Tiger Woods will play alongside one man who has beaten him recently and take on three others who can boast of outdoing the world number one at thisweek's Tour Players' Championship of Europe.
Woods will play the first two rounds with Argentine Angel Cabrera and Ireland's Padraig Harrington, who beat him in the Target World Challenge last December in California.
"Paddy did play well that week of the Target in December," said Woods. "He made a small mistake towards the end which gave me a chance to win but I wasn't playing good enough and he certainly deserved the title."
In the absence of the injured world number two Ernie Els, Woods considers Harrington one of his chief threats to his chances of claiming a fourth TPC title in five years.
"Paddy's being playing well for the last four years or so ata high level," he said of Harrington, who picked up his 19thsecond place in seven years at the Benson and HedgesInternational Open last weekend.
"It seems every week he's up there. He works very hard."
Darren Clarke also takes on Woods, whom he beat in the final of the Accenture World Match Play in2000.
Denmark's Thomas Bjorn, also in Germany, is another Europeanwho has proved a thorn in Woods' side, holding off the Americanin Dubai in 2001 to claim the Desert Classic title.
Last week's Belfry winner Paul Casey is in the field as isScotland's Colin Montgomerie, who took Woods to a playoffat the TPC last year.
Another of Europe's Ryder Cup heroes, Bernhard Langer,should have the galleries behind him as he chases his third TPCtriumph.
Woods said he was disappointed not to be facing Els, who isstill being troubled by an injury to his right wrist sustainedwhile using a punch bag at his Wentworth home earlier this year.
Woods was forced to come in early from his pro-am slot today afternoon when torrential rain closed the course.
Gut Kaden's greens have suffered from Fuserium Patchdisease, but many of the players have said they will take theproblems in their stride.