The ability to repair his game during a tournament round has given Tiger Woods more excitement than victories in his first two golf events of the year.
Woods, who won two majors last year after completing the second swing overhaul of his career, demonstrated his skill at on-course swing doctoring
on the way to a playoff victory at the Dubai Desert Classic 10 days ago.
"You know, you're not always going to have your best stuff, and you have to be able to rectify it somehow, you have got to be able to solve it," the 30-year-old American said today as he prepared for this week's Nissan Open.
"In Dubai, I hit the shots when I absolutely needed it. That's a real positive.
"I was happy the way I was able to rectify it because I knew how to fix my swing. That wasn't always the case.
"The things I'm working on are starting to come together, so it's very exciting. The most important things I was able to fix out there, and that's huge.
"It's nice to go out there and hit a couple of bad shots, know exactly what it is, fix it, turn the round around and put it together coming in," added the 10-times major winner.
"That's something I didn't have last year and it's certainly exciting to get off to a good start like that this year."
World No 1 Woods, who won his first start of the year at the Buick Invitational in San Diego in late January, beat Ernie Els at the first extra hole to clinch the Dubai Desert Classic the following week.
He now turns his attention to the Nissan Open at Riviera Country Club, a tournament he has never won despite finishing second twice and in the top 10 four times.
"I've come close," he said.
"I have finished second here. It's not like I've had a terrible record here. Unfortunately, I just haven't got the W (win). Hopefully this will be the week."
Woods, who was born in nearby Cypress, feels no added pressure as he bids to end a victory drought in the only PGA Tour event he has played on a regular basis without success.
"You don't ever want to try to win, try to force a win," the US Masters and British Open champion said.
"That never happens. You just take it as a process.
"It's 72 holes. You take it a shot at a time and hopefully at the end of the week, you're on top. You never ever try to force a win."
The game's leading player likes the look of the tournament's honours board, which includes winners such as Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson and Nick Faldo.
"You look at the great champions here, a lot of them are wonderful ball strikers," Woods said.
"You've got to be able to hit the golf ball both ways. That's what you have to do here and hopefully I can do that this week."
The closest Woods came to victory at the Nissan was in 1998, when the tournament was held at Valencia Country Club. He was beaten at the first extra hole by fellow American Billy Mayfair, the only playoff out of 14 worldwide that he has lost.
- REUTERS
The ability to repair his game during a tournament round has given Tiger Woods more excitement than victories in his first two golf events of the year.
Woods, who won two majors last year after completing the second swing overhaul of his career, demonstrated his skill at on-course swing doctoring
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