Colin Montgomerie will not be as intimidated by Tiger Woods as he admits he once was when they clash in the Dubai Desert Classic, which starts tomorrow. Montgomerie believes he is far from alone in the way he is approaching the task of facing the man who at the Masters in April will have the chance to own all four major titles.
Woods has failed to win any of his last eight US Tour events and while that hardly constitutes a massive slump, the longer the barren spell goes on the more his main rivals will be encouraged.
An appearance fee rumoured to be as much as £2 million - tournament director Bob Wilkinson refuses to disclose what he says is "confidential information" - has brought the world number one to the oil-rich Middle East state and he is bound to start as a strong favourite.
But Montgomerie, who returned from a two-month break a fortnight ago and immediately won the Australian Masters, said: "There is a feeling of being less afraid than there was the last couple of years.
"I think that towards the end of last year the victory by Phil Mickelson in the Tour Championship had a huge effect on the rest of the US Tour. It proved that Tiger was beatable, if you like. I think people are practising harder and it is paying off.
"We can't hope for him to come down to our standard. We have to try to attain his and I think that is happening.
"Yes, he was intimidating and he still is - that is one of his assets. You see his name on the leader-board and it is intimidating, but it's less than it was because others are thinking `people have beaten him before, so why can't I'."
But Montgomerie has never won an event in which Woods has appeared.
That does not prevent him from being delighted to see the 25-year-old American back on a European Tour stage. "It gives everybody an added boost for him to come over here - and all credit to him," said the 37year-old Scot, who appears much more happy and relaxed now that he and wife, Eimear, are back together after a brief separation at the end of last season.
"Yes, there is talk about money and talk about payment, but come on, Tiger Woods doesn't need that incentive to come and play tournaments. It is good that he does travel. There are an awful lot of top Americans who don't."
Darren Clarke, Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley, Des Smyth, Ronan Rafferty, David Higgins and Eamonn Darcy are all in this week's field.
Meanwhile, Sergio Garcia cannot expect to be treated lightly when his behaviour and comments at the Greg Norman International in Sydney three weeks ago are discussed by the European Tour in Dubai today. The young Ryder Cup star took great exception to being penalised two strokes by the tour's chief referee, John Paramor.
The Spaniard was leading by two with a round to go when he was told he had taken a wrong drop away from a sponsor's sign. As he walked away, clearly furious, Garcia twice hit a tree with a club and then hit a buggy with it as well.
Garcia then said: "Hopefully, even with John Paramor's rules and everything, I will be able to win the tournament."
Instead, though, he lost a play-off to Australian teenager Aaron Baddeley and, in what was seen as a clear reference to Paramor, commented: "Somebody didn't want me to win and he did it."
Garcia is not in Dubai this week as the European Tour decide whether the remarks contravene their code of behaviour. All tour players are told "it is an obligation of membership to refrain from comments to media that attack, disparage or criticise tournament sponsors, promoters, fellow competitors, the PGA European Tour or its officials".
