Best still to come from Woods
Two days before he goes looking for a fourth Masters crown and ninth major title Tiger Woods said today he believes his best is still to come.
Without a major since the 2002 US Open and displaced as world number one by Vijay Singh, Woods feels ready to start closing in again on Jack Nicklaus’ record haul of 18.
“I’m only 29 – I’m not over the hill yet,” he said with a big smile. And when asked if he anticipated the best of his career was still ahead he answered: “I think so.”
Woods went through last season without capturing a stroke play event on the US Tour and was not even in the hunt for any of the four majors come the closing stretch.
But he got back to winning ways with two unofficial victories at the end of the year and has two wins to his name so far in 2005, the second of them after a thrilling head-to-head with Phil Mickelson.
“Everybody is always saying ‘you can try to get back to 2000’ (the year he won the US Open by 15 and Open at St Andrews by eight). I don’t want to – I want to become better.
“That’s the whole idea of making a (swing) change. I won the Masters by 12 in ’97 and I changed my game. Do I want to go back to that? No, I don’t.
“I wanted to become better than that and I was able to achieve that. That’s why I’ve made this change.
“I’ve been scrutinised over the past year or so for doing that and I’m starting to see the fruits of it now.
“I just wanted to get to a better level, a higher level and be more consistent day-in, day-out.
“Last year I was just getting started with the changes and this year I’m just putting the finishes touches.
“Last year I was just hoping to put myself in contention. This year I know that my ball-striking is there.”
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