SAN DIEGO, California (AFP) - Sore knee or no, rivals expect Tiger Woods to be at his formidable best when the 108th US Open golf championship tees off Thursday at Torrey Pines.

"I have no idea what's going on with his knee," 2006 US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy of Australia said. "All I know is, he doesn't tee it up unless he thinks he can win."

That was the message delivered this week by Woods himself, who underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair cartilage damage in his left knee shortly after his runner-up finish to Trevor Immelman at the Masters in April.

The US Open, after a nearly nine-week layoff, marks his return to competition, and the resumption of the 13-time major champion's quest to surpass Jack Nicklaus's record of 18 major crowns.

Although he admitted the knee might not be 100 percent recovered, Woods said he was ready to play, and his challengers believe that.

"He turns up at Torrey Pines every year after eight weeks off and wins by six (strokes)," Ogilvy said of the Buick Invitational PGA Tour event, which Woods customarily makes his opening tournament of the year, and which he has won six times.

One of those victories, in 2003, came after Woods had missed nearly two months in the wake of December 2002 surgery to remove fluid and benign cysts in the same knee.

Last year, Woods won his Target Invitational post-season event after a 10-week break.

"I think that he has come back from injury and won the first week back in the past," said world No.2 Phil Mickelson, a San Diego native whose own prior success at Torrey Pines puts him squarely in the frame this week.

"He has had huge layoffs and come back and won. He takes a bunch of time off before his tournament in LA, and he comes out and he wins.

"I just don't see how it's going to have a negative effect on him," Mickelson added. "Players in any sport have to deal with injuries sometimes. I just can't see a player make adjustments easier than Tiger. I just don't think it will be a problem."

Two years ago, Woods made his return at the US Open after a lengthy break during which his father died.

He missed the cut at Winged Foot, but has said recovery from this physical problem bears no resemblance to that emotional time.

"The last time he didn't play between the Masters and US Open he missed the cut, but that was a different kettle of fish - and he did win the next two majors after that," Ogilvy said.

Jim Furyk, the 2003 US Open champion, said it would be difficult for any player to dominate after such an absence - but if anyone could do it it would be Woods.

"I think it's difficult to take the amount of time he's had off, to come to a US Open and expect to go out there and dominate a golf tournament as he has dominated golf," Furyk said.

"That being said, anything he does anymore doesn't surprise anyone, so I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case.

"Last time he had time off, I remember him coming to San Diego and whipping the field. So I wouldn't surprised if it happened again."

"He'll be fine, don't worry," said Masters champion Trevor Immelman of South Africa.

Spain's Sergio Garcia said he didn't believe the injury dented Woods's status as favorite.

"Not at all," Garcia said. "It's like Big Brown, even with a crack he was still the favorite."

Reminded that Big Brown, the colt who went into last Saturday's Belmont Stakes with a chance to claim the Triple Crown, was pulled up and finished last in the eight horse field, Garcia was unmoved.

"He's still a top-10," he said.