(CNN) Tiger Woods hasn't played since that miraculous Masters win last month but he says he is physically fresh and mentally ready to launch his quest for a 16th major title.

The 43-year-old is the betting favorite for the year's second major at this week's PGA Championship at Bethpage -- moved from August to a new slot in May -- after clinching his fifth Green Jacket and first major title for 11 years after overcoming career-threatening back injuries and personal issues.

Woods' comeback has electrified the sport of golf again and reignited his pursuit of Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors, and Bethpage's infamous Black course is a venue he knows intimately after winning the 2002 US Open on the Long Island track.

"I wanted to play at Quail Hollow [in early May] but to be honest with you I wasn't prepared to start the grind again, I wasn't mentally ready to log the hours," Woods told reporters at Bethpage Tuesday.

"Coming here is a different story."

Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows Tiger Woods clinched his fifth Masters and 15th major title with victory at Augusta in April. Hide Caption 1 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows The former world No. 1 had not won the Masters since 2005, and it was his first major win since 2008. Hide Caption 2 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows A month after winning the Masters, Woods received the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, from President Donald Trump. Hide Caption 3 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows Woods won the season-ending Tour Championship in September 2018. It was his first title in five years following a succession of back injuries. Hide Caption 4 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows Signs that Woods was back to his best were obvious at August's PGA Championship, where he finished runner-up to Brooks Koepka. It followed an impressive showing at July's British Open, where he briefly topped the leaderboard. Hide Caption 5 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows Woods made an impressive return to competitive golf in 2018 after multiple back surgeries in recent years. He played his first Masters in three years in April 2018. Hide Caption 6 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows The four-time champion had back fusion surgery -- his fourth procedure -- in April 2017 and returned to the game pain-free in December. He finished tied 32nd at Augusta. Hide Caption 7 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows Woods was touted as one of the favorites after impressing in his early-season events. He also set tongues wagging by playing a practice round with old rival Phil Mickelson, right. Hide Caption 8 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows Woods finished tied second at the Valspar Championship in March 2018 and followed it up with a tie for fifth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. The hype needle moved into overdrive. Hide Caption 9 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows Woods set out on his legendary path by becoming the youngest winner of the Masters -- at 21 -- with a record 12-shot win in 1997. Hide Caption 10 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows One of his most remarkable feats was winning his first US Open by an unprecedented 15 shots at Pebble Beach, California, in 2000, sparking a streak never seen before or since. Hide Caption 11 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows Woods' victory in the 2001 Masters meant he held all four of golf's major titles at the same time, dubbed the "Tiger Slam." Hide Caption 12 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows Woods' win rate, his dedication to fitness training and his desire to succeed were changing golf. Prize money rocketed because of Woods. Off the course, he married girlfriend Elin Nordegren in 2004. Hide Caption 13 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows Woods showed rare emotion when he broke down in tears on the shoulder of caddie Steve Williams following his win in the 2006 British Open at Hoylake, months after his father and mentor Earl passed away. Hide Caption 14 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows Despite being visibly hampered and in pain from a knee injury, Woods won the US Open in breathtaking fashion at Torrey Pines, California, in 2008. It was his 14th major title to leave him only four behind the record of Jack Nicklaus. He was later diagnosed with knee ligament damage and two fractures of his left tibia. He missed the rest of the season after surgery. It is still his last major title. Hide Caption 15 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows In December 2009, Woods crashed his car into a fire hydrant outside his home. As the big picture emerged it was discovered Woods had been conducting a series of extra martial affairs. He took three months away from the game to sort out his private life. Hide Caption 16 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows In February 2010 Woods addressed the world's media to explain and apologise for his actions. His infidelity led to divorce and was the beginning of a downhill slide in Woods' playing career. By October he lost the world No. 1 ranking, a position he had held for 281 consecutive weeks Hide Caption 17 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows Back in the fold, Woods earned his first win in two years at the Chevron World Challenge in December 2011, a charity tournament he hosts that does not count on the PGA Tour money list. Hide Caption 18 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows Woods was back in the winner's circle in 2013, lifting five titles, including the Arnold Palmer Invitational, to get back to the top of the rankings. Hide Caption 19 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows In March 2013, Woods and Lindsey Vonn announced they were dating on Facebook. In January that year, the champion skier had finalized her divorce from Thomas Vonn, after initializing proceedings in 2011. In May 2015, Woods and Vonn announced their breakup, with the golfer claiming he "hadn't slept" in the days following. Hide Caption 20 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows Later in 2013 there were signs all was not well as Woods was seen to be in pain as he picked the ball out of the hole at the Barclays tournament in August. He missed the Masters the following April for the first time since 1994 to undergo back surgery. Hide Caption 21 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows Woods pulled out of the Farmers Insurance Open in February 2015, and struggled with injury and form for the rest of the season. Hide Caption 22 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows Woods cut a dejected figure at that year's US Open as he struggled with his game and carded rounds of 80 and 76 to miss the cut. Hide Caption 23 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows In August 2015 Woods made his last appearance for 15 months to undergo follow-up back surgeries. At one stage during his rehabilitation, Woods spoke of there being "no light at the end of the tunnel" -- and with one eye on his fading career, he suggested "everything beyond this will be gravy." Hide Caption 24 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows Woods made a much-anticipated return to golf in December 2016, showing signs of promise with the highest number of birdies in the field -- 24 -- but he also made a number of costly errors to finish third from last in the 18-man event. Hide Caption 25 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows He missed the cut in his first event of 2017 in the US and pulled out after the first round of the Dubai Desert Classic in February, citing back spasms. He underwent a fourth back prodecure in April. Hide Caption 26 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows The golf legend was arrested Monday, May 29, on suspicion of driving under the influence. He was booked into a local jail in Florida and released a few hours later. He said in a statement he had "an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications." Hide Caption 27 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows In August Woods entered a first-offender program and pleaded guilty to reckless driving on October 28. He will avoid jail unless he commits major violations of his probation. Hide Caption 28 of 29 Photos: Tiger Woods: From highs to lows Woods returned to golf after 301 days at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas on November 30 2017. He carded a three-under first-round 69 and appeared pain-free and hungry to resume his career. Hide Caption 29 of 29

Olympic dreams

Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson was one of a number of players who waited to congratulate Woods at Augusta and he told CNN's Don Riddell it was "overwhelming" and "crazy to watch."

