Golf: If Tiger Woods were asked to design a golf course, and it seems to be one of the few things he hasn't yet achieved in his professional life, then he'd go back to the past.

For the last three days, he has sampled the nuances, the bumps and the hollows of Royal St George's and, as a golfing traditionalist, he has savoured every minute of it.

Woods, who has arrived at a major championship without one of the four titles in his hands for the first time since he presented himself for the US PGA in 1999 (which he won), is captivated by what he has discovered here. Before arriving, he viewed old videotapes - mainly of Greg Norman on his way to winning in 1993 - and, as you'd expect, has been picking the brains of his old pal Mark O'Meara.

Yesterday morning, shortly after six o'clock, Woods started out on his third practice round in three days and, at one stage, talked with O'Meara about how likely one was to get a poor bounce.

"It comes down to getting the right bounce, a guy getting a little luck on this golf course," said Woods.

When asked what elements of links golf he would include in designing a course, the world's number one remarked, "More than anything to allow you to run the ball up on the greens. That's something that has changed with the modern designs, where you don't have that opportunity if you drive the ball in the rough or put the ball in a position where the wind is howling and you have a long way to go.

"Nowadays, you better carry that ball right up there. And not only carry it, but you have to hit the precise number (distance). Here, as in most links courses, numbers are usually thrown out the window. You may have 145 (yards) going one direction and maybe hit five-iron and, on the very next hole, with the same yardage, hit a sandwedge.

"It makes for a lot more fun, because you get to play creative golf shots. That's why we love to play links golf, because it brings something to the game that has changed and has gone away.

"I think everyone will probably say this is probably the most severe fairways we're going to play as far as bounces go. It's not too often you hit the ball down the middle and end up in a bunker or the rough because of the bounce.

"But that's just the way it is. You're hitting good shots and you're going to get bad bounces, or you hit marginal shots and get great bounces."

Woods, though, is an American who appreciates more than most what links golf is all about. When he played in two British Opens as an amateur, he made the cut on each occasion and, since turning professional, and apart from the bizarre 81 he shot in the third round at Muirfield last year - when caught in a tempest - which is his highest round as a professional, he has never finished out of the top-30.

His only win came at St Andrews in 2000, but he was third behind O'Meara at Royal Birkdale in 1998 and was seventh at Carnoustie in 1999.

Normally so sure with his words, Woods put his foot in his mouth a little yesterday when questioned about quirky courses - like Sandwich - producing quirky winners. In reply, Woods pointed out that Carnoustie - "one of the best golf courses in the world, if not the best" - had produced a surprise champion. "I think the winner says it all right there," he said of Paul Lawrie's success. Later, though, Woods made a clarification on his response and claimed he was paying credit to Lawrie.

Now that the nonsense talk of a slump in his game is over - he won the Western Open by five shots from Rich Beem on his last outing a fortnight ago, his fourth win on the US Tour this season - Woods has his sights set on regaining the claret jug, which he won for the only time at St Andrews.

"I'd just like to play a bit more consistently and, if I do that, then I'll give myself a chance to win. You're not going to win every one, but certainly at least you can give yourself a chance to win coming down the stretch on Sunday - and that's something I haven't been able to do (in the majors this year)."

This has been a disappointing year in the majors so far for Woods. In the Masters, he finished tied-15th, and in the US Open he was tied-20th. And it is by his performances in the majors that he determines whether a season has been a success.

He may have banked $4,279,295 on the US Tour so far this season, but he sees his season as incomplete without a major title.

"I've only played well in spurts in the Masters and the US Open, hit some stray shots here and there," admitted Woods. "It was very frustrating, but the things I was working on started to come together and it all finally happened at the Western Open. It came together and I played well. I'd like to play consistently like that for the entire event (here)."

He hasn't done so in the two majors played this year and, quirky course or not, with bounces likely to play as important a role in deciding the winner as any well-struck shots, Woods leaves you with the feeling that destiny is in his hands. As he always does.