A calm Tiger is prepared

Word got out on Monday of the impending arrival of a certain Tiger Woods. So, by the time that the world's number one player emerged from his car in front of the redbrick building that is the Royal Lytham & St Annes clubhouse, a scrum of the curious and those simply infatuated by him had gathered outside the entrance.

As people stood on tiptoe to catch a glimpse of the Tiger, an American voice could be heard excusing himself as he pushed through the crowd. Barely catching a second glance from anyone, Davis Love III - who just happens to be the world's number five ranked golfer - and with golf shoes in hand, eventually managed to find his way into the clubhouse.

The little scene conveyed a further indication of just how much Woods dominates professional golf, of how everyone else is in his shadow.

In the run-up to a major, on the practice days, Woods tends to be among the dawn patrol. That way, he can conduct his preparations away from the maddening crowd.

Yesterday was such a day. In the company of Mark O'Meara, Thomas Bjorn and Adam Scott, Woods teed up his Nike ball on the first tee a few seconds after six o'clock and had his day's work completed - including a video session on the range with coach Butch Harmon - long before some of his fellow competitors had even registered.

The conclave on the range wasn't to sort out anything serious in his swing, which Bjorn observed as being back to its best, but if you ask Woods a question on his swing, the answer that comes back can sometimes need a scientist's interpretation to make sense. "We were working on my swing plane . . . my left arm, trying to get that a little better, and my wrist angle. The top, then my rotation of my wrist and hips on the way through," he replied.

All of which sounds like a minor technical change of some type, doesn't it? Woods, though, knows what he is on about and also knows exactly where he wants his swing to be by the time he walks on to the first tee tomorrow as he sets about defending a title he won in convincing fashion at St Andrews last year.

And a week's break in Ireland is now a customary part of that build-up. "I have learned through my experience that it is nice to get over here and get adjusted to the time and, more importantly, just have a nice relaxing week like we did last week. You know that any Open championship is going to present a lot of challenges.

"You are going to be tested, and you are probably going to get mentally drained and even physically drained if the conditions become tough. It is nice to have a lot of energy going into the event and one of the lessons I have learned by playing major championships is that you don't need to burn yourself out preparing. If you are ready, you are ready."

As the winner of four of the previous five majors, the loss in Southern Hills last month ending a winning streak that had last a full year, Woods knows better than anyone what it takes to get things right in the week of a major. And especially what is required coming down the stretch on a Sunday afternoon.

"I won't have a problem sleeping on Saturday night if I am in contention. I have won major championships and it definitely makes you feel more at ease going into Sunday because, even if you don't win, so be it, (because) you have already won one. It relieves a lot of pressure . . . I have won my share of majors, and it definitely makes you feel more at ease.

"Coming down a stretch, you know what it takes to win a major. You know it takes not only from the physical aspect of executing shots but you know how to keep yourself calm, and how to stay in the moment. How your heart beat is, and what your adrenalin level is. You know what it takes to control all these different things and how to execute shots properly," insisted Woods.

If he is to win again this year, then Woods knows he will have to play a different game to the overpowering one he played in St Andrews a year ago. On that occasion, he used the putter from distances of up to 100 yards.

"The fairways were quicker than the greens," he recalled yesterday. Here it is a different story. In fact, the rough reminded Woods of how it was at Carnoustie two years ago. "The only difference is that the fairways are a little bit wider, more generous, but the rough is high and thick and it is going to be quite a challenge." Indeed, the R & A appear to want the rough to stay that way.

On Monday, for instance, some of the crowd following Woods decided to walk in the rough rather than take the roped pathway and were rushed away by an official. "It was kinda funny. He absolutely scalded them for going through the rough, they obviously want to keep it high," said Woods.

And there wasn't even a hint of complaint in his tone, which suggests that whatever glitches existed in his swing at Southern Hills have been well and truly ironed out - and that he doesn't intend on making too many visits to the high grass over the four days of the championship.

Woods - 9 to 4 favourite to win this week - is the longest price he has been at any tournament this year. Denmark's Bjorn has been the best backed contender and his odds have been slashed from 50 to 1 to 25 to 1 following a string of hefty bets.

There has also been backing for Darren Clarke from 33 to 1 to 25 to 1 and US Open champion Retief Goosen down to 25 to 1 after his win at Loch Lomond on Sunday.