Woods set for habitual fast start

Tiger Woods has made a habit of launching the golfing year with a fast start and he is determined to secure his first victory of 2002 at this week's season-opening Mercedes Championships.

"It's always important to win early," the world number one told reporters at Kapalua's Plantation Course ahead of Thursday's first round.

"It's important to play well because it makes you feel better about the season."

Woods won the event two years ago, after beating Ernie Els in a playoff, and finished in a share of eighth last year, six shots behind winner Jim Furyk.

In five seasons of trying, he has never placed worse than eighth in the Mercedes, having won the title twice (in 1997 and 2000) and come second once.

"When I got here (on Tuesday), I was kind of fired up for this tournament," he said.

"Today, I'm even more fired up. It's good. It's a good feeling to have to know that we've all got to start from scratch and start all over again."

Woods had to play in six U.S. Tour events last year before winning his first title of the year and there was widespread talk of a 'Tiger slump' on the tour.

MAKING HISTORY

But, after winning the Bay Hill in March, he went on to make golfing history by clinching the U.S. Masters at Augusta to become the first player to hold all four majors at one time.

By the end of the year, Woods had tasted victory five times on the U.S. Tour, sealed the money title for a third successive year and topped the scoring averages with an impressive 68.81.

"I won a major championship last year. If I can do that the rest of my career, people can write slump all they want," he said.

Woods faces a high quality field in Hawaii this week which is limited to the U.S. Tour title-winners of last year.

It includes the likes of British Open champion David Duval, U.S. Open winner Retief Goosen, U.S. PGA title-holder David Toms, Spaniard Sergio Garcia, Davis Love III, Scott Verplank and Hal Sutton.

"The field you play against here is pretty tough," Woods said. "You know that going in."

The wind is always a significant factor at the Plantation Course, and Woods added that "funky shots and some funky numbers" could well be expected, given the conditions.

"That's part of playing this golf course," he said. "You have to understand that. I don't think there's any other tournament we play in that's like this."

The par-73 Plantation Course is a 7,263-yard layout that features par-five closing hole of 663 yards.