Woods wary of threat from ‘one of the best European sides’

TIGER WOODS is seeking an end to his five-year drought and a major confidence boost as he returns to Ryder Cup action next week to take on what he considers the strongest European side ever assembled.

With no fewer than 16 Ryder Cup players teeing it up in the Tour Championship at East Lake – ten Americans and six Europeans – Woods and his US team-mates are keen to send the opposition an emphatic message before boarding that plane for Paris.

The 14-time Major winner will be making his first playing appearance in a Ryder Cup since that devastating US defeat at Medinah in 2012, hoping to claim what would be only his second win in 19 years. And while some believe this is potentially the strongest US team ever seen, Woods knows they might need every ounce of that firepower this year.

“I think the European side is one of the best they’ve ever had,” Woods said in Atlanta, where Rory McIlroy must win the Tour Championship and hope Fedex Cup leader Bryson DeChambeau finishes tied-11th or worse if he’s to win the $10 million fedex Cup bonus for the second time in three years. “Yeah, we have a solid team, but so do the Europeans. I think both teams are very deep this year going into the event, so it’s going to be a lot of fun for both sides and let’s see how it plays out.”

While Woods was a vice-captain for the winning US team in Hazeltine two years ago, his happy Ryder Cup memories are few and far between.

“It was tough watching them celebrate from the 18th fairway when I thought we should have won that one,” he said of his singles match with Francesco Molinari in Chicago in 2012. “It was tough listening to the celebrations at the Belfry in ’02. I was on the 17th hole playing against Jesper (Parnevik), listening to them celebrate going up 18.”

Making it to Atlanta is a personal triumph for Woods, who has bounced back almost miraculously from spinal fusion surgery having feared just last year that he might never play again.

A Woods win this week would be one of the comeback stories of the century. But he’s not the only one seeking a triumph that would resonate all the way to Paris.

McIlroy is also hoping to pull all strands of his game together after his maddening performance in the BMW Championship at Aronimink two weeks ago, where he led almost every important statistical category bar putting.

It’s also a confidence-building week for Ryder Cup pick Sergio Garcia, who tees it up for the first time in a month in the Portugal Masters in Vilamoura. “More than anything I just want to get some rhythm, get some competition juices flowing,” Garcia confessed. The in-form Pádraig Harrington, Shane Lowry and Paul Dunne have company on the Algarve in Tramore’s Robin Dawson, who makes his professional debut on a sponsor’s invitation.

Lowry won his first title as a professional in this event in 2012 and with a new caddie in Brian Martin, himself a two-time Portugal Masters-winning bagman, he’ll be refreshed as he seeks to turn what’s been a trying season into a memorable one.

Portugal Masters, Live, Sky Sports, 11.30am Tour Championship, Live, Sky Sports, 6.30pm