'Honoured' Tiger Woods keen to perform at Ryder Cup

Published on Tuesday 7 September 2010 15:59

TIGER Woods says he is "honoured" to be back in the American Ryder Cup team after being handed one of Corey Pavin's four wild cards for the match at Celtic Manor on 1-3 October.

The world No 1 has been added to the eight automatic qualifiers by Pavin, the US captain, along with Stewart Cink, Zach Johnson and Rickie Fowler.

Woods, who missed the 2008 match at Valhalla following knee surgery, hinted a month ago he may have skipped this year's event after finishing 78th in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational - the worst performance of his professional career.

However, his form has improved in recent weeks since he started working with a new coach, Sean Foley, and now Woods is looking forward to playing in his sixth Ryder Cup in just over three weeks' time in Wales.

"It is an honour to be selected and heading over to Wales," he said. "I have been there before to play in a Walker Cup (in 1995] and I am looking forward to going back. Whether I was picked or made the team myself, my goal is the same - to go to Wales and hopefully bring back the Ryder Cup."

Woods has only once been on a winning Ryder Cup side, but said he was puzzled as to why people felt there was an indifference on his part when it came to the biennial event.

"I have always loved playing in Ryder Cups," he insisted. "I have enjoyed being part of a team so I don't know where the perception of an indifference comes from."

Pavin, who announced his picks in the New York Stock Exchange, said he hadn't paid too much attention to how Woods had been performing a month or so ago, but admitted he was "certainly pleased to see him playing better".