Golf: Tiger eyes fifth major

After another successful raid on Europe the incomparable Tiger Woods is now on countdown to what he hopes will be his fifth successive Major victory.

Woods’s four-stroke win in the Deutsche Bank-SAP Open in Heidelberg from 10 shots behind after two rounds left players as good as Lee Westwood, Ernie Els, Colin Montgomerie and Darren Clarke in no doubt about the gulf which currently exists at the top of the men’s game.

The 25-year-old American has now won four of his last five and 26 of his last 51 tournaments, a staggering rate of success when one considers that Jack Nicklaus won 70 of the 576 US Tour events he played in his career, Arnold Palmer 60 out of 727 and Tom Watson ‘‘only’’ 34 out of 567.

Woods’s final tune-up for his defence of the US Open starting at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on June 11 comes at next week’s Memorial in Ohio another of the trophies he collected last season.

Europe’s finest, meanwhile, turn their attentions to the Volvo PGA Championship beginning at Wentworth on Friday. Some doubtless glad that Woods is not playing, otherwise regretting it because he elevates the stature of events so much these days.

An ability to raise his game to whatever level is required to win is one of the most staggering things about Woods.

He still admits he is shocked, however, when he pulls off shots like the 175-yard seven-iron which flew directly into the cup damaging the rim on the way for an eagle two at St Leon-Rot’s 13th hole yesterday.

He was level with Michael Campbell at the time, the New Zealander having matched his birdies on the two previous holes, and it effectively decided the race for the £278,000 first prize.

‘‘I got lucky,’’ he said. ‘‘Of course it’s a surprise. You don’t think you are going to hole out from 175 yards. I don’t do it that often.

‘‘But I hit some really good shots when I really needed to.’’ And that is what ultimately sets him apart from the rest.

‘‘I was doing fine, then suddenly he turned things around,’’ said Campbell, who had been seven clear of everybody at halfway. ‘‘That’s the sign of a good player.

‘‘He finds two extra gears and he did just that by holing that seven-iron, then grabbing another birdie two holes later. It was pretty hard for me from there.

‘‘I thought he’d flown the green, but then I heard the roars and all the carry on and realised what had happened. It was a great shot by a great player.’’

Campbell’s £185,000 consolation was that he now leads Europe’s Order of Merit, taking over at the top from long-time front-runner Pierre Fulke, who has missed three of the last five halfway cuts.

There is just a slight chance that there might be a new rival to Campbell for the money list crown Woods himself.

Having entered the Lancome Trophy in Paris the week before the Ryder Cup in September he is only one short of the minimum number for inclusion.

The world number one would go straight in at number one on the Order of Merit if he did sign up and pay his membership less than £200 in his case but his response last night to the possibility did not raise hopes.

‘‘It’s a lot to ask,’’ he said. ‘‘But who knows? You never know.’’

He voiced a concern that if he joined and then did not play the stipulated 11 tournaments he might be suspended. But that is as likely as a William Hague government in a fortnight.

Montgomerie, still to win an event in which Woods has been playing, goes for a record fourth successive Volvo PGA crown this week.

He was 10th yesterday, but that was good enough to move him up from 11th to ninth in the Ryder Cup points table.

That is good news for captain Sam Torrance, who does not want to have to use one of his two wild cards on his fellow Scot especially with Sergio Garcia (12th), Bernhard Langer (16th) and Jesper Parnevik (60th) not in one of the top 10 automatic places at present.

Garcia and Parnevik, both members of the US Tour, are not at Wentworth and with an incredible £333,330 first prize on offer they are certain to fall even further out of the picture.

Torrance has spoken of possibly ringing Garcia to talk about his schedule in the three months of the race that remain and hopefully a £5,000 fine last week for his temper tantrum in Australia in February will not affect things.

Lee Westwood, leading money-winner last season, has finished 57th and 52nd the last two weeks, a 77 in Germany yesterday being the joint worst last round score.

A year after beating Woods by three, he lost to him by 18. Maybe the West Course can kick-start his season.

World number three Els will be there too after coming 28th in Germany, but only after a trip back to South Africa for his grandmother’s funeral.

Clarke was 24th on nine under yesterday. Not great by his standards, but a wonderful effort considering he was six over par midway through his second round.

As with the rest, though, he knows there is an awful long way to go to come even close to Woods, for whom the burning issue as he left for home was: ‘‘What’s wrong with my trousers?’’

A German reporter wanted to know why they were so ugly. He replied: ‘‘Our styles must just be different.’’