WILL WOODS WIN AGAIN?; TIGER'S FAVORED AT TROON.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

Tiger Woods grabbed a wedge, plopped a ball on the practice tee at Royal Troon and took a hard swing with a short follow through, sending a low shot boring through the wind.

He followed that wind-beater with another and another, hitting shots less likely to get blown astray by the almost constant wind off the Firth of Clyde on western Scotland's Ayrshire coast.

Woods arrived at Troon on Monday, landing at nearby Prestwick airport an hour before noon, and before the jet engine had time to cool was practicing the shots needed to win the British Open.

Just moments earlier, Steve Elkington - a top contender in the 126th Open that starts on Thursday - was talking about the effect of the wind on Woods.

``He's a high-ball hitter,'' Elkington said, implying Woods could have trouble if the weather turned nasty. Then a slight grin crept over Elkington's face.

``He's probably been working on a punch shot all week and he probably has it down pat,'' Elkington said, not knowing that barely before the words were out of his mouth Woods would be practicing exactly that shot.

Woods, who played in Spain on Sunday with several other possible members of the U.S. Ryder Cup team, teed off for his first practice round at Troon shortly before 1 p.m. with Mark O'Meara, John Cook and Dudley Hart.

It was Woods' first chance since last year's British Open at Royal Lytham - when he set the amateur scoring record - to put the low knock-down shots into practice on a true links course.

``He hit a lot of them out there today,'' his coach, Butch Harmon, said after Woods finished his practice round.

``He's very comfortable with them,'' Harmon said. ``He's got great touch and that's what you need to hit it,'' he said about the low shots played with an abbreviated swing.

If the weather is calm this week - as it was at Lytham - Woods will be able to swing freely with the driver as he did in winning the Masters by 12 strokes.

``He just has to be the favorite this week because he hits the ball so far,'' Elkington said, adding that some hazards at Troon aren't hazards for Woods.

``Some of those bunkers, I mean they are out there 250 yards,'' Elkington said. ``He wouldn't even notice those bunkers if there was a guy lying dead in there.''

Then, referring to the rough that was exceptionally deep in some places, Elkington stated the obvious.

``He has to put the ball in the fairway,'' Elkington said. That was something Woods didn't do often enough in finishing 19th at the U.S Open last month.

One decision facing Woods this week will be whether to try to drive the first three holes - par-4s ranging between 364 yards and 391 yards.

``It's almost like playing two courses,'' Elkington said. ``Once you get to No. 8,'' he said, stopping and shaking his head to indicate how difficult the course is over the last 11 holes.

``Ten and 11 are the two hardest tee shots you have to play all year,'' he said. ``The 13th is probably the hardest hole you've ever seen,'' he said about the 465-yard par-4.

``(Tom) Weiskopf said when he won here (in 1973) he never reached that green in two,'' Elkington said.

In addition to Woods, Elkington rated Colin Montgomerie, Ernie Els, Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, Nick Price and Tom Lehman as the top contenders this week - ``The best ball-strikers,'' he called them.

``All the top players are playing well,'' Elkington said. ``That's the way Ernie and all those guys feel. They don't feel anyone can beat them.''

Tiger Woods just might have the shots to beat them all.

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1--color) Tiger Woods drives off the 18th tee during a practice round at the Royal Troon Golf Club.

(2) Tiger Woods chips a ball onto the 8th green during a British Open practice round Monday.

Associated Press