- Arjun Atwal
US Open
Venue: Pebble Beach, California Dates: 17-20 June
Coverage: Live text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobile phones, with updates on BBC Radio 5 live and live coverage from 2200 BST On Sunday; also live on Sky Sports
Tiger Woods is "very close" to his best form as he prepares for this week's US Open at Pebble Beach, according to his practice partner Arjun Atwal.
The pair are neighbours in Florida and often play together and Atwal is amazed at the improvement in Woods's game.
"His practices have been really good the last couple of weeks at home. Every day it has got better," said Atwal.
"He feels he is very close. It is just a matter of when the bell goes off if he can do it then. I think he will."
World number one Woods has failed to return to his own high standards since returning to the golf circuit in April after a self-imposed exile of five months following revelations of his marriage infidelities.
The American tied for fourth at the Masters in April in his first tournament back, but missed the cut at the Quail Hollow Championship, withdrew from the final round of the Players Championship because of a neck injury and tied for 19th at the Memorial tournament following a three-week break.
However, Indian Atwal, who has won seven Asian Tour titles and three events on the European Tour, feels Woods is in the right frame of mind to add to his 14 major victories.
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"He is close, very close," said Atwal. "In fact, yesterday (Sunday) was a lot better and then today (Monday) got a lot better than yesterday. It's amazing the improvement."
Woods will need a decent showing at the coastal Pebble Beach course in California if he is to extend his spell as world number one beyond his current five-year run.
He spent five unbroken years as the leading golfer in the world between August 1999 and September 2004 before swapping the title with Fiji's Vijay Singh several times over the following six months.
Woods took over the mantle again on 12 June, 2005 but in recent months Phil Mickelson has been closing in.
The left-handed American, who won a third Masters title this year, will usurp Woods if he wins the US Open.
Mickelson, who turns 40 on the eve of Thursday's opening round, has never won the year's second major, but has finished second on five occasions.
And second place on his own this year would be enough to catapult him to the top of the world rankings if Woods finishes outside the top four.
Should Woods make the cut but finish outside the top 18, Mickelson would need to finish no worse than third on his own, and if Woods misses the cut, his countryman would need to finish no worse than a two-way tie for third to lead the rankings.
Lee Westwood has been drawn to play with Woods in the opening two rounds and the Englishman, who won his first PGA Tour title in 12 years with victory in the St Jude Classic in Memphis on Sunday, will finish the US Open as world number two if he can win and Mickelson finishes outside the top four.
Currently ranked at number three, Westwood will be buoyed by his recent form and the fact he has finished third, third and second in the last three majors.
He was also third at the US Open in 2008 and was tied for fifth in 2000, the last time the tournament was held at Pebble Beach.
But a slightly sobering thought for both Westwood and Mickelson is that Woods won the US Open at Pebble Beach by a record 15 shots 10 years ago.
His 12-under-par total was 17 shots better than Westwood, while Mickelson was joint 16th on nine over.
Pebble Beach has, though, been lengthened by 194 yards since then and toughened up with new greens, changes to 11 bunkers and the reshaping of fairways and rough.BBC Online.
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