The Masters champion in three of the past eight tournaments (1997, 2001 and 2002), Tiger Woods is still the man to beat here.

Ranked No. 2 in the world at the conclusion of 2004, Woods was hitting his stride as the season ended. He had consecutive if unofficial wins in Japan and at his own Target World Challenge in the off-season and he seems well focused on golf and life after marriage to the beautiful Elin Nordegren this past summer.

Woods didn’t have his best year in 2004, with just one official victory and finishing only fourth on the U.S. money-winning list. But he says he has accomplished the swing changes he was making throughout the year. The last time he went through this same kind of mechanical overhaul, Tiger Woods won four major championships in a row.

The dramatic tension between the irreconcilable ambitions of the world’s No. 1 and No. 2 ranked players promise to provide dramatic results in 2005 and there’ll be no better stage for it than at the Masters.

NEXT » Dark Horses: Darren Clarke

ONES TO WATCH  • Ernie Els  • Sergio Garcia  • Retief Goosen  • Padraig Harrington  • Davis Love III  • Phil Mickelson  • Adam Scott  • Vijay Singh  • Mike Weir  • Tiger Woods

DARK HORSES  • Darren Clarke  • Fred Couples  • John Daly  • Chris DiMarco  • Todd Hamilton  • Charles Howell III