For most of the week players have been trying to come up with the right words to describe how difficult the 18th is now with its additional 60 yards.

Greg Norman finally struck the proper chord.

"It's like you've got to drive it up a gnat's arse," Norman said. "And it's real tight there."

The reinforced 18th has been singled out by many as the signature hole of nine that underwent extensive changes since last year's Masters. In the eyes of the players, the new monster has risen from the ranks of ho-hum to one of the most daunting closing holes in major championship golf.

"It's a bear of a hole now," said 1992 Masters champion Fred Couples. "Before it just wasn't as hard. They've basically made it a great finishing hole. Now you may see five birdies there. I think it should be like that."

The Masters Committee felt the same way. Chairman Hootie Johnson believed No. 18 needed lengthening and strengthening more than any other hole.

"A 3-wood and pitching wedge won't do for a finishing hole," Johnson said. "I think most everyone agrees that the hole was weak for a finishing hole in a major championship."

To say that the 18th hole had become somewhat of a cream puff in recent years is fair. As recently as 1995, the closing hole was ranked the second toughest par-4 on the course, with a 4.205 stroke average that was second only to No. 1.

By 1999, however, the players had conquered the 405-yard closer. It ranked as the easiest par-4 on the course, with a 4.037 average. In 2001, it was the second easiest at 4.014, yielding more birdies (55) than bogeys or worse (54).

On Thursday, the 18th played the fifth toughest on the course, yielding just nine birdies and a 4.261 average.

When Tiger Woods bombed his drive on the 72nd hole of last year's tournament to within 75 yards of the pin, Augusta National took the level of protection to the extreme.

In addition to the 60 yards, the tee was moved to the golfer's right, making the tight tunnel effect even more imposing. The fairway bunkers were expanded 10 percent, and hitting the 330 yards uphill on the fly needed to carry them is a closed option.

It will make for a more intimidating hurdle come Sunday should a player reach the 18th tee hoping to protect a one-shot lead or requiring birdie to win or force a playoff.

"I feel real good about the 18th hole," Johnson said. "Some folks coming in here, if they are leading by one, they are going to be damn glad to get a par, and that's OK."

Players universally agree.

"If you had a one-shot lead, now it's a little harder to protect," Woods said. "But if you're in the clubhouse and you're one back, you've got a little bit better feeling that you might get into a playoff than you did before."

Said Tom Kite: "It is a back-breaking hole. There will be very few threes on that hole. We're not even close to assuming par."

Making the 18th even more interesting this year is a new pin location available on the back right corner of the green. It's a spot that could make for an adventurous Sunday, especially since course architect Tom Fazio says it's 15 yards past the center of the green. Using all the yardage off the tee to that pin, the hole could play 480 yards - uphill.

Fazio calls it a "Sunday quality" pin location, though the chairman of competition committees, Will Nicholson, said weather will be the deciding factor.

Reluctant to grade degrees of difficulty in the course changes, Fazio admits that 18 could be the one when the tournament gets tight Sunday.

"Then I think the 18th is the most substantial," he said. "It's not going to be as automatic as it would have been."

Norman says the new 18th has graduated to one of the "top 10 finishing holes in the world" and won't play the patsy anymore.

"When you see a guy hitting a 71-yard wedge there, it doesn't do anything for you or for the game," he said. "You want the championship to come down to a guy having to hit four perfect shots."

