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Woods hoping for rub of the green

World number one Tiger Woods may have already spoken about the possibility of completing a Grand Slam of the majors but he admits…

Wed Jan 30 2008 - 00:00

World number one Tiger Woods may have already spoken about the possibility of completing a Grand Slam of the majors but he admits an element of luck will still be required.

After the 32-year-old won a record sixth Buick Invitational on Sunday to join Arnold Palmer in fourth place on the all-time PGA Tour winners' list, Woods reiterated his belief a clean sweep of all four majors in one season is within his grasp.

But despite already having won 13 major titles he knows he still needs to peak for the right four weeks of the year.

"It is about playing well at the right times and getting lucky and having everything going your way," said Woods ahead of this week's Dubai Desert Classic, where he will look to repeat his play-off-off victory over Ernie Els in 2006.

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"You can play well and not have it happen. The one thing I can control is my own play and hopefully I can peak at the right times this year and hopefully it will be good enough."

At the Emirates Golf Club last year Woods finished joint third behind winner Sweden's Henrik Stenson but the American is confident of landing a second crown this year after his awesome eight-shot victory at Torrey Pines in California last week.

"It was a long week, the weather was a little difficult, but I was playing well enough to get a victory," added Woods after playing in a pro-am. "The greens are always smooth out here, which is a bonus, and I am really looking forward to teeing up in the tournament," said Woods.

"The greens are a little slower than they have been, the rough is up a touch and they have narrowed a couple of the fairways. It is playing a touch longer, the balls are not really rolling as much but if the wind doesn't blow like it did today the guys are going to shoot low."

Woods begins his challenge tomorrow morning alongside eight-time Order of Merit winner Colin Montgomerie and Sweden's Niclas Fasth.

In-form duo Lee Westwood and defending champion Stenson and world number five Ernie Els, a three-time Dubai Desert Classic champion, will also look to stop the American.