Newport, Sept. 25: Entering the frenzied bear pit of the Ryder Cup ought to be the last thing Tiger Woods feels like doing right now after the traumas of the past 10 months.
Public humiliation, private torment and a disappointing comeback hardly constitute ideal preparation for one of the most mentally demanding contests in golf. But Woods has proved time and again that he has a knack of treating convention with contempt, and it would be unwise to bet against him, even if the Ryder Cup has rarely been a happy hunting ground for him. In five previous appearances he has only featured on a winning American team once, in 1999, and in 24 matches he has a losing record — winning nine, losing 13 and halving two.