Philip Reid argues that, while Woods is still hungry, the 29-year-old will struggle to top Nicklaus's 18 majors

Doesn't time fly? In the autumn of 1996, Tiger Woods went to play a US Tour event, the Milwaukee Open, for the first time for pay. "Hello world," he famously quipped. "Are you ready for me?"

By then, of course, the world was already waiting for this phenomenon, this out-of-this-world talent who was destined for greatness. It was ready, okay. It was simply a question of how great he would be. The greatest ever golfer?

Yes, he has been great, but that accolade of being the "greatest ever" has still to be afforded him.

In December, Woods turns 30. He's into his 10th year as a professional; and, still, the jury is out when the comparison is made with Jack Nicklaus, who has won more majors - 18 - than anyone in the history of the game.

By the time he was 30, Nicklaus had won seven majors. So, in stark terms, Woods, who has won eight thus far, is ahead of the plot in chasing down the Golden Bear's total.

From now on, though, the road can only get more difficult.

True, Woods has another four majors in 2005, starting with next week's US Masters at Augusta National, in which to make further inroads on Nicklaus before he turns 30. However, when he drives down Magnolia Lane, it will be as the world's number-two-ranked golfer, behind Vijay Singh, and without the intimidation factor that was so evident when he dominated the game from 1999 through 2002, when he won seven of 11 majors. That was a time when Woods truly and utterly dominated.

Pertinently, when Woods went seven for 11 in majors in that stretch where it seemed he was invincible, the one thing lacking was genuine rivalry; the rest of the world's top players weren't playing to the desired level. It seemed he had a psychological edge, as well as a playing edge, on those ranked behind. He was firmly "inside the heads" of Els and Mickelson and Singh, and David Duval, who had appeared to be a realistic challenger to Woods's dominance, went AWOL in effect once he accomplished his own dream of winning a major.

The most compelling majors involving Woods were the 1999 US PGA Championship, when he held off a 19-year-old Sergio Garcia; the 2000 US PGA, when he defeated Bob May in a play-off; and the 2002 US PGA, when he lost to Rich Beem. Other than that, for the most part, his victories have been routs, albeit with the crowds in awe due to his near-perfection.

Instances? When he won his first US Masters in 1997, it was by 12 shots over Tom Kite. When he won the US Open at Pebble Beach in 2000, it was by 15 shots from Miguel Angel Jimenez and Els. When he won the British Open at St Andrews in 2000, it was by eight shots from Els and Thomas Bjorn.

These days, Woods isn't having it quite his own way.

Yes, he has won twice on the US Tour this season, bringing his career total to 42, more than halfway to the record 82 wins set by Sam Snead, and has a tour-record career earnings of over $47 million. But he has also lost the past two PGA Tour money titles to Singh and, this year, is trailing Phil Mickelson. The majors "slump", if it can be called that, which has seen him fail to win a major since the 2002 US Open at Bethpage, is also something to be addressed.

Those two wins this season, and especially his final-round duel with Mickelson in last month's Ford Championship at Doral, confirmed Woods's motivation is as strong as ever.

"I had a lot of work last year and it took a while, but, as you saw, toward the end of last year, each and every tournament I got better. Finally, going over to Japan (where he won the Dunlop Phoenix Open) I put all the pieces together," recalled Woods.

Ironically, if he is to go on and break Nicklaus's record of major wins, Woods's greatest adversary, Singh, could provide the inspiration. After all, the Fijian has won more tournaments since he turned 40 than he did before reaching that milestone.

Remarkably, Nicklaus, who won the last of his US Masters when aged 46 in 1986, actually wants Woods to have a run at beating his record, believing it would be good for golf if it were to happen.

"The future depends on Tiger," said Nicklaus. "If he decides he wants to compete and if he's healthy over the next 10 or 15 years, he has the ability to pass my records."

Nicklaus, however, did add a caveat: that Woods might succumb to the emotional desire to have a family, which can take even the most determined player away from the practice range and reduce his tournament schedule.

In making comparisons between Woods and himself, Nicklaus said the main difference was that he passed Bobby Jones's record of 13 majors by the time he was 35.

Given that players like Singh, Els, Mickelson and Retief Goosen - the other member of the so-called "Big Five" - are no longer intimidated by his presence, Woods is likely to still have Nicklaus's record to beat by the time he reaches that age.

"My desire past 35 went down a little bit," Nicklaus said. "Once I passed Jones's record, I eliminated the mountains to climb. As much as you'd like to climb them, you didn't work as hard to climb them. Tiger might have more purpose, be more single-minded, and he works harder. I had distractions, but I liked my distractions. They were my family."

But Nicklaus believes Woods's quest to break Snead's record number of wins on the US Tour and his own majors record would captivate golf. "I'd root for him. It'd be great for the game of golf, but would it be the best thing for Tiger? I don't know."

Breaking Nicklaus's record of 18 professional majors was always an aspiration for Woods. In stark statistical terms, he is slightly ahead of schedule. Were he to win one or more major title this season, he'd be very much on target to accomplish that objective.

On Monday evening last, Woods left the Players at Sawgrass with his worst finish since 1999, but immediately stated he would leave the experience behind him. Even then, Augusta beckoned; and it is a place that has been good to him, for the most part, in the near-decade since he first exploded on to the scene. Will it mark another chapter in his quest to overtake Nicklaus?

Woods v Nicklaus

Tiger Woods will turn 30 later this year and is in his 10th professional season. His idol, Jack Nicklaus, had played nine professional seasons by his 30th birthday.

Here is Woods's record, compared to Nicklaus's at age 30:

Nicklaus ... Woods

Victories 30 42

Majors 7 8

Money Titles 4 5

Tiger Woods at the US Masters

1995* T-41st ... 293 (+5)

1996* missed the cut

1997 1st ... 270 (-18)

1998 T-8th ... 285 (-3)

1999 T-18th ... 289 (+1)

2000 5th ... 284 (-4)

2001 1st ... 272 (-16)

2002 1st ... 276 (-12)

2003 T-15th ... 290 (+2)

2004 T-22nd ... 290 (+2)

*Amateur