FARMINGDALE, N.Y. - Before making Tiger Woods an immortal lock to win the 102nd U.S. Open here on the formidable Black Course at Bethpage State Park, consider this piece of minutia.

In his already legendary career, Woods has never won a major championship on a par-70 course.

That's zero wins in eight majors dating to the 1997 Open at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda. But Woods seems as daunted by this particular drought as he usually does by a downhill 10-footer for par.

Going for his eighth major title and trying to revive talk of another Grand Slam after winning the Masters in April, Woods said the longest course in Open history could ultimately be in his favor.

"Actually, I think it gives me more of an advantage, to be honest with you, because of the longer par-4s," Woods said yesterday. "If I drive the ball in play, I'm going to have shorter irons into the greens."

Sound familiar?

Some of the same questions were raised earlier this year when Augusta National was lengthened and toughened. With the Black Course playing at 7,214 yards, it, too, seems to favor a player who can hit the ball as long, high and straight as Woods.

"I think anybody who can hit the ball long and high is going to have an advantage, but you've still got to keep the ball in the fairway in order to have a chance to win the title," Woods said.

In some ways, Woods comes to this year's Open an even more prohibitive favorite than he was last year at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Okla. On another par-70 course, Woods struggled with an opening-round 74 and never was in contention before finishing tied for 12th.

He later acknowledged that his run of four straight majors that began in 2000 had burned him out. This year, Woods appears more refreshed, and the list of legitimate contenders looks to be shorter.

As is his nature, Woods downplays the hype that follows him.

"To be honest with you, the only thing I can do is go out there and play and give it my best," said Woods, 26. "Whether that puts higher expectations [on me], I don't know. I think that everyone here and the public is going to decide that. I come to every tournament and try to win, and that's what I'm going to try to do again this week."

Woods comes into the Open after a two-week break, opting to skip the Kemper Insurance Open after winning a tournament in Germany (in a playoff over Colin Montgomerie) and then tying for 22nd at the Memorial. It was his worst result in a regular-stroke PGA Tour event this season.

Asked about what he tried to accomplish during the break, Woods said: "I think it's just nice to get some rest and prepare, clear my mind and work on the things I need to work on without having any type of pressure of having to go out there and hit shots.

"When you're at a tournament, it's hard sometimes to work on things as well as play. I'm trying to get my game peaking toward the major championship and play well. ... I just like taking time off just to get rested."

Who can beat Woods here?

As happened last year with Retief Goosen of South Africa, who won in a playoff over Mark Brooks, there are players who might not be on the radar screen yet. Higher-ranked players, such as Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia of Spain, might be due to win their first majors.

"Of course, [Woods is] going to be one of the guys to beat, but I think there's going to be plenty out there," said Garcia, who was in contention last year but wound up tied with Woods after a final-round 77. "I think this course is going to make Tiger hit more drivers, and we'll see how he's hitting the driver."

Said Mickelson, who led during the final round last year before fading to a seventh-place tie with a 75: "As far as Tiger is concerned, it is a very difficult challenge to compete against him, because he is able to do things with the golf ball that not many can envision."

Mickelson, who'll turn 32 on Sunday, acknowledges the thought of beating Woods in a major is as motivational as breaking a skid of his own: 0-for-35 in majors as a pro.

"He pushes me in practice, pushes me in preparation for tournaments and pushes me to bring out my best tournament, so I really enjoy having the chance to play with him and play against him," said Mickelson, whose only victory this year came in his first event, the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

Former Open champion Johnny Miller, whose son, Andy, will be playing in his first Open, said Woods is intimidating.

"He has the ability to make people feel uncomfortable, not because he's not a nice guy," Miller said. "I guess that's the mark of a truly phenomenal player. It's not because of what he says or how he acts. It's just you can feel that he's better than you and he knows he's better than you."

And what about that winless streak at par-70 majors for Woods?

Even Mickelson says that's trivial.

"Kind of stretching it a little bit," he said. "Isn't it just trying to find angles?"