'A different story' Woods looking to settle score in Ryder Cup Click here for more on this story Posted: Wednesday September 22, 1999 08:00 AM   With his confidence growing, Tiger Woods does not expect a repeat performance of his previous Ryder Cup visit. AP BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP) -- Tiger Woods has one more score to settle. Any questions about whether he was in a slump were put to rest in a frightening display of golf the past four months. Woods has won five of his last eight tournaments, including the PGA Championship at Medinah and the NEC Invitational against the most elite field this year. He is No. 1 in the world rankings and in the mind of everyone at The Country Club gathered for the Ryder Cup. About the only thing Woods has yet to do is put his hands on the gold chalice that Europe has made off with the past two matches. This time, Woods is ready to do his part. "Tiger at the moment is playing some of the best golf in his career," U.S. captain Ben Crenshaw said Tuesday. "He's gaining confidence with every season, and it's showing in a lot of departments of his game. He's a very, very smooth engine right now." That wasn't the case two years ago. Woods may have been the Masters champion, the master of match play and the hottest property in golf, but he had not won in nearly three months going into 1997 Ryder Cup. His swing was in the middle of reconstruction and his confidence was on life support. "You know when you're not playing well," Woods said. "You always hope you can find it on the range, but I didn't. I wasn't playing very well, and unfortunately it carried over into the Ryder Cup." After winning his inaugural match with Mark O'Meara, Woods didn't win again at Valderrama. The crushing blow was a singles loss to former factory worker Costantino Rocca, which took the steam out of an American rally and resulted in another European victory. He still remembers the cover on the magazine after the Ryder Cup. "Pain in Spain," said the headline, accompanied by a photo of Woods in anguish. "It wasn't Europe winning," he said. "It was my fault, just like it was Curtis Strange's fault at Oak Hill. That's not right. We both played our hearts out. I just wasn't able to play as well as I would have liked. "This year is a different story," he said, a confident smile returning to his face. "I'm playing well coming into the event. I've had a pretty good summer." Pretty good? He beat a field in Germany that had six of the top 10 players in the world. He won the Memorial with finesse and the Western Open with power, the PGA Championship with nerve and the NEC Invitational with savvy. Payne Stewart may be the emotional leader, Davis Love III has played in more Ryder Cups, but Woods could hold the key for the Americans to win back the Ryder Cup for the first time since 1993. "Tiger could definitely lead through his play," Jim Furyk said. "If he goes out there and plays the way he's capable, then that's going to be a big advantage for us. That in itself could probably bring the rest of us up to a better level." No, he cannot win this cup by himself. As Colin Montgomerie noted, "All one player can do is win five points, and it takes 14 1/2 points to win." That's asking a lot, even of Woods. The last player to go 5-0 in the Ryder Cup was Larry Nelson in 1979. If Woods senses any pressure to carry the load, it also falls to the entire team. On paper, the U.S. strength is undeniable -- more experience in the Ryder Cup, more experience winning major championships, all 12 players ranked no worse than 28th. Europe has the experience that counts, however -- winning the cup. It has seven Ryder Cup rookies on this team, which could be a factor until one considers that five rookies on the '97 team accounted for eight points in a European victory. Jeff Maggert caused a small stir by declaring the U.S. team "the best 12 players in the world," followed by a caveat the Americans know all too well. "We had great teams in '95 and '97," Maggert said. "We all know what the results were there. I feel like we have a really strong team, but golf is a funny game at times. And if all 12 of us don't come out and perform well, then anything could happen. "I think everybody on the team is in a good frame of mind," he said. "I think they're confident about their games. But I don't think anyone is taking this thing for granted." Woods knows what can happen in match play, especially over 18 holes. Throughout junior golf and even in his few years as a pro, he beat players who were better than him at the time and lost to players whom he should have beaten. But he also knows what to expect out of himself this year. "I feel pretty positive coming into this event," he said. "And it suits my game because it is match play. I absolutely love it. And hopefully, I'll be able to execute the shots this time."   Related information Stories European Ryder Cup team invades Boston Maggert says U.S. Ryder Cup team has world's best players Americans feeling pressure to bring Cup home Multimedia Justin Leonard sets the press straight on the issue of the golfers’ money agreements. (43 K) Payne Stewart tells CNN/SI how the players are relating to each other. (53 K) U.S. Ryder Cup captain Ben Crenshaw talks about the power of teamwork. (140 K) David Duval jokes about how easy team chemistry is to develop. (136 K) Jeff Maggert says his team is excited to get started. (87 K) Tiger Woods is glad to playing at home. (106 K) Click here for the latest audio and video Search our site Watch CNN/SI 24 hours a day Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. To receive CNN/SI at your home call 1-888-53-CNNSI. Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. 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