In each of his three previous Ryder Cup appearances, Tiger Woods has played as the world's number one but not like the world's number one.

His record is a relatively poor one - five wins, eight losses and two halved matches - and his form this season, which has seen him finish a second successive year without a major title and overtaken by Vijay Singh as the world's top golfer, would indicate he's hardly the intimidating figure on a golf course he once was.

Yet, Padraig Harrington for one, and US captain Hal Sutton for another, don't believe the Woods that appears on the first tee on Friday will roll over like a kitten.

As Harrington put it, "He's out to prove something, so there's definitely going to be a backlash from Tiger at some Ryder Cup. I would think it's more of the wounded Tiger at the moment and that makes him very dangerous to play against. I would think he would be quite an intimidating opponent at the moment, where obviously guys have beaten him in the last couple of years. He will obviously have something to prove."

Sutton, who had a straight-talking session with Woods in the comfort of the US team-room, remarked of Wood's supposed poor form.

"Oh man, I was out there watching him play and I've been licking my chops over it. I don't think he is in any sort of a slump right now," said Sutton, adding: "I mean, I aspire to be in his slumps. No, don't be worried about Tiger. I think y'all might see some of Tiger's greatest golf this week, so buckle your chin straps."

If Woods does ignite, then the crowd at Oakland Hills - where alcohol will be banned from the course and confined to the hospitality areas and to the tented village which is actually on the opposite side of a four-lane freeway in the hope there will be no repeat of Brookline in 1999 - can be expected to be at their most boisterous, for Woods at his best is a sight to behold.

Yesterday, Woods used his one-and-only pre-tournament media conference to dispel the rumour mill fuelled by a story in the Boston Herald that he had split with his fiancé Elin Nordegren.

"That's completely false, one hundred per cent false. It's amazing how the media can quote false things like that and not be held accountable. I think it is incredible. Nothing's happened to us, we're still very happy."

So, with domestic bliss confirmed, Woods is ready to take on the Europeans in the strange - for him - position of being the world's number two. Of previous Ryder Cups, he said, "I've gone out there and played my best each and every time. I've shot 64 and lost; and also, I've played poorly and lost. It goes both ways. All I know is that I've tried my best and, unfortunately, I just haven't got more points for our team. Hopefully this year will be a different story. Hopefully I'll be able to get more points for our team where we can win this thing."

Remarkably, Woods has played with eight different partners in either foursomes or fourballs in past Ryder Cup matches and this inability to find a settled partner was apparent until the last match at The Belfry, where he teamed-up with Davis Love to win both foursomes and fourballs on the Saturday. It's a combination that could well be kept intact this time around.

When asked yesterday who his ideal partner would be, Woods jokingly responded: "Someone who finds the fairways, hits the greens and makes every putt and birdies every hole!" Yet, for someone whose main goal in life is to break Jack Nicklaus's record of 18 major titles, Woods is determined to be a team player.

"Any player who goes out there is only in charge of one point. If you get out there in all five matches, you're only capable of winning five points. It's a team effort. That's what we all realise, this is a team tournament and a team effort and hopefully we can all do our part where we can go ahead and get points for our team. Whatever matches I play in, whether it's one or five, I will try and do my best to get that point for our team."

As for the perception the Europeans tend to bond better than the Americans, Woods discounted that theory.

"I think that's a misconception, the biggest misconception about the Ryder Cup. I've been on teams that have been so called, 'we don't care' (teams) and that is not the case at all. We're out there fighting for every point, and we're united as a team.

"We're trying to get this thing done as a unit and pulling for each other. We're walking holes when not playing, supporting each other, tapping them on the butt, saying 'come on, keep going' and that's what it is all about."

Certainly, those players on the US team - Woods included - were inspired by the presence of basketball legend Michael Jordan who spoke to them at dinner on Monday night.

"It's weird for me to see people react to him that way because he's just Mike, he's MJ to me. He's one of my best friends, but it was kind of cool what he said and how excited he is about the Ryder Cup. He just wanted to reiterate the fact he's 100 per cent pulling for us."