By Phil Casey, PA Sport, Augusta

Tiger Woods had some good news and some bad news for the 92 players trying to stop him from claiming an unprecedented third straight US Masters title on Thursday.

The good news is that he still remembers vividly how he played the front nine of Augusta National in 40 strokes back in 1997.

The bad news is he still went on to set a record winning total of 18 under par on his way to winning his first green jacket that year by a record winning margin of 12 shots.

Asked if he remembered what he was thinking when he walked off the front nine six years ago, Woods laughed: "Oh yes I do. I was pretty hot, I was definitely pretty hot.

"I hit a 2-iron down there on the 10th and I remember I made the swing that I was making in the practice rounds and in my warm up.

"And I said 'right, here's the deal.' Just make the same swing that you did on this tee shot all the way through the entire back nine and if I can somehow get it close to par, if not back to par, I'll be right where I need to be. I can still win the tournament.

"And then things got going. I chipped in on 12, which was a lot of luck, and from there I hit some good shots and I made everything."

The result was a back nine of just 30 shots, a first-round 70 that left him in fourth place, and a result never in doubt almost as soon as he took the lead in the second round.

Since completing the ninth hole in the first round in 1997, Woods is a total of 56 under par for the Masters with a string of results which reads first, eighth, 18th, fifth, first and first.

It is no wonder the world number one is an overwhelming favourite to rewrite the history books yet again with a third straight green jacket. Only Jack Nicklaus in 1967 and Nick Faldo in 1991 have had the chance, and failed, to do the same.

"I never felt intimidated by this course because when I first played it in 1995 I could really drive it a long way and there was absolutely no rough out here," Woods added.

"My biggest weakness was driving at the time. I could hit it for miles but I didn't know where it was going. And this course lent itself to that. The only thing hard for me at the time was my distance control.

"I wasn't very good at it but I knew then that if I could bomb it down there as far as I can, I figured I could shake a sand wedge on the green."

Since then, Woods has developed far greater control over his whole game while still being the longest player on tour, attributes which will be a massive advantage given the condition of the course.

Heavy rain has soaked Augusta National over the past few days - Monday's practice day was wiped out entirely - and Woods adjusted his practice at home last week accordingly after seeing the weather forecast.

"I was trying to make sure I can shape the ball both ways and I hit quite a few drivers because I knew what the forecast was going to be," added the 27-year-old.

"There aren't going to be as many 3-woods this year if it stays this wet."