Tiger Woods happy with 2013 season even if there’s no major win

All eyes are on Tiger Woods at Oak Hill, but he insists 2013 will go down as a great season even if he does not add to his 14 major titles at the US PGA Championship.

The world number one won his fifth tournament of the year in Ohio last week when he romped to his WGC-Bridgestone win, but is still chasing a first major victory since the US Open in 2008.

“I think it’s been a great year so far for me, winning five times,” said Woods.

But the 37-year-old acknowledges his 15th major title is proving the toughest to bag, having not captured one of golf’s big four titles since the 2008 US Open.

“It kind of seems that way,” he said. “It’s the longest spell I’ve had since I won a major.”

Woods has now won 79 career US PGA titles, three shy of Sam Snead’s all-time record, but his goal of passing Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 majors has stalled following a string of injuries, personal scandal and swing changes.

“I’ve certainly had my share of chances to win,” he said. “I’ve had my opportunities on the back nine of probably half of those Sundays for the last five years and just haven’t won it.

“But the key is to keep giving myself chances and eventually I will start getting them.”

Woods, who has nine top-six finishes in the 17 majors he has played since last winning one, once judged a season on whether or not he had won a major, but he now seems to have relaxed his criteria.

“I think winning one major championship automatically means you had a great year,” he said. “Even if you miss the cut in every tournament you play in; you win one, you’re part of history.

“This year, for me, I think it’s been a great year so far for me, winning five times, and you look at the quality of tournaments I’ve won, a Players and two World Golf Championships in there, that’s pretty good.”

Woods went into the final round of the Open two shots behind leader Lee Westwood at Muirfield, but struggled with the pace of the greens and settled for a share of sixth.

But Woods, who has again been consulting fellow pro Steve Stricker for putting tips, raced to a seven-shot victory at Firestone on Sunday.

“Obviously I feel pretty good about winning by seven and coming here,” he said. “I feel like my game’s pretty good.

“As I was saying last week, that’s how I played at the British Open. Only difference is I made more putts last week. I hit it just as good at Muirfield, and didn’t make any putts the last three days. At Firestone, I putted well, but I hit the ball just the same.”

In practice at Oak Hill, in upstate New York, Woods spent the majority of the time chipping and putting under the watchful eye of caddie Joe LaCava.

“A lot of the long putts had double breaks in them. It’s going to be important to hit a lot of greens and give yourself opportunities because these are a little bit tricky to read, there’s no doubt,” he said.

“There are quite a few subtleties. These little ridges and waves in the greens, a little bit of grain here and there. They are tough. They are tricky to read. I’m sure I’ll be calling Joey in on a few putts as well.”

Woods will begin his campaign with 2012 US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love and ex-US PGA champion Keegan Bradley at 13:35 BST on Thursday.

Woods’s recent near misses at majors

•2013 Open tied 6th, Masters tied 4th

•2012 Open tied 3rd

•2011 Masters tied 4th

•2010 Masters tied 4th, US Open tied 4th

•2009 Masters tied 6th, US Open tied 6th, US PGA 2nd