Masters Predictions 2012: Tiger Woods' Experience at Augusta Will Lead to a Win

Nobody knows Augusta National better than Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, and out of the two of them, Tiger is playing better at the moment.

That familiarity is what will put Woods ahead of the pack at the 2012 Masters.

Tiger has been here and done that many a time. He's won four green jackets in his career, and for the first time in over two years, he has a good chance of winning another one.

He just has to play better than Mickelson and Rory McIlroy to do it—and if he does that, chances are he's playing better than the rest of the field at Augusta, too. 

After his practice round on Tuesday, Woods spoke to the media about his preparation—and his expectations—for his 18th Masters. According to him, everything is coming together for him at the perfect time. This won't be like his last few majors, which have been mired in disappointment and failure to meet great expectations.

He told ESPN.com's Bob Harig:

"

I certainly am excited about playing and really looking forward to getting out there and playing. I feel like I'm driving the ball much better than I have. I've got some heat behind it, and it's very straight. My iron game is improving. So everything is headed in the right direction at the right time.

"

For the first two rounds, Woods will be paired with Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez and South Korea's Sang-Moon Bae. The Las Vegas odds have him favored above all of his abundant competition—whether it be McIlroy, Mickelson, world No. 1 Luke Donald or American No. 1 Hunter Mahan—and there's a reason.

Woods, though he's in search of his first major since wining the 2008 U.S. Open, is still considered by many to be the best golfer in the world. It has been a while since Woods, once the most beloved athlete in the world, has been a true threat at the Masters.

For so long, it seems as though we all took for granted the fact that Woods would compete year in and year out, and now that it's finally the case again, there is an excitement in the air at Augusta that seems to have been missing throughout Woods' fall from grace. 

Woods is once again among the best of the best, and it's why he is the odds-on favorite to win. But now that he's closer to regaining his place atop the PGA world yet again, Woods isn't taking anything for granted, either.

He isn't skimping on the practice and preparation. Victory is close—closer than it has been in a long, long time—and he is doing everything to make sure it is his by the end of this weekend.

And it's not any tournament Woods wants to win. He wants to win at Augusta National, so much so that catching Jack Nicklaus on the all-time wins list means less to him.

Woods told Harig, "I'd like the green jacket more. I know the 73 [wins] would be a by-product of it, but I'm here for the green jacket."

Woods has been focused on this win since the moment he emerged victorious in the Arnold Palmer Invitational almost two weeks ago. It all comes down to his performance this weekend, and he is prepared for it.

He's ready to win, for the first time in a major since 2008, and by all indications, he will.