TOUR SCENE: Tiger Woods might have expected a less searching examination having facilitated the Irish media by video link from his office in Orlando, Florida, reports John O'Sullivan

The occasion was to mark the launch of the WGC-American Express Championship that takes place at Mount Juliet from September 30th to October 3rd, the second time that the tournament will be staged at the Kilkenny venue in three years.

These days, though, Woods is becoming more accustomed to being challenged on and off the golf course. Hoist with the petard of his own phenomenal success, Woods is frequently accosted about the fact that he hasn't won one of golf's four majors, since triumphing at Bethpage Black GC in the US Open of 2002.

Five tournament victories in 2003 partly deflected the enquiries about a potential slump but this season he has managed just a single triumph, the WGC Accenture World Matchplay Championship. Ernie Els, Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson have closed the gap, a fact reflected not alone on the golf course but also in the world rankings.

Els and Singh are edging ever closer to Woods's position of pre-eminence. The latter acknowledges that the gap has closed. "I have certainly not played up to the level that I know I can play at. But the things that I'm working on will hopefully kick in and will take me to another level.

"But also the guys are working harder. The equipment has gotten better. The guys are in better shape now. Their techniques are better. They're working more hours on the range, as well as in the gym. It's just a matter of time before those guys were going to take it up another notch, and they have."

Included in those who have questioned his form is Seve Ballesteros, the Spaniard asserting that Els has superseded Woods as the world's best player. The American demurred: "I can certainly understand that. He (Els) has certainly been extremely consistent this entire year.

"I haven't played as many - actually I haven't won as many tournaments as Ernie has. You know, he's played extremely well in the major championships. Barring Sunday at Shinnecock (Hills), he's had a great run."

The only time that Woods expressed his displeasure was at the frequent forensic dissection of his swing. "It's just frustrating because no other player has gotten criticised or critiqued quite as much as I have with my golf swing. Whether it's Ernie, Vijay, Phil, whoever is up there, you know, the top (players) in the world, it's certainly not at the same degree as what I've been analysed. I have no problem with it if everyone is analysed on the same level and critiqued the same way, but it hasn't been that way."

He confirmed in a brief reply that there would be no reconciliation with his former coaching guru Butch Harmon and that he was happy that the technical work on his swing will come to fruition sooner rather than later.

The decision to award the WGC-American Express Championship to Mount Juliet is just recognition for the 2002 staging of the tournament at the Thomastown venue; the quality of the golf course, in particular the greens, the facilities provided and the general ambience made it an event to remember on and off the course.

Woods recalled: "Well, my first competitive trip, I had a great time. You know, I played extremely well. Those are probably the best greens that I have ever putted on. On top of that, the weather was great, too.

"The fans were ecstatic. They were so enthusiastic about us being there and playing that I was kind of used to it already. Being there and fishing there before the British Open, I've kind of gotten used to how Americans and basically players are received when we play all around the country, preparing for the (British) Open Championship."

The American, chasing a "threepeat", as his compatriots might say, in this event given his previous victories in 2002 and last year's success at the Capital City Club in Woodstock, produced near flawless golf at Mount Juliet the last time, coming within a camera click of negotiating the 72 holes without a bogey.

Woods doesn't expect the course to be surgically enhanced.

"I think the way the golf course was set up, it was set up extremely fair. The rough wasn't all that deep, but the pins were difficult. The greens were so perfect. No putt bounced off line. If you hit a putt on line, the putt was definitely going to go in the hole.

"If you look at most of the guys who played that week and played well, they're making 24, 25, 26 putts per day. That wasn't out of the question. I mean, that felt like it wasn't that hard to do.

"The greens were so good. So I think that anytime you get greens that are that good. . . they were receptive, weren't extremely firm, so you could be aggressive, fire at the flags, you knew if you got the ball inside 10 feet, strike the ball on the right line with the right pace, you could start walking. It was going to go in."

Woods recalled his friendship with Kilkenny hurler DJ Carey and described hurling as a "fantastic" sport before going on to add, "I've always wanted to go to a game, and hopefully this time I can get to go."

Unfortunately for Woods, the All-Ireland hurling final will have taken place by the time he arrives.

World Rankings

1 Tiger Woods (USA) 12.16

2 Ernie Els (Rsa) 11.26

3 Vijay Singh (Fij) 9.92

4 Phil Mickelson (USA) 8.55

5 Davis Love-III (USA) 7.78

6 Retief Goosen (Rsa) 7.59

7 Mike Weir (Can) 6.77

8 Padraig Harrington (Ire) 5.95

9 Jim Furyk (USA) 5.45

10 Sergio Garcia (Spa) 4.95

11 Adam Scott (Aus) 4.87

12 Kenny Perry (USA) 4.77

13 Chad Campbell (USA) 4.77

14 Darren Clarke (Ire) 4.45

15 Stuart Appleby (Aus) 4.37