Golf:World number three Tiger Woods is relishing the prospect of playing in the same group as top-ranked Lee Westwood and number two Martin Kaymer in the first round of the Dubai Desert Classic. Former world number one Woods has often played alongside Westwood but has never previously been in the same group as Kaymer.

"I've always had a great time with Lee," said the 35-year-old on the eve of the tournament today. "We have been on tour for about the same amount of time. We have also been paired together at a few major championships and I've always gotten along really well with Lee."

It will be the first time since 1994 that the top three in the rankings feature in the same European Tour event outside of a major or World Golf Championships tournament.

"It's going to be fun," Woods added. "The last time I played in a group like this was at the U.S. Open in 2008, it was the top three guys (me, Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott) and we had a lot of fun."

Woods has gone 14 months without a victory and knows he must start winning consistently again before he can think of returning to the top of the rankings.

"I have been out here long enough now (to know) it's about sustainability," said the 14-time major winner. "The guys who have been number one when I've been out here playing - how they got here, they won golf tournaments.

"That's how David (Duval) got there, how Vijay (Singh) got there, how Lee got there - and you have to do it for long periods of times.”

Woods, who won this tournament in 2006 and 2008, is in the last year of a long-term contract with the Dubai Desert Classic organisers and was not sure if the deal would be extended. "I'm here just to win this week and we'll see what happens (after that)," he said.

With Graeme McDowell still in America, the 2009 champion Rory McIlroy is the highest ranked Irish challenger in the field. Peter Lawrie, Gareth Maybin, Darren Clarke, Damien McGrane, Paul McGinley and Michael Hoey are also among the contenders.