By Mark Garrod, PA Sport Golf Correspondent, Long Island

The time has come for Tiger Woods's main rivals to stand up and be counted.

One by one at the Masters in April they shot themselves in the foot and enabled Woods a far easier ride to his seventh major title than he had any right to expect.

Now they have all assembled again for the US Open starting at Long Island's Bethpage Black tomorrow.

And while their first pre-occupation is how to handle what Nick Faldo today described as "a monster diamond - as tough a course as we've ever seen", it is how they measure up to Woods that could take over as the main issue.

The world number one, naturally, has his sights on completing stage two of his bid to win all four majors in one season, one of the few things left in the sport for him to accomplish.

But players like Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Ernie Els and Colin Montgomerie are all out to stop him and conquer not just him, but also the course and the one championship which annually is the golfing equivalent of a torture chamber.

Garcia, with Martina Hingis again around this week to see if he can claim his first major, said: "I think this is probably the most nerve-wracking tournament in the world.

"The Masters also gets you up there on your nerves because you have some really tough shots into the greens, but in this it's everything.

"When you're on the tee you're thinking 'Jeez, I'd better hit it in the fairway'.

"When you're in the fairway you're thinking 'I've got to hit a good shot to the right spot'. And then the greens are usually really fast and quite slopey.

"If the wind blows at the British Open it gets really rough, but playing without wind anywhere in the world I think this is the toughest."

Woods appeared to have everybody under his spell at Augusta, but they have not yet reached the point of saying they are playing for second.

"Of course Tiger is going to be one of the guys to beat," added Garcia. "But I think this course is going to make him hit more drivers and we'll see how he's hitting it.

"I won't say that Tiger intimidates me. I always enjoy the thrill of playing with the best player in the world and I know what I can do and I know that if I'm on top of my game I can beat anybody."

Mickelson, the world number two who has had top 10 finishes in five of the last six majors without winning one of them, is of the same opinion.

"I think there are a number of wonderful players in the world and I think the state of the game is very healthy," said Mickelson, whose 32nd birthday is on Sunday.

"As far as Tiger is concerned, it is a very difficult challenge to compete against him because he is able to do things with the golf ball that not many can even envision.

"A lot of people see that as a difficulty and it is, but it's also a wonderful challenge to be able to play against potentially the greatest player of all time or the game has seen so far.

"I've heard people mention 'Oh, it must be difficult being born in that same era'.

"I don't see it that way. I see it as a wonderful opportunity to play with him, against him and try and beat him.

"It's been difficult to have success against him. I've been fortunate the few times I've had success, but what an opportunity.

"It pushes me in practice, pushes me in preparation for tournaments and pushes me to bring out my best, so I really enjoy having the chance to play with him and against him."

If Mickelson can avoid the putting nightmares which he does seem prone to at important moments the Bethpage lay-out ought to suit him, separating as it surely will the great from the good.

"I've had some wonderful chances coming down the stretch and this is a tournament I very much want to win," said the left-hander.

"I feel like I've played some of my better golf in these tournaments - I just haven't had the break or two that I need to come through and win."

Like Mickelson, Garcia had a golden chance last year when Woods was for once too far back to matter. He closed with a 77.

"I was too aggressive probably," said the 22-year-old Spaniard. "I thought that I needed more than what I really needed (a 70 would have put him in the play-off which saw Retief Goosen beat Mark Brooks) and that's why I ended up shooting what I shot.

"I had a couple of bad breaks on the first five holes, but I also probably tried to attack some pins that maybe I shouldn't. Instead of making pars or birdies I ended up making bogeys.

"But you never know what's going to happen. You always try your best and sometimes it comes out right and sometimes it doesn't.

"But I always like tournaments that play hard, where the winning score is a high score. I can't wait to see what happens this week."

Even before the Woods era the United States Open was not a happy hunting grounds for Europeans. Tony Jacklin was the last winner in 1970.

Montgomerie, twice a runner-up behind Els in 1994 and 1997, has the game to go one better one of these times, but this may not be the place.

Not because of the course, but because of the New York crowds.

The issuing of "Be Nice To Monty" badges might be a well-meaning attempt to head off hecklers, but it also draws attention to the problems he has had in the past.

If he does get into contention there are bound to be those who just can't resist a bit of baiting.