But who are the other leading, and not so leading contenders that will fight Woods for the coveted Jug?

Playing the first two rounds of the British Open with Woods will be Justin Rose of England, one of the hottest players in golf with two PGA Tour victories in his last three starts. Despite has never played the Open at St. Andrews, the 16th ranked Rose is hoping to be the first Brit since Nick Faldo in 1992 to win this event.

Phil Mickelson, who along with Tiger Woods, are the only two players with Top 10 finishes in each of the season's first two majors. However Lefty has not fared as well overseas with only one top-10 finish in 15 appearances as a professional at the Open Championship, and he missed last year's Open to tend to his ailing wife.

Graeme McDowell, the winner in last month's U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, will be taking aim at his second consecutive major tournament victory. The odds are not good but there is a precedent involving Pebble Beach and St. Andrews.

Since 1960, only three men have won both the U.S. Open and Open Championship in the same season: Tiger Woods, Tom Watson and Lee Trevino. Two of them -- Woods and Watson -- won their U.S. Open at Pebble Beach with Tiger pulling off the Pebble Beach/St. Andrews double.

McDowell tied for 5th when the Open was last held at St. Andrews in 2005. McDowell, who also won the Wales Open, is in the same group with two other U. S. Open champions, Geoff Ogilvy and Jim Furyk.

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