AUSTRALIA'S ADAM Scott is convinced he can challenge Tiger Woods - although he believes nobody can push the American on a regular basis.
The 27-year-old world number five has been tipped by coach Butch Harmon as the player most likely to challenge Woods, who romped to his eighth title in nine tournaments by winning the WGC-Accenture Matchplay Championship on Sunday.
"No pressure, right?" Scott joked with reporters ahead of the Johnnie Walker Classic, which starts this morning at the Arnold Palmer-designed DLF Golf and Country Club just outside New Delhi.
"Yes, I certainly have a desire to do that (challenge Woods)," he added. "I feel like I've developed a lot as a golfer over the last few years, and I feel like I've got the right attitude and the right mindset in place to give myself the best opportunity.
"Realistically, though, I don't see anybody challenging him week in, week out," he added. "I see the opportunity for a few players to have their moments when they can challenge him."
The winner of six titles each on the US PGA and European Tours is favourite to win the Classic at the DLF Golf and Country Club course, near New Delhi.
Graeme McDowell, Paul McGinley, Peter Lawrie and Damien McGrane are also in the field, chasing a first prize of €276,000.
Scott said he puts the US Masters ahead of the other three majors because he enjoyed playing at Augusta National.
"I really feel like I've got the game that can suit most places," he said. "I feel like I can adapt to conditions and, certainly, my game has developed a lot on links golf courses, so I don't mind playing the Open. But Augusta - maybe it suits my game a little better."
The Australian won his first European Tour event of the 2008 season when be blazed to a course record final round of 61 at the Qatar Masters in January.
He said it was tough to expect such a low score this week on a course whose undulating greens demand accurate approach shots.
South Africa's Anton Haig will focus on his swing rather than worry about his title defence. The 21-year-old produced an upset play-off win at the event in Phuket, Thailand, last year to replace Tiger Woods as the youngest winner of the tournament.
"I'm not going to put too much pressure on myself this week and want to enjoy it," Haig said. "It is always tough to come back and defend with the pressure."
Haig will be happy to ease into the background in the presence of names such as Vijay Singh, Colin Montgomerie and Miguel Angel Jimenez.
The event, co-sanctioned by the European, Asian and Australasia Tours, comes barely three weeks after the European Tour launched the Indian Masters in New Delhi.
China's 2007 Asian Tour money list winner Liang Wen-chong and India's Jeev Milkha Singh, Arjun Atwal and Jyoti Randhawa lead the Asian challenge.
Singh believes there is a lot more to come from Indian professionals following the recent success of his fellow countrymen on the international stage.
In addition to SSP Chowrasia's victory at the Indian Masters and Singh's runner-up finish at the Indonesian Open, five other Indians have had top-10 places at European and Asian Tour events in the past three weeks.
Singh, who has two victories on the European Tour, feels the increase of major events in the country has much to do with the emergence of the Indian pros.
"There's a lot of depth in Indian golf and also a lot of talent. I think that players are maturing up really well and are more comfortable playing with bigger players," said the 2006 Volvo Masters winner.
