woods is fully healthy for the first time in years. He appears happy after a scandal that ruined his marriage and his image, announcing a few weeks ago that he’s dating Olympic ski champion Lindsey Vonn. He is dominating again — six out of his last 20 on the PGA Tour, including consecutive wins heading into the Masters.

Woods has won back-to-back tournaments going into the Masters for the first time since 2001. He won a green jacket that year. He is one of three players in Masters history to win four green jackets. Tiger won the 2005 Masters with a birdie on the first playoff hole (No. 18) to defeat Chris DiMarco. He was the third player in Masters history to defend his title when he won the 2002 Masters by three shots. Won the 2001 Masters by two shots, making him the winner of four consecutive major championships. Set multiple Tournament records with his breakthrough victory in the 1997 Masters. He was the youngest Tournament champion at age 21. He set 20 Tournament records in all and tied six others. Winner of 14 major titles (four Masters, three US Opens, three British Opens and four PGA Championships). Has finished in the top 10 at the Masters in seven of the previous nine years.

Tiger won his 2013 PGA Tour debut at the Farmers Insurance Open, and became the first player in PGA Tour history to win on the same course eight times. Won the WGC-Cadillac Championship by two shots over Steve Stricker, becoming the first multiple winner on the PGA Tour in 2013. Won the Arnold Palmer Invitational for his third victory in 2013. The win pushed him to the No. 1 spot in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time since October of 2010. He won three times in 2012, and now has 77 career PGA Tour titles.

Age: 37.

Country: United States.

World ranking: 1.

Worldwide wins: 89.

Majors: Masters (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005), U.S. Open (2000, 2002, 2008), British Open (2000, 2005, 2006), PGA Championship (1999, 2000, 2006, 2007).

Opening WagerWeb.com odds to win: +350 (check our current lines here)

It’s been almost three years but Tiger Woods is finally back to being No. 1 in the world with a game that looks as good as it ever has.

Woods last held the top rank in 2010. Woods tied a PGA Tour record today by winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational for the eighth time. He never let anyone closer than two shots in the final round at Bay Hill, closing with a 2-under 70 for a two-shot victory over Justin Rose. Next up is the Masters in two weeks, when Woods will try to end his five-year drought in the majors.

Rickie Fowler tried to stay with Woods until hitting two shots into the water on the 16th and making a triple bogey. Woods tied the tour record of eight wins in a single tournament. Sam Snead won the Greater Greensboro Open eight times. Click for more on Sergio Garcia, who ended up hitting a ball out of a tree at the Arnold Palmer Invitational yesterday.

Tiger Woods is once again a taken man and once again available to cheat with ugly hookers.

Tiger confirmed via his Facebook page today that he is romantically involved with Olympic skiier, Lindsey Vonn. It was reported earlier that Tiger and Vonn were dating but nothing was ever confirmed.

“This season has been great so far and I’m happy with my wins at Torrey and Doral,” Tiger writes on his Facebook page. “Something nice that’s happened off the course was meeting Lindsey Vonn. Lindsey and I have been friends for some time, but over the last few months we have become very close and are now dating. We thank you for your support and for respecting our privacy. We want to continue our relationship, privately, as an ordinary couple and continue to compete as athletes.”

It looks like skier Lindsey Vonn is A-OK with dating a man who loves to cheat with ugly-looking women: She just started dating Tiger Woods.

According to the New York Post, they’ve been together since November, with Tiger visiting the Olympian in Austria while she was racing, then taking her to Antigua. According to a Hollywood Life source, “They met through the ski community, because Tiger is an active skier,” and Vonn has been teaching his kids how to ski.

It’s the first serious relationship for Tiger, 37, since his divorce from Elin Nordegren. On the other hand, 28-year-old Vonn just divorced from her husband of six years this month.

And because some people never learn, Tiger “wants to marry again,” a source explains. He “thinks Lindsey could be the woman.” But “it took Lindsey a while to trust him because of his past,” says a source, and her friends are reportedly concerned.

Yes, Tiger Woods has a PGA Tour-high three victories this year. He leads the Tour in money and FedEx Cup points and right now probably is the player of the year. But 2012 will be considered a failure if Tiger doesn’t win the PGA Championship this weekend at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island.

All Tiger cares about is majors and he remains stuck on 14, four behind Jack Nicklaus’ record. Should Tiger not win this week, it would be the fourth straight season he hasn’t won one of golf’s four biggest tournaments – his last major win remains the 2008 U.S. Open.

If Tiger is going to finish what he started and break Jack Nicklaus’ record, he knows that every major start is precious.

