Defending champion in form to tick one more box

GOLF US OPEN:ONE BY one, Tiger Woods has ticked off almost all the boxes. Yet, in a career which has yielded 14 majors and has him closing in hard and fast on Jack Nicklaus's record haul, one achievement has eluded him: he has never successfully defended an US Open. US Masters? Yes. British Open? Yes. US PGA? Yes. US Open? No.

A year on from his play-off victory over Rocco Mediate at Torrey Pines, when he was troubled by a knee injury that subsequently saw him undergo surgery that kept him away from action for the remainder of the season, Woods – as affirmed by his win in the Memorial tournament two weeks ago – has returned on tour arguably stronger and fitter than at any time in his 14 years as a professional.

Of this return to full fitness, Woods compared his current physical well-being with how he felt at the Bay Hill Invitational in March when he claimed his first title of the season as being like “night and day”, adding: “I keep getting better and better.”

Yesterday, in the run-up to the defence of his title, Woods was assured and confident. If the truth be known, this ferocious Black Course – made longer because of the rain – is right up Woods’ street. “I like my chances in any major,” he responded when asked if he particularly liked his chances here this week, given the conditions.

“I just enjoy having to think your way around a golf course. It’s not like a lot of the tour events we play, (where) you just have to make birdies . . . here, if you shoot 68, you’re moving up the leaderboard. Par is rewarded and a birdie is really rewarded. To me, that is how the game of golf should be played.”

When Woods won the Memorial – his 67th win on the US Tour, and his sixth top-10 in his last six appearances on tour – it featured an imposing final round which saw him hit 14 of 14 fairways. It was achieved by reverting to an old set of irons and a driver with more loft.

“We all know, loft is your friend,” he explained. “The reason you hit a three-wood straighter is because it’s got more loft. My release has changed over the years and I just need a little more loft now. It’s working out. I’m driving the ball more efficiently and I still have the same power.”

In fact, when Woods first went out on tour in 1996, he used a 6.5 degree driver. Now, he is up to 10.5. “I hate to see when I get to 40 how that’s going to be . . . I’ll have to get a 46-inch (shaft) and 15-degree lofted driver.

“But it is what it is, technology has changed and the ball doesn’t spin as much as it used to. You have to play more loft than you used to.”

Since his win at the Memorial, Woods has focused entirely on getting right for Bethpage. Even though he played the near perfect final round to win that tournament, he continued to work on his swing, explaining, “you need to get better. The whole idea of practising is to become more comfortable on what you’re working on and more efficient at doing it. I’m really looking forward to getting out there and competing.”

Woods has played 12 US Opens as a professional, winning in 2000, 2002 and 2008. In the past four US Opens, he has finished second - missed cut - second - first, and he believes a player’s requirements to win this championship have changed over time. He pointed to wins of Scott Simpson and Curtis Strange to back up his assessment of how players perceived as short hitters once ruled.

“There used to be a mould, some of the years past it seemed like every person (who won) was a pretty short hitter. That seemed like that was the type of player that it took to win US Opens.

“But now I think that has changed. There’s different ways of playing. You can do what Angel (Cabrera) did, hit driver every hole at Oakmont (2007). It if works out, it works out. Or you can play a shorter, conservative game.

“The whole idea of a US Open is to grind it out and to make pars. How you do that is up to you. You just can’t afford to make too many bogeys or doubles, because you can’t make birdies. So, however you feel you can make a bunch of pars is what you’re looking for.

“Generally, this is the hardest major we face year in, year out. The narrowest fairways, the highest rough.”

So, what’s the secret to winning a US Open? “You have to have every facet of your game going. You have to drive the ball well. You have to hit your irons well, and the speed on the greens is usually an issue.”

Woods is licking his lips in anticipation.