Forget about Tiger Woods or anyone else breaking the 72-hole scoring record in the 71st Masters Tournament this week. The mark, set 10 years ago by Woods at 18-under-par 270, grows in stature with each passing year.

Jean Skibbens, of Canton, Ohio, laughs while holding up Tiger Woods' golf ball after he bounced it near her on the 14th hole during Monday's practice round. She got to keep the ball and pose for a picture with Woods. (Kendrick Brinson/Staff)

Considering the way Augusta National Golf Club has changed over the past eight years with the addition of rough (in 1999), length (460 yards beginning in 2002) and strategically placed trees, the better question might be: Can this year's winner reach double digits under par?

"It will be very difficult to approach that," two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw said Monday.

But what if someone like Woods gets on a roll for 72 holes?

"I just think there is too much course," Crenshaw said. "That's my feeling. I don't know if it's true. Golly, there is a lot of golf course for everybody."

"It's a lot bigger golf course," said two-time Masters runner-up Davis Love III, noting that he had to hit 6-iron into the 18th green in a practice round this week.

"I don't think I'll ever get over that shot," Love said. "I used to hit driver and sand wedge with a wooden driver. That hole looks so long from back there."

Woods walks off the 18th green. He shot 18-under 270 in his first Masters victory in 1997. (Andrew Davis Tucker/Staff)

A double-digit winning score has been achieved only once in the past four years, and that came in 2005, when Woods shot 12-under 276.

"What was it (the winning score) last year? Seven-under? It's hard, just hard," Crenshaw said. "There are too many big problems to solve out there."

Phil Mickelson got to 8-under for the tournament through 71 holes last year, but a bogey on the final hole brought his winning total to 7-under 281.

In the decade since Woods set the tournament record, the lowest winning score was 272, only two shots off the record, by Woods in 2001. The next year, Augusta National was lengthened by 285 yards. Twenty yards more were added in 2003, and 145 came in 2006, bringing its current distance to a hefty 7,445 yards.

According to Augusta National officials, there were only minimal changes to the course this year, and none of them involved lengthening it.

Three trees were removed to the right of the 11th fairway, and that area returned to pine straw as rough instead of grass. Also on that hole, the mowing line was widened at the 280- to 300-yard mark.

The gallery lines the ninth green as Tiger Woods and J.J. Henry putt out. Woods holds the 72-hole scoring record for the tournament. (Andrew Davis Tucker/Staff)

The tees on Nos. 11 and 15 were extended forward by 7 yards, making them a uniform 20 yards in length with the other tees on the course.

"I didn't see any changes, but it's in immaculate shape," Love said after a practice round. "It has the most grass, and is in the best shape I've ever seen it."

"I don't think they need to change anything," said Ernie Els, also a two-time runner-up at Augusta National. "It's where they want it, I think."

Unlike Crenshaw, most players think the winner could make it to double figures in relation to par, though Shaun Micheel believes "that's about as good as anybody can do now. I always figure a great four-round score is anywhere from 8- to 10-under."

For someone to win with 10-under 278 or better, it appears that two factors must occur, according to some players. The weather conditions must cooperate, and Woods, the world's No. 1 player, must be on his considerable game.

"I think it's possible, plus you've got Tiger playing, so yeah, it's possible," Zach Johnson said.

There hasn't been a Masters without weather delays since 2001, which means no one knows how the lengthened course will play for 72 dry holes.

Firm conditions would mean more roll in the fairway, but the lack of rain would put the fire back in the greens, making it more difficult to hold iron shots.

"We're just curious to see when ... with all the new changes they have made and all the lengthening and the new second cut (rough), all the trees they have added, when we're going to have a dry year, and what that score might be," said Woods, a four-time Masters champion.

It was dry for the first 36 holes in 2006, and the average score for the field was 74.946 for the first round and 73.965 for the second round. When the rains came for the third round, the average score was 73.722, but that came after the 36-hole cut, so only the top 47 players from the starting field of 90 were playing. Had it made the entire field, the average no doubt would have been higher. Under ideal conditions in the final round, the average score was 72.214.

"Last year going into the event, we were all thinking, 'If you shoot even par and a couple over par, you'll probably win the tournament pretty easily,' but obviously the rains change everything," said Woods, who shot 4-under 284 to finish tied for third.

The players believe a winning score in double digits will happen only if there is enough rain to soften the greens without affecting the roll of drives in the fairway.

"It would be hard to believe, but somebody could do it," U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy said. "I mean, Tiger shot 12-under at Pebble Beach (to win the 2000 U.S. Open). If he could do that, someone could shoot double figures under par, if it's firm and fast and a bit of a breeze pops up a couple of days.

"It's less feasible than it was before, but I'm never going to say somebody out here can't do something."

Micheel says the task is even tougher for another reason.

"I think they've gotten more aggressive with the pin locations," he said. "So unless Tiger gets on a real hot roll, I think it would be very difficult to do that (shoot 278 or below). It's such a long golf course now. It's still as penal around the greens. I just think with the longer clubs into the greens that guys are going to play more conservatively."

It might not be this year, but Stewart Cink thinks a winner will easily finish in double digits in relation to par.

"If it's not too windy and the greens are fairly soft," he said, "there is no golf course that can't be beat to a pulp if the conditions are right, and Augusta National is one of those courses. It is a course that could be annihilated if the conditions are right. As good as everybody is nowadays, somebody could take it deep."

Reach David Westin at (706) 823-3224 or david.westin@augustachronicle.com.