This event is officially a part of the European Tour, and their rules dictate that if a player is being given appearance money, he must do something for it. One of the things Woods has done this week is give a press conference, albeit one conducted on his terms. Before any questions were allowed, the press officer read out a list of rules which the hacks had to obey. They were:

1. No personal questions.

2. To ensure no intrusions, take phones off the hook.

3. No "one-on-one" interviews, only questions from the massed media.

4. No attempted supplementary questions after the main conference, just let him leave.

Ground rules established, Woods agreed that, yes, he got pretty tired last year. He had played too much too soon and it "took its toll".

But surely, someone asked, getting dangerously close to a personal question, he had done quite well?

"Okay," said this young professional, "I won $2 million, four tournaments and a major. But I had a few lapses. I missed one cut last year and that can be improved upon. This year I hope to avoid those lapses and have a bigger, more consistent year. I'm going to plan my schedule more carefully, play in all the majors and hopefully win them all."

Shortly after this outrageous thought he left, and shortly after that, school was let out.

It had been, in many ways, a familiar Woods "press conference".

He makes no secret that he thinks he can win every tournament in which he plays, and his incredible self-belief impresses itself on others.

Even Ernie Els was to say that he thought Woods, at the moment, was "way above everyone else". He added: "I wish I could make $2 million being inconsistent."