Golf: Bjorn ready for Dubai defence

Thomas Bjorn has declared himself fully fit and raring to go in the defence of his Dubai Desert Classic title this week.

But the Dane admits his game is nowhere near as good as it was when he beat Tiger Woods in an epic four-day head-to-head battle over the Emirates course 12 months ago.

The 31-year-old suffered a shoulder injury in September last year that caused him to miss five weeks of the season, and his last tournament was Woods’ Williams World Challenge in December last year.

‘‘The shoulder is fine, I’m not going to have any more problems with it I’m sure,’’ said Bjorn, who has been relaxing in Dubai for the last two months.

‘‘I don’t think in my nine or 10 years as a professional I’ve had a two-month break and it was something I needed.

‘‘Last year was a fraction too long for me, the way I ended up playing five continents in six weeks (including partnering Soren Hansen as Denmark lost a play-off to South Africa in the World Cup in Japan).

‘‘This year is a bit of a strange year, the Ryder Cup is all done and we know we’re going to play but it’s going to be such a long build-up.

‘‘Normally everyone is fighting to get into the team and have one month to get themselves ready, but now you’ve the whole year to get ready.

‘‘It’s strange, so taking the couple of months off early in the year is going to do me a lot of good come the summer and the late part of the season. I can be fresh for a lot longer than I normally am.’’

Bjorn believes the postponement of the Ryder Cup, due to the terrorist attacks of September 11, will benefit the European team, particularly those who worked so hard to qualify and those who will gain from another year’s experience.

And he feels strongly there should be no changes to the team line-ups, whether by making it 14-a-side or changing wild cards to pick in-form players such as Jose Maria Olazabal.

‘‘There is going to be a lot of talk about whether the teams should be changed and people playing so well that they should be in, but it’s important to look at what happened and the reason it’s been postponed,’’ added Bjorn.

‘‘Every time you see those buildings collapse and have to remember why it was postponed, it’s not so important who is in the team, it’s important that the Ryder Cup is being played.’’

Bjorn’s victory last year, when he played with Woods on all four days and kept up the pressure until the world number one finally cracked on the 72nd hole, was one of the highlights of the year.

‘‘It was a great week. One of the most memorable weeks of my golfing career,’’ said Bjorn.

‘‘But last year I came in on fantastic form, now I come in not knowing where I am and I’m going to go and enjoy my golf this week and see where it is comes Sunday.

‘‘My golf is definitely not in the same league as it was coming in last year but you never know in golf. You never know in golf, you can find it and you can be away.

‘‘I’m looking forward to it and the golf course has never been better, it’s magnificent, I don’t think we have seen a golf course on the European Tour in as good a condition as this one is now.’’

As for the effect his victory had on Woods and the aura surrounding the American, Bjorn added: ‘‘It will always give you confidence knowing you have the ability to go head to head with the best player in the world and come out on top.

‘‘A lot of people have failed in doing that and that has to give you the belief that you have something more than the other guys, and come the Ryder Cup I can use that.

‘‘Not only do I know that I can beat him but Tiger knows I can beat him as well and that’s an important thing.

‘‘I definitely can see a situation where I got head to head with him in a major championship where I won’t be scared of doing it.

‘‘I always said he is the best player in the world and when he is on his game he is better than everybody else, but the fear factor won’t be as big for me as a lot of guys when they go up against him.

‘‘I think it’s being done, and notably it’s being done by non-Americans. Lee (Westwood) has done it Darren (Clarke) has done it, I’ve done it and now Ernie (Els) has done it.

‘‘The American players live in Tiger’s world and that’s difficult. One thing you have to remember is that Tiger has not won the matchplay. People can beat him head to head.’’