Tiger Woods walks the fairways at Augusta National Golf Club this year with thoughts of a promising future.

Tiger Woods wipes sweat from his face as Mark O'Meara considers his shot during Tuesday's practice round. Caddie Steve Williams (center) has worked with Woods since 1999. (Michael Holahan/Staff)

Last year, his mind was consumed with his dying father, Earl Woods. Like a good son, Tiger tried to deliver one lasting memory. A faulty putter on Sunday prevented that.

"Last year was a lot more difficult than I was letting on, because I knew that was the last tournament he was ever going to watch me play," Woods said. "I just wanted to win one for his last time and didn't get it done, and it hurt quite a bit."

Halfway to Tiger Slam II, Woods seeks his fifth Masters Tournament title this week with preparing for his own family. He and his wife, Elin, are expecting their first child this summer.

"Heading into this year, a totally different mind-set," Tiger said. "I lost a father and then I'm going to be a father, so it's two different places in my life."

The world's No. 1 golfer enters his 13th Masters as the man to beat once again. He almost won the 2006 Masters after a brilliant ball-striking performance in the final round. Woods couldn't make a putt, however, and settled for a final-round 70 and a tie for third, three shots behind champion Phil Mickelson.

One month later, Earl Woods succumbed to cancer. Woods took a long layoff from golf and then missed his first cut in a major as a professional at the U.S. Open. Since then, he's been superb.

Woods has won 10 of 17 tournaments, including the British Open and the PGA Championship. This year alone, he's won two of five events and earned more than $2.6 million.

The 31-year-old Woods, who'll tee off at 1:52 Thursday afternoon with Paul Casey and Aaron Baddeley, began preparing for the Masters on Sunday. He said his focus isn't trying to win his third major in a row.

"(My) whole preparation is getting the ball in play and putting the ball on the correct parts of the green and getting the speed of these things," he said.

Much has changed since Woods' ground-breaking victory in 1997. The course has been stretched by more than 500 yards. He no longer bombs his drives on par-4 holes like Nos. 5, 11 and 18 and hits wedges into the greens.

"You know, we're back there a lot further, and the golf course is a lot narrower," he said. "They have added trees, made this golf course not just a second-shot golf course but a first-shot golf course as well."

In 1997, Woods forever changed golf's landscape with his blistering 18-under-par performance.

He completed the first Tiger Slam when he won his second Masters title in 2001 after winning the U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship titles in 2000.

Woods last won the Masters in 2005, a year sandwiched between Mickelson's two green jackets.

Woods is nearing Jack Nicklaus' stature as golf's all-time greatest player. Woods has won 12 majors (six short of Nicklaus), and another Masters victory this week would pull him within one of the Golden Bear in Augusta victories.

"I've hit the ball pretty well the last couple weeks," Woods said. "My practice sessions last week at home and so far this week have been ... I'm getting better each day."

Reach Chris Gay at (706) 823-3645 or chris.gay@augustachronicle.com.