Sports

Tiger feels ‘very, very good’ on verge of British Open

GULLANE, Scotland — Tiger Woods does not need to be reminded that it has been five years and counting since he last won a major championship.

Woods, who has been trying to win his 15th career major since he won the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, continued yesterday in his pre-British Open press conference at Muirfield to remind anyone who asks that he’s close to winning his next one.

“I feel very good about my game,’’ Woods said. “I’ve felt very, very good going into major championships. I’ve had a pretty good year this year so far; won four times. Even though I haven’t won a major championship in five years, I’ve been there in a bunch of them where I’ve had chances. I just need to keep putting myself there and eventually I’ll get some.’’

Asked if he has figured out a common denominator for what has kept him from winning one the last five years, Woods said, “I think it’s just a shot here and there. It’s making a key up-and-down here or getting a good bounce here, capitalizing on an opportunity here and there.

“It’s turning that tide and getting the momentum at the right time or capitalizing on your opportunity. That’s what you have to do to win major championships.’’

Addressing his injured elbow that kept him from playing tournament golf since the U.S. Open, Woods said, “The elbow feels good. The main reason (for resting) was that coming over here the ground is going to be hard, obviously, and I’m going to need that elbow to be good. I needed to have this thing set and healed. Everything is good to go.’’

* One of the highlights from Woods’ press conference included him being asked about Nelson Mandela, whose birthday is tomorrow.

“The first time I ever met President Mandela was in ’98,’’ Woods said. “I went down there to play Sun City and he invited us to his home — my father and I went to have lunch with him. It still gives me chills to this day, thinking about it.

“A gentleman asked us to go into this side room over here and, ‘President Mandela will join you in a little bit.’

“And we walked in the room and my dad and I were just kind of looking around. And I said, ‘Dad, do you feel that?’ He says, ‘Yeah, it feels different in this room.’

“It was just like a different energy in the room. And maybe, I’m guessing probably 30 seconds later, I heard some movement behind me and it was President Mandela folding up the paper. It was pretty amazing. The energy that he has, that he exudes, is unlike any person I’ve ever met. It was an honor to meet him at his home and that’s an experience that I will never, ever forget.’’