The week of a major we always see a burst of transfer activity, much of it centring around Tiger Woods. Perhaps we should have told you this last week but Tiger will not be collecting €200,000 from our coffers on Sunday evening, we believe.

In common with golf authorities around the world the USGA has been searching for a way to Tiger-proof its showcase event. They contacted our statistics department who noted a quirk in Woods' record in the 21 majors he has contested as a professional. He has won zero out of eight on par-70 courses and seven out of 13 on other courses. Hey presto, the USGA spends $3 million upgrading Bethpage Black which, like the courses for all US Opens up to 2006, will play to a par of 70.

Coincidence perhaps, but if that wasn't enough, they scheduled the event for a week not suited to Woods, according to Arlan Wise of the Organisation for Professional Astrology. "Tiger has a very competitive Mars, but Saturn is sitting right on his Mars," says Wise. "It can be a very low energy time for him. Things get harder."

Still not convinced? Woods has never won in New York and his Golf Masters performance is down on previous years. He had earned €836,000 going into last year's US Open, 60 per cent more than this year. He is only 57th in our value-for-money list and features in barely more than 10 per cent of our teams.

So who will win? Our leading value-for-money player, John Rollins? Not qualified. Our most popular player, Per-Ulrik Johansson? Doubt it. Tiger Woods? Despite the par and the planets, we're not betting against him and, if needs be, we will honour that €200,000 cheque.