Woods shrugs off rumours of slump

TIGER WOODS brushed aside suggestions he is in a slump at the NEC world championship in Akron yesterday insisting he is playing some of the best golf of his career.

The 27-year-old says people seem to expect the impossible from him.

"My stroke average has been the best it's been for a long time, and I've been somehow labelled into a slump for some reason," said the world number one.

"My expectations are awfully high, but mine are a little bit more realistic," added Woods. "I've said all along I play to my own goals and my own expectations of myself, what I can and can't do. I don't play golf for anyone else, I play golf for me."

Now he has his sights fixed on the Player of the Year award for a fifth year and a win here at the six million dollar WGC-NEC Invitational would go a long way to sealing it for him.

Woods admits the chase for the title is wide open.

"Without a doubt," said Woods. "Weirsie (Mike Weir) has the ball in his court last Sunday. If he would have won (the USPGA Championship), then it would have been over, but it's up for grabs. There's like five or six guys who have a chance of winning it."

And all of the potential winners of the title are here this week in the shape of Mike Weir, Woods, David Love and Jim Furyk.

But it is Woods who starts off as firm favourite this week to win his fifth tournament of the year.

He was won three of the past four NECs and the par-70 Firestone Country Club course is one of his favourites, adding to his confidence.

"The courses you've played well in the past you always feel that way," he said after playing nine holes.

"This is one of those golf courses where there's no tricks, there's no hidden agendas.

"This is a very traditional golf course. It's right in front of you and very challenging. I am just excited to back playing a golf course I have had some success on," he said.

Pushing Woods will be world number two Ernie Els, who was almost there at the death of the USPGA Championship at Oak Hill last Sunday.

Woods also confirmed he will not be at Wentworth in October for the HSBC world matchplay championship.

"I can't," stated the world number one on the eve of the NEC world championship in Akron, Ohio.

He said he is committed to a Tiger Woods Foundation clinic on the Saturday of the matchplay event, which under its new sponsor this year is offering a £1million first prize the second biggest in golf.

Meanwhile, borrowing a page from Annika Sorenstam, teenager Michelle Wie will compete against men this week at the Bay Mills Open Players Championship, an event on the Canadian Tour.

LPGA superstar Sorenstam drew intense scrutiny when she competed at the PGA Colonial in May and failed to make the cut. Two months later, Suzy Whaley failed to made the cut at the Greater Hartford Open.

Now the stage is set for Wie, the precocious 13-year-old from Hawaii who was granted a sponsor's exemption to compete in the event.