A happy Tiger is a dangerous animal

The flip-flop nature of the world rankings has been a roller-coaster ride of late. One week, it's Tiger Woods, the next it's Vijay Singh. The two of them, it seems, have a lock on the world number one spot. This week? Well, it just happens that Woods is back on top and, as he goes in search of the second leg of the Grand Slam, it would seem an appropriate time for the Masters champion to return there.

Sometimes, too, it's easy to judge Woods's demeanour in the run-up to a major. Yesterday, he was chirping like a hummingbird content with his lot. Pinehurst No 2 is a course that suits him, and he knows it.

Darn, does he know it. Back in 1999, he was third behind Payne Stewart, and his feel-good factor yesterday was such that he was full of pearly white smiles, wise cracks and syrupy reminiscence. Normally, folks, that's a dangerous sign for everyone else.

As is his norm, Woods was yesterday out first in practice, playing with Davis Love and Jim Furyk. It's all part of a pattern, the same one that decrees he never, ever plays the week before a major.

"I just think it's a personal preference, because I know if I play a tournament, if you get a rain delay and get rained out, then there goes a whole day of practice. I can always practice at home or, if there's rain coming, I can fly to Dallas and practice in Dallas with Hank (Hainey). If you play a tournament you're locked in and, once you're locked in, you're trying to win that event."

In other words, as soon as Woods won the Masters in April, the main focus of his attention switched to the next major. To the US Open. So it was that, last week, instead of battling with the US Open style set-up at Congressional, Woods stayed at home and practised at Isleworth in Florida, where it just so happens many of the green complexes resemble those at Pinehurst. "I did quite a bit of work there," he conceded.

All of his focus is on winning this week, not glancing ahead to the British Open at St Andrews or the US PGA at Baltusrol, the other legs of a possible Grand Slam.

"You're trying to prepare for one tournament at a time, whatever tournament you're entered. Right now, it's this week. After that, I'll try and win in Chicago (the Western Open). After that, I'll try and win in Scotland (the British Open). That's how you prepare. I don't see how you would ever look ahead."

So, someone says, it's not a goal of yours to win all four (majors) in one year? "It'd be nice to win all four in one year, but I've seen all four on my mantle and no one else can say that," replied Woods, gently pointing out the so-called Tiger Slam he achieved with his Masters win in 2001.

Becoming the greatest golfer on the planet was what occupied Woods's thoughts as a youngster, when he'd pretend to play against Nicklaus or Palmer. Yesterday, he revealed that psyche remains. "I still even to this day emulate whether it's (playing against) Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer or Lee Trevino late in the evening . . . okay, Trevino on the green, Palmer hits his shot on the green, Tiger Woods has a chance to win another one. I still do it, even to this day. It's how I grew up, and you never let those childhood dreams ever go away.

"I'm having so much fun now. I love playing. I love competing. I love the thrill of the hunt, getting out there and competing and trying to win a tournament. That's a rush. To me, it's as fun as it gets."