Approach shots into par-4, 18th hole

Tommy Aaron, 3-wood, 218 yards

Robert Allenby, 4-iron, 173 yards

Billy Andrade, 4-iron, 192 yards

Stuart Appleby, 5-iron, 171 yards

Paul Azinger, 5-iron, 190 yards

Seve Ballesteros, 2-iron, 194 yards

Thomas Bjorn, 4-iron, 184 yards

Mark Brooks, 3-iron, 191 yards

Angel Cabrera, tee shot in trees, punched out

Mark Calcavecchia, 4-iron, 177 yards

Michael Campbell, 4-iron, 187 yards

Stewart Cink, tee shot in trees, punched out

Darren Clarke, 5-iron, 180 yards

Jose Coceres, 3-iron, 203 yards

Charles Coody, tee shot in trees, punched out

Fred Couples, 5-iron, 175 yards

Ben Crenshaw, 5-wood, 216 yards

John Daly, 6-iron, 175 yards

Bubba Dickerson, tee shot in trees, punched out

Chris DiMarco, 3-iron, 186 yards

Joe Durant, 4-iron, 190 yards

David Duval, 4-iron, 184 yards

Ernie Els, tee shot in tree, punched out

Bob Estes, 5-iron, 175 yards

Nick Faldo, 4-iron, 186 yards

Niclas Fasth, 5-iron, 180 yards

Brad Faxon, 4-wood, 225 yards

Ray Floyd, tee shot in trees, punched out

Jim Furyk, 3-iron, 194 yards

Sergio Garcia, 6-iron, 185 yards

Retief Goosen, 4-iron, 181 yards

Robert Hamilton, 3-iron, 186 yards

Padraig Harrington, 5-iron, 171 yards

Scott Hoch, 3-iron, 188 yards

Michael Hoey, 5-iron, 174 yards

Charles Howell, 7-iron, 167 yards

Toshi Izawa, 6-iron, 161 yards

Tim Jackson, 3-iron, 192 yards

Lee Janzen, tee shot in trees, punched out

Miguel Angel Jimenez, 4-iron, 187 yards

Shingo Katayama, 4-wood, 196 yards

Jerry Kelly, 3-iron, 199 yards

Tom Kite, 4-iron, 191 yards

Matt Kuchar, 3-iron, 193 yards

Bernhard Langer, tee shot in trees, punched out

Paul Lawrie, 5-iron, 173 yards

Tom Lehman, 5-iron, 172 yards

Justin Leonard, 4-iron, 192 yards

Frank Lickliter, 5-iron, 174 yards

Davis Love III, 5-iron, 192 yards

Steve Lowery, 4-iron, 186 yards

Sandy Lyle, 4-iron, 196 yards

Shigeki Maruyama, 6-iron, 165 yards

Billy Mayfair, 4-iron, 196 yards

Scott McCarron, 5-iron, 168 yards

Paul McGinley, 3-iron, 201 yards

Rocco Mediate, tee shot in trees, punched out

Phil Mickelson, 6-iron, 176 yards

Larry Mize, 5-wood, 202 yards

Colin Montgomerie, 4-iron, 183 yards

Greg Norman, 4-iron, 185 yards

Jose Maria Olazabal, 4-iron, 193 yards

Mark O'Meara, 4-iron, 186 yards

Arnold Palmer, 3-wood, 216 yards

Jesper Parnevik, tee shot in trees, punched out

Craig Perks, tee shot in trees, punched out

Tom Pernice, 4-iron, 180 yards

Kenny Perry, tee shot in trees, punched out

Gary Player, 3-wood, 225 yards

Nick Price, 3-iron, 189 yards

Chez Reavie, 2-iron, 200 yards

Rory Sabbatini, 5-iron, 176 yards

Adam Scott, 6-iron, 173 yards

Vijay Singh, 5-iron, 180 yards

Jeff Sluman, 4-iron, 191 yards

Craig Stadler, 2-iron, 225 yards

Steve Stricker, 6-iron, 172 yards

Kevin Sutherland, 3-iron, 202 yards

Toru Taniguchi, tee shot in trees, punched out

David Toms, 5-iron, 178 yards

Kirk Triplett, 3-iron, 193 yards

Scott Verplank, tee shot in trees, punched out

Tom Watson, 2-iron, 196 yards

Mike Weir, 5-iron, 177 yards

Lee Westwood, tee shot in tees, punched out

Tiger Woods, 4-iron, yardage unavailable

Ian Woosnam, tee shot in trees, punched out

Fuzzy Zoeller, 5-iron, 177 yards