"We were watching a great champion -- he could be considered the greatest of all time -- and even after all the stuff he's went through and his body's went through, he keeps proving it," said Watson.

"It's an amazing ride and to be a part of the field and also to be able to shake his hand and talk to him, it was pretty special."

Woods hopes his 15th major title can have the same springboard effect as his second major, which came more than two years after his stunning breakthrough triumph at the 1997 Masters.

"It just helped keep the momentum growing," said Woods, who recently visited the White House to receive the Presidential Medal of Honor from US President Donald Trump.

"It was a big moment to kick start what transpired."

World No. 6 Woods insists he still has to manage his back after undergoing spinal fusion surgery in April 2017, and says some days he has "more range of motion" than others, meaning he spends more time on his short game than anything else.

Whether his Masters win paves the way for another period of dominance "remains to be seen," says Woods, but he is firmly focused on contending again in the big events, including next year's Olympics in Tokyo.

"Would I like to play in the Olympics? Yes," he said. "That would be a first for me and certainly I would welcome it if I was part of the team."

JUST WATCHED Bubba Watson on Tiger Woods' 2019 Masters win. Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Bubba Watson on Tiger Woods' 2019 Masters win. 03:45

'Energy and buzz'

The last time Woods didn't play between the year's first two majors was in 2008 when he returned to win a remarkable US Open on what was later diagnosed as a broken leg.

And the last time he won the first two majors of the year -- in 2002 -- the courses were Augusta National and Bethpage Black. However, playing the Black in the cool, wetter conditions of May in a US PGA is a different story to the tight, fast set-up of a US Open in June.

"When we came here in 2002 this was one of the biggest ballparks you've ever seen and it's got bigger," he added.

"In order to win this one driving is going to be at the forefront with the rough as lush as it is."

Watson insists the sports world will be glued to the next chapter of the Woods story this week, and says his return to the New York area as a major champion again will have the already boisterous crowds at fever pitch.

"The atmosphere alone, just being around Tiger and Tiger's group is going to be overwhelming, the energy and the buzz that's going to be up here," added Watson. "It's going to be a joy to be a part of. But you want to knock him off the pedestal."

The famous sign warning golfers contemplating tackling Bethpage Black.

Bethpage rediscovered

The Black was opened in 1936, as one of the now five public courses in Bethpage State Park on Long Island. Designed by noted architect A.W. Tillinghast, it long had a reputation as a formidable course, but by the early 1990s it had fallen into some disrepair.

David B. Fay, executive director of the United States Golf Association (USGA), had heard rumors of its greatness and knew the tales of golfers sleeping in their cars overnight to get a tee time.

Intrigued, he pulled in on a whim one November afternoon in 1994. Seeing beyond the fraying bunkers and poor condition of the course, he had his epiphany when he reached the tee of the tree-lined par-five fourth hole with its famous cross bunkers and elevated fairway on the other side.

"That's when I knew," Fay is quoted as saying in John Feinstein's book "Open," the story of how the US Open came to the Black.

"Right there, it hit me."

There were myriad obstacles -- "a million ifs" -- in the way, but Fay drove away convinced the Black could be a US Open venue.

Fast-forward to 2002, and Bethpage Black became the first publicly owned and operated course to host the US Open.

Woods was the only player to break par for the tournament, winning the 102nd US Open by three shots from Phil Mickelson for his eight major title. Bethpage held the event again in 2009 when Lucas Glover won and has since held two PGA Tour events. It is also set to host the Ryder Cup in 2024.

Grand Slam quest

While Woods's tilt at a 16th major is the biggest story in town, other notable narratives could come to the fore. Jordan Spieth is making his third attempt at clinching the career grand slam of all four major titles.

Having won the Masters and US Open in 2015 and the Open in 2017, victory this week could elevate Spieth into the elite list of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Woods to have won golf's big four events.

Warning: the Black Course is an extremely difficult course which we recommend only for highly skilled golfers. pic.twitter.com/NUN9Gobjhs — PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 15, 2019

However, the 25-year-old hasn't won since clinching the Open at Royal Birkdale and is in something of a slump having dropped to 39th in the world.

Then there's Brooks Koepka, the world No.3, who is the defending champion and the winner of three of the last eight majors.

The powerful 29-year-old has become one of the most dominant players in the game, and was tied second behind Woods at Augusta, having held off the resurgent former world No.1 to triumph in the US PGA at Bellerive last August.

However, the last player to win back-to-back US PGA titles was back in 2007. His name? Tiger Woods.

World No.1 Dustin Johnson and fourth-ranked Rory McIlroy also head the betting, and McIlroy anticipates a lively week.

"We all know what New York and Long Island is like," he told reporters. "I think they're planning on letting 60,000 in a day here this week, so it'll be pretty loud."

Should Woods win, with Johnson outside the top 10 and second-ranked Justin Rose and Koepka not second, he would return to No. 1 in the rankings for the first time since March 2013.

Woods will play the first two rounds with Koepka and British Open champion Francesco Molinari, the man he overcame to win at Augusta. They tee off at 8:24 a.m. EST Thursday.