“I figure it’s going to take a career,” Woods said of his timetable to break Nicklaus’ record of 18 major titles. “Jack didn’t finish (winning) until he was 46, so if you go by that timetable I’ve got 10 more years. Forty more majors is a lot. I’ve got plenty of time.”

Granted, when you put it in that context, 40 majors is, indeed, a healthy number of opportunities. But he would need to win 10 percent of those majors just to tie Nicklaus. When you figure that arguably the second best player of the Tiger era, Phil Mickelson, only has four majors in his Hall of Fame career, the task ahead of Tiger looks as daunting as ever.

There have been two different Tigers in majors this year. On one hand, Woods was in the lead entering the weekend at the U.S. Open, and was in contention at Royal Lytham, yet failed to close out either event for major title No. 15. Woods is 13-over in six weekend rounds in majors this year — 8-over on Sundays alone. He also has struggled at times with his putting. Woods is 39th in strokes gained-putting and 75th in birdie-or-better conversion percentage this season.

Should Woods win his fifth PGA Championship on Sunday, Tiger has a chance to reclaim a title he’s held for a record 623 weeks during his career — the world’s No. 1 player. Tiger started 2012 at No. 23 in the ranking — his current 21-spot ascension is the third-biggest among players in the Top 25 this week. Only Dufner and Zach Johnson have climbed more this year.

In two previous majors on Pete Dye-designed courses, which the Ocean Course is, Tiger has finished T28 (2010 PGA) and T24 (2004 PGA) and has never shot lower than 69.

Age: 36.

Country: United States.

World ranking: 2.

Worldwide wins: 86.

Majors: Masters (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005), U.S. Open (2000, 2002, 2008), British Open (2000, 2005, 2006), PGA Championship (1999, 2000, 2006, 2007).

Best 2012 performances: Wins at Arnold Palmer Invitational, Memorial, AT&T National.

2012 majors: Masters-T40, US Open-T21, British Open-T3.

WagerWeb.com odds to win: +700 (favorite)

Overview: There should be no more questions about whether Woods is “back” based on his swing. He has won three times this year, and no one has won more in one season on the PGA Tour since … Woods in 2009. But no one will think of him as being “back” until he wins another major. The game is fine. He doesn’t hole as many putts as he once did, but that was bound to happen. No one said this about Woods before, but what he needs to win a major is a few good breaks.

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Tiger leads the PGA Tour this year in wins, money and FedEx Cup points, but he would gladly give all that up to win British Open No. 4 and career major No. 15 this week at Royal Lytham.

Only four players have won four or more majors after turning 36. Those players are Ben Hogan (six), Sam Snead (five), Jack Nicklaus (four) and Gary Player (four). Woods has won three times this year, but the 14-time major champion’s success is always — rightfully so or not — measured against history, not his current competition. Woods, of course, trails Nicklaus’ major championship record by four.

Woods said this week that the rough at Royal Lytham is “almost unplayable.” Tiger has, for the most part, succeeded when he’s hit it in the fairway this year. En route to victory at the Memorial, he hit 76.8 percent of his fairways, his highest total in any event in two years.

In contrast, his numbers on shots out of the rough aren’t good — Woods is outside the top 60 in average approach shot proximity from the rough almost any way you slice it. Despite those bad numbers from the rough, Woods is 11th on the PGA Tour in greens in regulation — his highest position in that category since 2008. What does all this mean? For one, fans should expect Tiger to opt against using the driver most of the time this week. Consistency off the tee is the No. 1 ingredient to Woods’ success this week.

There’s an argument to be made that Tiger’s swing modifications were built for this week and this course. He’s fifth on the PGA TOUR in total driving and won’t need to hit the biggest stick often. He ranks 22nd in Strokes Gained-Putting and first in adjusted scoring. His missed cut at The Greenbrier Classic two weeks ago aside he has been as consistent as anyone over the last three months.

Age: 36.

Country: United States.

World ranking: 4.

Worldwide wins: 86.

Majors: Masters (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005), U.S. Open (2000, 2002, 2008), British Open (2000, 2005, 2006), PGA Championship (1999, 2000, 2006, 2007).

At his best in 2012: Won three tournaments.

At his worst in 2012: Failed to finish three tournaments — two missed cuts, one WD in the final round.

British Open moment: Not hitting into a single bunker at St. Andrews when he won in 2000 by eight shots to complete the career Grand Slam.

Overview: Woods has somehow morphed into Phil Mickelson — no one can predict what he’s going to do next. Has not had a top-10 at the British Open since he won at Hoylake in 2006, though he has missed two years with physical ailments.

