Major test awaits the best

Sergio Garcia will be relying on his driver in Atlanta

BBC golf correspondent Tony Adamson looks ahead to the start of the fourth Major of the year, the USPGA Championship, which starts Thursday at 1230 BST.

The common view is that the USPGA Championship is the fourth Major.

But at the Atlanta Athletic Club a fantastic field has gathered to play out four rounds on a magnificent course.

With 95 of the top 100 players in the world taking part it is the best field of the four Majors.

And the tournament is as well staged, if not better, than one or two of the other Majors.

The US Open and The Open can be a little bit staid and the Masters is invitational.

Woods gets back into the golfing groove in Atlanta

But the USPGA, which the American professionals regard as a very special event, has, over time, made it easier for foreign internationals to enter and the organisers recognise that golf is a global game and that's a credit to it.

In the Major stakes the USPGA has undoubtedly caught up and it is no longer the poor relation.

The real test for the players in Georgia is in the length of the course after the tremendous amount of rain that has fallen.

There is no run on the fairways and the weather forecasts are not promising over the weekend so the course will not firm up.

The driver will be to the fore and that plays into the lap of Tiger Woods.

Tiger hits the ball 330-yards which is beyond where the trouble is on the golf course and if he brings his A-game you would not bet against him.

But there are doubts, and not least in the world number one's own head.

Normally his confidence shines through, he is very positive and thinks he can win, but when he was asked if he felt he was the favourite he said he was "one of them".

Duval enjoys himself on the practice day in Atlanta

The defending champion has not lifted a club in anger for over three weeks, he last played on the last day of The Open and his last victory came in June so the chances are that somebody else will win.

There is no way in the world that you can take an iron off the tee and that eliminates three-quarters of the field straight away, so in terms of a winner you have to look at the big-hitters.

David Duval has gained huge confidence from winning The Open, and if you can win the US Open you can win the USPGA, so Retief Goosen is another player to look out for.

Woods, Duval and Goosen are grouped together over the first two rounds.

If this was five years ago when Colin Montgomerie was in his prime the course would be his for the taking but he will still think he can win.

However Europe's best chance probably lies with Spain's Sergio Garcia who is oozing with confidence and could produce something.

The Europeans have a big incentive in terms of Ryder Cup points, and for the benefit of his team selection, captain Sam Torrance will be hoping that either Garcia or Jesper Parnevik can win, or at least finish second or third.