Wednesday March 24, 2010, 06:33 PM

With six-time champion Tiger Woods out of action, someone new will be cashing the 1.044 million-dollar winner's check at the PGA Arnold Palmer Invitational that starts on Thursday.

Woods has not played since revelations of a sex scandal last November and his layoff will be nearly five months when he returns in two weeks at the Masters, the first major golf championship of the year.

Dramatic putts on the 72nd hole in each of the past two years delivered Woods his fifth and sixth career titles at Bay Hill in this 5.8 million-dollar event.

But this time, a host of rivals are on form in what will for many be their final tune-up before facing Woods at Augusta National Golf Club.

Colombia's Camilo Villegas has a victory and three top-10 finishes this season and, although his best finish at Bay Hill was a share of 44th in 2008, he has the confidence and skill to be a threat for the Palmer and Masters crowns.

"A great start to the year. I'm obviously excited about it," Villegas said on Wednesday. "It's early in the year. There's a long way to go. Just got to keep it going, keep having a good attitude and playing good golf."

Villegas, third on the US PGA money list, is especially excited to play in an event named after Palmer, the 80-year-old legend from a bygone era.

"It's special. It motivates you," Villegas said. "At the end of the day, you just want to follow his steps."

The South American star has been more concerned this year about keeping his attention on the challenges each week brings rather than looking at where he stands among his peers in winnings, birdies, driving distance and other areas.

"If you start looking at the standings, just raising the expectations, you are just changing the way you're approaching the season," Villegas said.

"I want to have a good attitude this year. I want to be focused. I want to give it my best. And I want to focus on the process. If I start looking at the results, I'll be more result-oriented than process-oriented. It hasn't worked for me in the past, so why do it?"

Villegas is also aware of the work Woods is putting in ahead of the Masters, including practice rounds at Augusta National on Monday and Tuesday.

"Come back and win the Masters? It would be a tough one. But I'm not the number one player in the world," Villegas said of Woods.

"Trust me, the guy is working. The guy is practising. The guy will be ready to play. He's a smart guy. He'll do everything he can to come back and win."

Phil Mickelson, who won at Bay Hill in 1997, is again a threat, as is fellow American Steve Stricker, the world number two and season money leader.

South Africa's Ernie Els, who won two weeks ago at Doral and has impressive results on all four courses where majors will be played this year, will round his game into shape at Bay Hill, which is back to a par-72 layout after three years at par-70.

"We're going to give them an opportunity to make birdies," Palmer said.

England's Justin Rose, winless in 156 US PGA starts, has played well in recent weeks, including a third at Miami.

American Nick Watney, fourth at Bay Hill last year and level-fourth last week at Innisbrook, could also be a threat for a title that appeals to every golfer, in part because Palmer presents the winner's prize.

"It's definitely something you would like to do," US veteran Davis Love said. "Every time I go to Bay Hill, just to hang around Arnold for a few minutes is pretty special. That in itself is worth it."

© 2010 AFP/sid