But the world number one, in Ireland for the American Express world championship starting at Mount Juliet tomorrow, was asked whether he was bothered by his performances for his country so far.

“Am I worried? Not really,” replied Woods. “Sometimes I’ve played well and got beaten. Other times I’ve played real poor and got beaten.

“Anything can happen in 18-hole match play – and it has. The Ryder Cup is a big reflection of that.

“I had a good record in junior golf, but there was a lot of luck involved. I was six under par through 10 holes once and one down, eight under and going home. That happens.”

On his debut at Valderrama in 1997 Woods won only once and lost a vital singles to Costantino Rocca as Europe triumphed by a single point.

In Boston three years ago he was beaten three times out of four on the first two days, but then defeated Andrew Coltart in America’s final day fightback.

There is, however, one thing Woods really would like to change next week – the way the players prepare.

His regular routine before tournaments is to practise early before most of the crowd arrive and then have time both to relax and work on his fitness.

Next week he will be asked to fall in with a team schedule that involves a number of social occasions as well as long practice sessions.

“That’s the tough thing,” he commented. “You are thrown out of your routine and not doing the things you normally do.

“One of the things I’ve struggled with (in his two cup appearances) is that I don’t have time to work out.”

Woods added that he and other players have asked for the arrangements to be changed – but nothing so far has.

The 26-year-old believes the decision to postpone the match for 12 months was “100%” the right thing to do.

“September 11 put everything into perspective. It had a profound effect on all of us – a golf tournament is not all that important in the whole scheme of things and a four-foot putt is not as important as you might think.

“Because of what happened I think the atmosphere is going to be the way it was meant to be. Everyone has a better understanding of life in general.

“Granted it’s not the two best teams, but there again who really cares?”

Woods thinks that in the unique circumstances this week’s field could have been expanded to include every player involved next week.

Five Europeans – Lee Westwood, Jesper Parnevik, Phillip Price, Paul McGinley and Pierre Fulke – and Americans Hal Sutton and Stewart Cink have failed to qualify for the €5.5m tournament.

It is restricted to the world’s top 50 and the leading players on Orders of Merit around the world.

On Woods’ comments about the practice days next week Darren Clarke said: “It’s difficult, but it’s all part and parcel of the Ryder Cup.

“It’s not a normal tournament. There are different things going on. Because of sorting out pairings you have to have quite a few practice rounds.

“You do have to get up early every morning and then you have to get back because there are dinners to go to. There’s a lot going on.”