WagerWeb.com odds to win: +650 (favorite)

Tee times (Thursday-Friday Eastern time): 4:42 a.m.-9:43 a.m. —Woods, Justin Rose, Sergio Garcia.

BRITISH OPEN RECORD

Year     pos       r1         r2         r3         r4         total

2010    23        67        73        73        72        285

2009    74        71        74

2007    12        69        74        69        70        282

2006    1          67        65        71        67        270

2005    1          66        67        71        70        274

2004    9          70        71        68        72        281

2003    4          73        72        69        71        285

2002    28        70        68        81        65        284

2001    25        71        68        73        71        283

2000    1          67        66        67        69        269

1999    7          74        72        74        74        294

1998    3          65        73        77        66        281

1997    24        72        74        64        74        284

1996 (A) 22     75        66        70        70        281

1995 (A) 68     74        71        72        78        295

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Tiger Woods moved ahead of Jack Nicklaus for second-most tour victories with his 74th PGA Tour win yesterday at the AT&T National. Now, only Sam Snead has more, with 82 wins.

The victory was Woods’ third this year after breaking his 30-month dry spell in March.

“There was a time when people were saying I could never win again,” Woods said. “That was, I think, what, six months ago? Here we are.” Woods is currently ranked fourth in the world

“I’d say that he’s playing the best golf in the world right now,” said Bo Van Pelt, who finished the National two strokes behind Woods. The AP notes that the record Woods really wants to beat is the 18 majors won by Nicklaus; Woods has been stuck on 14 since 2008.

Is Tiger back? He has two wins on Tour this season, including in his last start at the Memorial when he rallied on Sunday for his 73rd PGA Tour win to tie Jack Nicklaus’ mark. Of course the number Woods really wants to surpass is Nicklaus’ record 18 majors. Tiger looks for No. 15 and U.S . Open No. 4 starting Thursday at Olympic Club in San Francisco.

Tiger’s mastery at Muirfield Village two weeks ago makes him the betting favorite at Olympic Club to get first major since the 2008 U.S. Open.

“I’m excited because of the way I hit the golf ball. Every shot was exactly the shape, the trajectory, the distance control. I had it all, shape off tees, whatever club I wanted to hit, I could hit. That was fun to have it when I needed it,” said Woods.

Then again, Woods’ win at Bay Hill made him the pre-tournament rage at the Masters. He ended up in a tie for 40th, kicking his clubs and cussing all over Augusta National. One can only imagine what the tight, twisting fairways on the unleveled Lake Course could bring out of him this week. Woods, who tied for 18th at the 1998 U.S. Open, is well aware of the demands on precise ball-striking made by Olympic’s heavily tree-lined Lake Course and its tilting dogleg fairways.

“You can look at the history of guys who were in contention or who ended up winning there, all were wonderful drivers of the golf ball and good, solid iron players. That’s what it’s going to take at Olympic, more so than most U.S. Open sites,” said Woods.

Tiger will be in a threesome with Phil Mickelson and Masters winner Bubba Watson for the first two rounds. Woods and Lefty last played together about a two-hour drive down the California coast at Pebble Beach, where Mickelson whipped Woods and rallied to win in February. In the majors, Mickelson topped him in the final round of the 2009 Masters won by Angel Cabrera, though Woods beat him soundly at Torrey Pines on his way to winning the U.S. Open.

Woods leads the PGA Tour in total driving (22nd in accuracy) and ranks seventh in both GIR and bogey avoidance. Olympic is all about hitting it in the fairway, and the right spots on the green.

The golf course is longer than when Woods tied for 18th in 1998, though that isn’t the biggest change. The greens have been resurfaced, and they roll so fast that it’s difficult to get the ball close. Plus, the USGA has shaved some areas off the green to form large collection areas. A slight miss could send the ball some 30 yards away.

Age: 36.

Country: United States.

World ranking: 4.

Official wins: 85.

Majors: Masters (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005), U.S. Open (2000, 2002, 2008), British Open (2000, 2005, 2006), PGA Championship (1999, 2000, 2006, 2007).

U.S. Open highlight: Pebble Beach in 2000.

U.S. Open lowlight: Failing to make even a remote charge at Pebble Beach in 2010 when Dustin Johnson came back to the field.

WagerWeb.com odds to win U.S. Open: +650 (favorite)

Overview: The bookies installed him as the favorite right after he won the Memorial, just like they did at the Masters after he won at Bay Hill. The way he hit the ball at Memorial, he should be the favorite. This would give him three U.S. Open titles on different California courses.

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