TIGER WOODS will be shooting unheard of scores when he irons out the faults in his short game, according to the man who knows his game best.

Claude "Butch" Harmon, who has coached Woods for the last three years, said: "He's so used to just running at everything, and if the ball goes six feet past the hole he just makes the putt coming back.

"He must get a little better pace with his putting. His bunker play and wedge play must also get a lot better."

Harmon, a 53-year Texan and a former professional himself, claimed in an interview with Fore! magazine that Woods will take over golf when the different parts of his game come together.

"I think he'll win Major championships regularly," said Harmon. "I think he'll shoot scores that are unheard of. He has the ability to take over a course like nobody that plays it."

Woods' incredible long hitting was confirmed by statistics from Augusta as the 21-year-old averaged well over 300 yards off the tee during his runaway US Masters triumph more than 25 yards further than his nearest rival.

And Harmon confirmed Woods' natural ability was obvious from the time he first saw him hit a ball in earnest.

"He was the wildest driver I'd ever seen, said Harmon. "He hit the ball so far. I'd never seen raw talent like he had and felt if I had a chance I could really let this young man develop and mature into one of the best players in the game. And he's right on track to do that."

Harmon's work with Greg Norman, whom the 21-year-old has, long admired, persuaded him to seek advice from the coach in August 1993.

"He had just lost his second round match in the US Amateur Championship and because of my success with Greg he just came over and wanted to talk to me, said Harmon.

"I took him out, he hit a few balls and we just kind of hit it off personally. Tiger and I are very good friends."

Results were immediate, with Woods winning his next three amateur tournaments and Harmon is confident his winning run will continue.

"He still hasn't played four good rounds in a tournament," claimed Harmon. "That's hard to believe, but when he puts f9ur good ball-striking and Puttg rounds together it will be scary.

Woods' father Earl said his son wanted people to recognise the quality of his golf and not just the colour of his skin when his achievements are measured in years to come.

Woods' sensational victory at the US Masters has boosted the prospect of record crowds at this year's Open Championship at Royal Troon.

The tough links course on Scotland's west coast is the venue for what could be the third stage in Tiger's unique bid for the Grand Slam of all four major championships in one year.

And following the 21-year-old's record-breaking triumph, a new army of young golf fanatics are expected to line the fairways to see their hero in action.

Organisers are expecting over 150,000 people to attend the Open over the four-days of the event starting on July 17th.

Championship Secretary David Hill has welcomed "Tigermania" which he claims can only benefit the profile of the sport.

The last time the Open came to Royal Troon was in 1989 when flamboyant American Mark Calcavecchia triumphed in a three-way play-off with Greg Norman and Wayne Grady.

If Woods repeats his Augusta success in Scotland, he will be the fifth consecutive American winner at the Royal Troon course, following Arnold Palmer in 1962, Tom Weiskopf in 1973 and five-time winner Tom Watson in 1982.