PGA Championship 2019: Tiger Woods will be tamed by 'brutal' Bethpage, predicts Nick Faldo

Woods claimed the 15th major title of his career in last month's Masters and is among the favourites for win number 16 this week

Sir Nick Faldo is adamant Tiger Woods will be tamed by "brutal" Bethpage as he seeks back-to-back major titles in the US PGA Championship.

And the six-time major champion feels there are question marks over Rory McIlroy's chances of ending a drought which stretches back to the 2014 US PGA at Valhalla, despite potentially favourable conditions on Long Island.

Woods claimed the 15th major title of his career in last month's Masters and is among the favourites for win number 16 at Bethpage, where he led from start to finish to win the 2002 US Open and was the only player to finish under par.

But while Faldo was as impressed as anyone to see the 43-year-old win at Augusta National after overcoming career-threatening injuries, his four players to beat this week are defending champion Brooks Koepka, Justin Rose, Francesco Molinari and world number one Dustin Johnson.

"Tiger has still got the intimidation factor now we know he is kind of all right," Faldo said.

"Before you could look at him and say 'He has got enough to worry about with his own game. I don't need to worry about him'. Now it is 'Wow, he can play, he can really play'. He has shown it.

"And to have some of that incredible nerve, 11 years on from winning his last major, I don't know how you do that. That is pretty special, to have the bottle to hang on to those putts, all those chip shots at Augusta, that was seriously impressive."

Asked if that meant his money would be on Woods, Faldo added: "No, no, no. He is not going to win. Bethpage will beat Tiger this week. It's a brute. The beast will beat the Tiger."

McIlroy was a distant 21st in the Masters, his worst finish at Augusta since 2013, as he failed in his fifth attempt to complete the career grand slam, a feat Jordan Spieth will try to achieve at Bethpage.

"I have got question marks against Rory, Tiger, and Jordan," Faldo added.

"They are great but they come with question marks. We have seen what Jordan Spieth has been up to. His best finish is tied 21st this year (at the Masters).

"We are just not sure with Rory if he can turn it on and stay at the top level. If it is going to be a par-fest, has he got the patience for that?

Woods is bidding for his 16th major at Bethpage (EPA)

"He does a few physical things in his golf swing which changes the angle and he will hit a few poor tee shots here and there. He has got issues with distance control with the wedges and his putting stroke at times lets him down.

"I think the wedges have cost him. That would deflate me more. If I have hit it down the middle of the fairway I'd want my worst wedge to be 15 feet away, not over the green."