Woods 'honoured' to get picked

2010 RYDER CUP:HE'S BACK. Tiger Woods, who has known more bad times than good when thrown into the melting pot that every two years brings the United States up against Europe in the Ryder Cup, didn't need to think twice when offered a wild card from captain Corey Pavin for the shindig in Celtic Manor on October 1st-3rd.

Then, he wondered where the notion he was indifferent about the whole Ryder Cup concept had ever come from.

Woods, speaking by telephone link to the press conference in the New York Stock Exchange, remarked on being asked if his personal travails would make him more of a team player on this occasion: “I’ve always loved playing the Ryder Cup, always enjoyed being a part of the team. I don’t know where this perception of indifference (comes from), because I have always loved it.”

Woods, who missed the US win at Valhalla in 2008 as he recuperated from knee surgery, earned one of four wild card picks from Pavin – along with former major champions Zach Johnson and Stewart Cink and tour rookie Rickie Fowler – and will be making his sixth appearance in the match.

He has been on only one winning side, at Brookline in 1999.

“I’m honoured (to get a pick) and am looking forward to going over and playing and competing and hopefully bringing back the cup. That’s our main focus as a team.

“Whether I was picked, or a person who earned their way on, it doesn’t change the overall goal. It is still the same. We have to go over there and win.”

The inclusion of Woods, who has been the world’s number one for 274 straight weeks, was a formality for Pavin, who contacted each of the eight players who’d made the team for their advice.

Pavin had hoped that Woods – who missed large chunks of the season and recently divorced following the fall-out from revelations of his adultery – would make the team automatically. He didn’t, of course.

And Pavin claimed yesterday he didn’t give the matter much thought to Woods’s plight.

“What I was really trying to do, really, was not to form any opinions. I didn’t want to burden myself with over-thinking. I waited and waited and waited. I was pleased to see him playing better. I was hoping he would qualify on points.

“And then I just waited to see how he would play.

“Tiger is one of 12 guys on the team and every one of them is just as important as the other player. The objective is to have 12 players that make up Team USA and we’re going to go out there and have one goal in mind and that is to win the Ryder Cup.”

Woods, who has yet to win, at least showed further signs of a return to consistency in the Deutsche Bank over the past weekend, where he posted three rounds in the 60s for the first time all season.

“Things are turning around. I’m working with Sean (Foley) and things are starting to transition there – my game is not very far away.

“And that makes it a lot easier going into a pressure-packed environment, knowing my game is coming around.”

Pavin, incidentally, denied their had been any outside influences brought to bear on him to include Woods in his team for commercial reasons. Admitting he was aware of those considerations, the captain claimed they had “no affect on picking him”.

In opting for three experienced players in Woods, Johnson and Cink, to go with the bold choice of Fowler, who brings to five the number of Ryder Cup rookies in the US team, Pavin is hoping to have a blend of players capable of retaining the trophy for the first time since 1993.

And, although Europe have been installed as favourites, the two teams are remarkably closely matched on the world rankings: the lowest world ranking of an American is Jeff Overton in 47th, with Peter Hanson – the lowest European – in 43rd. Both sides have four players apiece in the world’s top-10.

The most experienced player on the American team is Phil Mickelson, who is making his ninth consecutive appearance, while Jim Furyk will be making his seventh straight appearance.

Of the other automatic qualifiers, Hunter Mahan and Steve Stricker are making their second appearances, while Bubba Watson, runner-up in the US PGA to Martin Kaymer, Dustin Johnson, Matt Kuchar and Overton are making their debuts.

Woods had a word or two of warning for those playing in a Ryder Cup outside of the States for a first time.

“On the road, it’s very different. You get booed a lot. You get jeered. And people say things they probably should not say.

“I’ve had that experience and understand how to deal with it and to make it a positive thing.”