Tiger Woods is fed up with talk that he has been in a slump this season and feels no extra urgency to succeed at this week's U.S. PGA Championship at Oak Hill.
The twice champion, whose last Grand Slam victory came in the U.S. Open 14 months ago, believes he has enjoyed a "very consistent year" and simply needs to get sustained momentum going in the heat of battle.
"If I look at the past majors this year, I really haven't got any positive momentum going for a sustained period of time," the 27-year-old American told a news conference on Tuesday.
"It's been maybe for one round here or six holes here, nine holes there where I really get hot.
"I just need to get it going.
"When I won those majors, my previous eight that I've won, I've really played well and I played well for the entire week from the very get-go.
"Except for the one in '97 at the (U.S.) Masters, I didn't play too good on the front nine, shooting a little 40. But other than that, I've played really well."
Although Woods has won four times in 13 starts this season, his failure to make an impact at the U.S. Masters in April and the U.S. Open at Olympia Fields sparked media talk about a 'Tiger slump'.
PRIME POSITION
He was in prime position to triumph in last month's British Open at Royal St George's, but his anticipated last-day charge failed to materialise and he had to settle for a share of fourth, two shots behind shock winner Ben Curtis.
The world number one, however, sees things rather differently to the media.
"I think, overall, this entire year has been very consistent," he said. "I haven't really got going with anything, but I've been very consistent.
"I haven't really gone low in any of the events, but my game's been very solid.
"It's kind of harsh to say it's been a bad year when I've won four times. Everyone's been on me for how bad I've played this year. Christ, I've won four times."
Woods, winner of back-to-back U.S. PGA Championship titles in 1999 and 2000, took his first look at Oak Hill Country Club's East Course on Monday and liked what he saw.
"I've always wanted to play this course and it's in absolutely fantastic shape," he said, after playing a second practice round with good friend Mark O'Meara on Tuesday morning.
"The rough is up (long) this year and some of the changes made the golf course very long, so it's going to be a heck of a test with it being as soft as it is.
LONG ROUGH
"We're not going to get any run out of the fairways and I don't think we've had rough this long and this uniform that's been raked up. In some spots, it's close to eight inches."
Woods, bidding this week for the ninth major of his career, does not plan to change his normal pre-tournament strategy.
"I'm looking at trying to prepare myself and give myself the best chance," he said.
"That's what I've done each and every year, and I've done that in each and every major.
"The mind-set has not changed, whether it was in 2000 trying to complete the career grand slam, or complete the grand slam the following year.
"You have to be focused on what you need to do to prepare and give yourself the best chance.
"For me, it's been successful, so I'm not going to deviate from that."
Woods is scheduled to tee off at 1300 GMT in Thursday's first round in the company of defending champion Rich Beem and 2001 winner David Toms.
