SERGIO’S RATTLE ‘N’ ROLL

The four-time champion returns to Augusta this week as favourite with American bookies even though he has not played a Major for the last two years and had a fourth back operation last April.

Woods, now 42, was at the Masters last year only to attend the Champions

Dinner and talk of him winning a fifth crown would have been laughed at.

Faldo (right), who won three

Green Jackets, said: “You should ask Jack Nicklaus what Tiger said to him a year ago (at the Champions Dinner).

“I believe it’s not a secret, I think it’s out there. He said ‘That’s it, I’m done.’ Tiger was that negative.

“You would not have thought he could come back to the level he’s at SERGIO GARCIA has revealed he nearly stepped on a rattlesnake just days before winning last year’s Masters title.

The Spaniard finally won his first Major at Augusta last April when he saw off Justin Rose in a play-off.

But the Ryder Cup legend risked another suddendeath scenario the week before when hunting on his future father-in-law Marty Akins’ ranch in Texas.

The world No.9 (left) said: “I would literally have put my foot probably three inches left of it. Obviously we were wearing snake boots and everything, but you never know.

“If I step on it and it bites me, maybe I’m not even playing in Augusta. So I guess it was just one of those things that was meant to be.”

Wife Angela, who wed Garcia last summer, saved the day when she grabbed a gun and shot the snake.