By Mark Garrod, PA Golf Correspondent, Minnesota

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The strongest field ever assembled in golf tees off in the United States PGA championship in Minnesota tomorrow.

Ninety-eight of the world's leading 100 - a week ago it was all 100, but England's Paul Casey and Swede Pierre Fulke have now slipped outside - compete at the Hazeltine National course where Tony Jacklin won the 1970 US Open.

Many of them, of course, like Colin Montgomerie, Darren Clarke, Padraig Harrington and Sergio Garcia, are hoping this is the week they will achieve their first major, although no European has won this title since Tommy Armour way back in 1930.

But Tiger Woods, inevitably, presents the biggest stumbling block to their ambitions.

Blown off course in the Open at Muirfield last month, the world number one won a staggering 45th tournament in 151 starts as a professional on Sunday and still commands the stage like few before him - in any sport.

Nothing, but nothing, appears to deflect his focus away from capturing as many majors as he can. Not a Swedish beauty for a girlfriend and not the nearby "attraction" of the world's biggest shopping complex.

Asked if he would be visiting the Mall of America Woods replied: "House, course; course, house; house, course; course, house.

"That's kind of how the routine is. In the week of a major championship it's a little different. I don't really get out that much and I try to get my rest when I can.

"I don't really like to sightsee anyways, but I would like to see the Mall of America - even though I hate shopping!"

Not even Ryder Cup captain Curtis Strange could make Woods change the way he is getting ready for the final major of a season in which he has already won two out of three.

Strange had the idea of his team for The Belfry next month practising together. Ten responded, but Davis Love was not around and Woods stuck to his regular early morning round with Mark O'Meara and John Cook.

The world number one, trying to win the PGA crown for the third time in four years and in the process take his haul of majors to nine, laughs at the notion that Ernie Els' victory at Muirfield was good for the game.

"You know what, dude, I can't give that to you," he said when that view was put to him.

"I like winning majors, so I think I'm going to keep trying to do it.

"I have my own goals and that's to win. That's why I play. I love competing. I love winning championships and this is a championship I would love to win again."

His two previous victories in the event have been thrillers. In 1999 he had to withstand a challenge from Garcia - 19 at the time and brave enough to attempt (and pull off) a shot from the base of a tree which could have ended his career - and 12 months later Bob May rose to the occasion fantastically and took Woods to a play-off before losing.

His third round 81 at Muirfield, the worst round of his professional career, ended all hopes of the Grand Slam for this year, but Woods still has the chance to be the first golfer ever to win three majors in a season twice. Until 2000 only Ben Hogan had done it once.

Woods is paired with Open champion Els and defending PGA champion David Toms in the first two rounds and much of the sell-out crowd will doubtless be following them as they set off at 8.35am local time.

By then Garcia, Montgomerie, Ian Woosnam and Wales Open winner Paul Lawrie - the last European to win any major - will already be on the course.

Justin Rose starts his first major in America just after Woods, while late starters Clarke, Harrington, Nick Faldo and Lee Westwood will have a fair idea by the time they arrive of the standard being set.

At 7,360 yards Hazeltine is one of the longest lay-outs ever used for a major. But it does not quite hold the terrors of Bethpage for the US Open in June because the four par fives are 542, 586, 597 and, in the case of the third hole, 636 yards.

The shorter hitters should be able to reach all of the par fours and they will know unless they are playing downwind at least three of the par fives should be three-shot holes for everybody.

While Woods does not see the need to use his driver much again, Garcia is planning to let rip.

It is his putting, though, that the young Spaniard wants to see in full working order.

"I think it's just a matter of making a couple and getting some confidence. If I'm able to do that it should be fine," he said.

"I know what I can do. I know that if I'm playing well I can beat Tiger."

Els and Phil Mickelson are the two others who can say that with conviction at the moment. The rest pin a lot of their hopes on things not going well for Woods, as at Muirfield.

What golf has yet to see is someone going head-to-head with the world number one over the closing stretch and defeating him. However much Els' confidence, for instance, was boosted by winning the Open, imagine how much more it would swell if he did it by pipping Woods.