Tiger was a poster boy for Knox

again. There were some times in there where I just didn’t feel very good. To have the opportunity to come back to Carnoustie and to play here in Scotland again – it has been a blessing.

“There were some times where I didn’t think I’d ever be able to do this again, and lo and behold, here I am playing my third Major of the year. Each tournament I keep feeling a little bit better.

“My touch is much better than it was at the beginning of the year, and I have a better understanding of my game and my body and my swing – much more so than I did at Augusta. I’ve put myself up there in contention a couple of times. I just need to play some cleaner golf and who knows?” Woods, who has posted four top-five finishes in 11 starts this year, will be in the same group tomorrow as Scotland’s Russell Knox, who revealed yesterday he had a poster of the former world No1 on his bedroom wall as a child. “He is the reason why I played golf, probably,” said Knox, left. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play with your hero. I’m just floating on air. Play great or play awful, I just have to enjoy it.” Woods, 42, is more determined than his playing partner to perform well, believing the Open offers his best chance of adding to his 14 Majors. “Long term, certainly, I would say yes, because of the fact that you don’t have to be long to play on a links-style golf course,” he said.

“Look what Tom Watson did at Turnberry at 59. Greg Norman was there at Birkdale at 53. It certainly can be done.

“You get to places like Augusta National, where it’s just a big ballpark, and the golf course outgrows you, unfortunately. But on a links-style golf course, you can roll the ball.

“I hit a three-iron that went down there to 330 yards today. Even when I get a bit older, I can still chase some wood or long club down there, so distance becomes a moot point on a links-style golf course. Creativity plays such an important role.”