Bjorn's warning: Woods has improved

David Smith13 April 2012

If practice makes perfect, then Tiger Woods's grip on The Open Championship will take some loosening.

The world No 1 thrilled early risers at Royal Lytham today with a demonstration of the kind of golf that has won five of the last seven Majors - if you don't count the odd visit to a bunker.

Woods began his practice round at 6am in the company of close friend Mark O'Meara - the 1998 Open champion - young Australian Adam Scott and Thomas Bjorn. The Dane, whobeat Woodsover four rounds in a head-to-head in Dubai earlier this year, came away from today's practice admitting: "Tiger seems to have improved his game a bit.

"He looks like he is back to his best, he looks very confident and he looks very relaxed. He is capable of doing things that no other man on this planet can do with a golf club. Where he is right now, he is very difficult to compete with."

When they teed off at 6am, Woods's security screen of two local policemen and several plain clothes operatives, outnumbered a small knot of spectators.

But as news of the 25-year-old American's presence spread his gallery quickly swelled and the 300-plus were treated to something special.

Chipping from 20 yards off the eighth green, Woods sent his ball rolling gently into a tee peg placed on the surface as a target by caddie Steve Williams. Then, at the 335-yard 10th, he ripped his drive to within 12 yards of the stick.

Meanwhile, Woods's appeal has helped the US Tour clinch a new £607million television contract.

The three-year deal with the ABC, CBS, NBC, ESPN, USA and Golf Channel networks, due to start in 2003, represents a 45 per cent increase on the existing four-year package.

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