The Ryder Cup is getting personal for Tiger Woods. Interrupting an otherwise dull press conference Tuesday, Woods fired back at a comment Rory McIlroy made six weeks ago that “I would love to face” the world's No. 1 player in the Ryder Cup unless his game rapidly improved. Asked for a reaction, Woods leaned into the microphone and said only, “Me, too.” The quote from McIlroy - the closest thing to bulletin board material at Celtic Manor - came the week after Woods' golf reached a low point in a dismal season. He had the highest score of his career and beat only one player in the 80-man field at Firestone. McIlroy was not worried that he had given Woods or the US team any more motivation. “I'm fine. I'm all right,” said the 21-year-old from Northern Ireland. “You've got to realize, I said those things the week after he had just shot 18 over at Akron, so he wasn't playing too well at the time.” There also were stories circulating at Cog Hill that Woods had said to McIlroy upon passing him, “Careful what you wish for.” McIlroy, however, denied that ever happened. The singles matches Sunday, which decide the Ryder Cup, are a long way off. And because it's a blind draw, there is no guarantee Woods and McIlroy would play each other. Singles rarely has been a problem for Woods or the other top American players. Woods, Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk - the core of the US team since 1997 - collectively have won 125 times on the PGA Tour, including 19 majors. That hasn't carried over into the Ryder Cup. In singles, they are 10-6-2, with Woods and Furyk losing only once. In fourballs and foursome matches, with different partners in the 18 Ryder Cups they have played, that trio is 18-34-9. Maybe that explains why they all have losing records, and have played on losing teams. Tuesday was the first day of practice on the Twenty Ten course at Celtic Manor, designed specifically for the Ryder Cup. What began under a light drizzle soon gave way to mild sunshine, only for rain to arrive toward the afternoon. Based on the foursomes both captains sent out, there were no surprises. Europe started on the back nine with Francesco and Edoardo Molinari playing with McIlroy and Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland. Ian Poulter, Luke Donald, Padraig Harrington and Ross Fisher brought up the rear. European captain Colin Montgomerie defended his selection of Harrington, a three-time major winner who has not won in two years, saying he played the best of anyone on his side during practice and made two eagles. Woods played alongside Steve Stricker, with whom he was 4-0 at the Presidents Cup a year ago. They were joined by Hunter Mahan and Zach Johnson, while the anchor foursomes was Mickelson and Dustin Johnson with Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler, the 21-year-old who became the first PGA Tour rookie to be picked for the Ryder Cup.
