Although the 27-year-old American has not won a major since he clinched last year's tournament by three shots at Bethpage State Park's Black Course, both he and his swing coach Butch Harmon are convinced his game is right where it needs to be.

"I'm pleased with the way I have been practicing, hitting the ball on the range and playing on the golf course," said the world number one, who has had to reduce his tournament schedule this season following knee surgery last December.

"I'm close to getting the swing where I need to have it. Things are starting to show some real positive signs and I am pleased about that."

Harmon is even more upbeat and believes Woods is very close to his ball-striking form of 2000, when he won the last three majors of the year in record-breaking style.

"I'm not sure anyone will dominate the game the way Tiger did in 2000, but I do expect him to win (this week)," said the American swing guru.

"We were looking at a film of his swing in 2000, and I think it is (now) almost back to the way it was then, when he swung at his best.

"We always use 2000 as the barometer, and I think the best he ever played in terms of ball-striking was at that year's Open championship at St Andrews."

BLEW AWAY

Woods blew away the field by a staggering 15 strokes to win his first U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in 2000 and then coasted to victory in the British Open the following month with a 19-under-par total of 269, a tournament and major championship record with regard to par.

Three years on, Woods does not enjoy the same level of dominance over his rivals but, remarkably, he will be chasing his ninth career major title this week, and his fourth win of 2003 in nine starts.

He has played several practice rounds over the par-70 North Course layout in recent weeks, and is expecting the layout to provide "a heck of a test".

"You'll see somebody go low early because the opening holes are so short, but the closing holes are something else," he said.

"Anyone who is hitting the ball well has a chance to win the U.S. Open. You can't flap it around there and expect to win the title. You've got to hit the ball well."

Six-times major winner Nick Faldo, who has secured top-10 placings at two of the last three U.S. Opens, described Olympia Fields as a course that would reward accuracy.

"It's not overly long and it's positional, and that definitely opens it up for the rest of the field," said the 45-year-old Englishman.

"It won't be a case of having a half dozen (big hitters) only having a chance."

In keeping with U.S. Open tradition, title-holder Woods will be playing the first two rounds with the British Open champion, Ernie Els, and the U.S. amateur champion, Ricky Barnes.

TOP TWO

This means the world's top two players will be going head-to-head over the first two days.

Els signalled he could provide a genuine challenge to Woods at this year's majors after winning four titles in his first five starts of the season, and the South African believes he is in good shape.

"I feel like my game is really close to where it was when I was winning tournaments at the start of the season," said Els, who won the U.S. Open at Oakmont in 1994 and at Congressional in 1997.

"My swing is really good at the moment, and I just need my short game to work for me this week."

Other genuine challengers this week include 1997 U.S. PGA champion Davis Love III, a three times winner this year, left-handed Mike Weir, who won the U.S. Masters in April, twice major champion Vijay Singh and Kenny Perry, who won back-to-back titles on the 2003 PGA Tour.