Players to watch

Tiger Woods

Age: 21

Height: 6-2

Weight: 155

Residence: Orlando, Fla.

College: Stanford

PGA Tour victories: 5

PGA Tour career earnings: $2,155,144 through Memorial

Best U.S. Open: Tied for 82nd last year

Highlights: Woods has raised interest among fans, and standards among competitors. Masters win was of historic proportions. First American minority to rule Augusta National, set records for scoring (18-under) and margin of victory (12 shots). Shooting for seventh consecutive national championship, won the U.S. Junior Amateur from 1991 to 1993, and U.S. Amateur past three years.

Did you know?: At age 2, Woods putted against Bob Hope on "The Mike Douglas Show."

Odds: 15-1

The skinny: If he hits it straight and putts decently, it could be over by Saturday.

Greg Norman

Age: 42

Height: 6-0

Weight: 180

Residence: Hobe Sound, Fla.

College: None

PGA Tour victories: 16

PGA Tour career earnings: $10,853,703 through Memorial

Best U.S. Open: Second in 1984 and 1995

Highlights: Only player with Top 10 finishes in three of four majors last year. His collapse at 1996 Masters was sixth runner-up finish in a major, but he doesn't feel the clock is ticking on his career because of rigorous conditioning routine. He has 71 wins worldwide but his only major victories came in the British Open, in 1986 and '93.

Did you know?: He named his Labrador retrievers after Australian beers.

Odds: 18-1

The skinny: Norman's play at Memorial means he is serious about being in the hunt again.

Tom Lehman

Age: 38

Height: 6-2

Weight: 190

Residence: Scottsdale, Ariz.

College: Minnesota

PGA Tour victories: 4

PGA Tour career earnings: $5,177,011 through Memorial

Best U.S. Open: Tied for second last year

Highlights: Player of the Year in 1996, when he had 13 Top 10 finishes and a record $1.78 million in earnings. Second in the 1994 Masters, third in the 1995 U.S. Open and second at the Open last year, finally broke through in a major last July with six-stroke win in British Open. First American to win at Royal Lytham & St. Anne's since Bobby Jones in 1926.

Did you know?: Lehman was the No.1 money-winner on the Nike Tour in 1991.

Odds: 20-1

The skinny: Second last year, third the year before, winning the British last summer was a big boost to his chances here.

Davis Love III

Age: 33

Height: 6-3

Weight: 175

Residence: Sea Island, Ga.

College: North Carolina

PGA Tour victories: 10

PGA Tour career earnings: $7,193,031 through Memorial

Best U.S. Open: Tied for second last year

Highlights: Earned PGA Tour card at 22. Has not gone more than two years without a win. Considered best player yet to win a major, endured close calls past two years. Lost 1995 Masters by stroke to Ben Crenshaw and bogeyed Nos. 17 and 18 to fall stroke short in last year's U.S. Open. Tied for fourth in the Open two years ago. Three wins in 1992, two in '93.

Did you know?: Love was born shortly after his father played in the 1964 Masters.

Odds: 20-1

The skinny: Long off the tee and strong around the greens, this could be the scene of his first major title.

Steve Elkington

Age: 34

Height: 6-2

Weight: 190

Residences: Sydney, Australia and Houston

College: Houston

PGA Tour victories: 8

PGA Tour career earnings: $6,192,766 through Memorial

Best U.S. Open: Tied for 21st in 1989 and '90

Highlights: Won twice on the Florida swing in March. Took Doral-Ryder Open, then romped at The Players Championship, joined Jack Nicklaus and Fred Couples as two-time winners there. Won 1995 PGA in a playoff over Colin Montgomerie and 1995 Vardon Trophy with a 69.62 scoring average.

Did you know?: Elkington is an accomplished caricaturist.

Odds: 20-1

The skinny: He has slowed a bit since fast start, but he demonstrated he could putt on bumpy greens when he won 1995 PGA.

Nick Faldo

Age: 39

Height: 6-3

Weight: 195

Residences: Orlando, Fla. and Welwyn Garden City, England

College: None

PGA Tour victories: 6

PGA Tour career earnings: $4,263,510 through Memorial

Best U.S. Open: Second in 1988

Highlights: Clutch reputation enhanced at 1996 Masters, when closing 67 -- and Norman's collapse to a 78 -- earned third title at Augusta National and sixth major. Tom Watson is only current PGA Tour regular with more majors. Nissan Open win in March was only his sixth on the PGA Tour, but he has 33 worldwide.

Did you know?: Faldo tried golf at 14 after seeing Jack Nicklaus on television.

Odds: 22-1

The skinny: Wants to add Open to his resume of six major titles so strongly that he arrived for a practice round 10 days ago.

Nick Price

Age: 40

Height: 6-0

Weight: 190

Residence: Hobe Sound, Fla.

College: None

PGA Tour victories: 15

PGA Tour career earnings: $8,431,028 through Memorial

Best U.S. Open: Tied for fourth in 1992

Highlights: Got back on winning track with win at MCI Classic at Harbour Town in April. World's premier player in 1993 and '94, piled up nine wins on PGA Tour and five overseas. In '94, took British Open and PGA, last two legs of Grand Slam. Missed cut in U.S. Open that year. Also won PGA in 1992.