The Open:Greg Norman suspects Tiger Woods may have an extra reason for wanting another Open victory at Turnberry this week - to stop Roger Federer needling him. For the first time in their glittering careers the tennis world number one leads golf's world number one in what matters most to them.

By beating Andy Roddick at Wimbledon Federer took his Grand Slam titles to a record 15. Woods has been on 14 since his US Open victory in June last year.

"I know they text each other and I also know if I was Roger I'd be needling him," Norman said. "I also think that's healthy for Tiger. It would sure motivate me."

Woods, who missed the last two majors of last season following his knee reconstructive surgery, has finished sixth in the first two of this season. On each occasion he was four strokes behind surprise winners Angel Cabrera and Lucas Glover.

Asked whether Federer had been rubbing it in the last two weeks he insisted: "No, not at all. Roger is as down to earth as you'd ever want to meet in a person.

"No, it's one of those things where it's just so phenomenal to see all that hard work he's put in to get to 15 and to get the record for the most Slams.

"He's been great. Our texts back and forth have always been jabby, but also extremely supportive of one another. And that's what friends do."

On his website, though, Woods states in a "Hello from Scotland" blog: "He's now one ahead of me, so hopefully I can catch him."

At 27, Federer is the younger by six years, but a golfer can, of course, go on a lot longer.

Norman is the perfect example of that. At 53 the Australian, less than a month into his marriage to tennis legend Chris Evert, led with nine to play at Royal Birkdale last year before Pádraig Harrington and Ian Poulter came past him.

If Woods goes on that long and remains healthy - "it would nice to be above dirt," he joked on that possibility - it is perfectly feasible he could end his career with approaching 30 majors.

He still has four to go to equal Jack Nicklaus's record, but so dominant has he been the last 12 years that none of his main rivals this week has more than three.

Quite incredibly, with no Phil Mickelson at Turnberry, the next 21 players on the world rankings do not have as many majors between them as Woods has on his own.

Most successful of that big group are Harrington and Vijay Singh with three. Singh is now 46 and won his last one five years ago, but Harrington, of course, has captured three of the last eight.

The Dubliner now has the chance to become the first player since Peter Thomson at Hoylake in 1956 to win a major three years in a row - but what has dominated the questioning to him in the countdown to the championship is the fact that he has missed the halfway cut in his last five Tour events.

That is as many as Woods has failed to make in his entire career.

European hopes do not rest solely with Harrington, though. Six more - Paul Casey at three, Sergio Garcia (five), Henrik Stenson (eight), Martin Kaymer (11), Lee Westwood (17) and Poulter (18) - currently reside in the world's top 20.

Just outside are Ross Fisher and Rory McIlroy, although Fisher could pull out at any minute to be with his heavily pregnant wife Jo. She was due yesterday, but he flew to Scotland in the hope that the baby will not come until next week now.

Even at only 20, McIlroy believes he could be the one to end Britain's 10-year wait for a major champion - Paul Lawrie at Carnoustie was the last - but he, like everyone else, knows what Woods is capable of.

"He's not just another player," said the Irishman. "When I first came out I was even nervous talking to him - he just has some sort of aura about him.

"He's just an incredible competitor. He hits shots that I wouldn't be able to hit sometimes. He's not won 14 majors for nothing and I'm sure he'll win a few more.

"But I haven't had to deal with losing to him a lot, so it's been more inspirational for me rather than disheartening."

Turnberry is a magnificent setting for the event and its history is one of magnificent champions - Tom Watson after the "Duel in the Sun" with Jack Nicklaus in 1977, Norman nine years later (he had a second-round 63) and Nick Price in 1994.

All three had spells as the acknowledged best player in the world and if that is to continue there will be only one winner.

"Fifteen-all" could well be the next text from Woods to Federer.