Tiger ignores Poulter jibe to predict return to former glory

And not only that, he believes the world has yet to see the best of him.

Poulter does not expect to see golf’s former No 1 – now ranked only seventh – finish in the top five as he has done five of the last six years.

“The shots he was hitting at Doral (Woods came 10th at the WGC-Cadillac Championship four weeks ago) they were very inconsistent,” said the English Ryder Cup star. “You can’t afford to hit shots like that round this golf course and get away with it.”

But Woods, without a victory for approaching 17 months and in the process of changing his swing again, came out fighting when asked yesterday to assess his own chances.

Asked for a reaction to Poulter’s prediction, the 14-major winner said: “Well, Poulter is always right, isn’t he? My whole idea is to try to win the golf tournament and that’s what I’m trying to do.

“My whole idea is to prepare. I’ve prepared all year to peak four times a year and that has not changed, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

On whether he felt ready to take a fifth green jacket Woods just nodded and replied: “Mm-hmm.” And when asked what part of his game was ready he smiled and said: “Everything.”

It was a one-word answer again when a reporter wondered if we had seen the best of him yet.

“No,” he responded and when asked to expand Woods said: “Well, I believe in myself.

“There’s nothing wrong with believing in myself. I hope you guys feel the same way about yourselves.

“You know, that’s the whole idea. That you can always become better.”

Woods will play with US Open champion Graeme McDowell and Australia’s Robert Allenby for the first two rounds.

McDowell now goes into the opening major of the season as the world No 5 and Woods as the No 7 following Phil Mickelson’s win in Houston on Sunday.

Defending champion Mickelson begins his defence alongside Australia’s Geoff Ogilvy and, in keeping with tradition at the event, American amateur champion Peter Uihlein.

World No 2 Lee Westwood will partner German Martin Kaymer, the player who took the world No 1 spot off him in February, and American Matt Kuchar.

Luke Donald plays in a group with 1992 winner Fred Couples and Steve Stricker.

Selected tee-off times (USA unless stated, all times Local): 7.45 – C Schwartzel (Rsa), S Appleby (Aus), C Hoffman, 7.56 – I Woosnam (Wal), D.A. Points, B Crane, 8.29 – A Cabrera (Arg), I Poulter (Eng), D Toms, 9.24 – F Couples, L Donald (Eng), S Stricker, 9.57 – P Casey (Eng), B Watson, E Molinari (Ita), 10.19 – K J Choi (Kor), J Rose (Eng), L Oosthuizen (Rsa), 10.30 – G Ogilvy (Aus), P Mickelson, P Uihlein, 11.03 – S Lyle (Sco), A Cejka (Ger), D Chung, 12.42 – R McIlroy (NIrl), R Fowler, J Day (Aus), 13.04 – P Harrington (Irl), R Ishikawa (Jpn), B Haas, 13.26 – M Kaymer (Ger), L Westwood (Eng), M Kuchar, 13.48 – G McDowell (NIrl), T Woods, R Allenby (Aus), 13.59 – A Atwal (Ind), S Garcia (Spa), R Karlsson (Swe).

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