Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines (France), Sept 27: Tiger Woods expects some nervous excitement when he steps on the first tee for the trophy-holders United States against Europe in the Ryder Cup before 7,000 screaming spectators at Le Golf National.
The 14-time major champion snapped a five-year win drought last weekend to cap a successful comeback season from spinal fusion surgery and will be the star attraction when the biennial team showdown tees off Friday morning.
�It�s going to be fun. It�s going to be an awesome environment,� Woods said. �There�s a lot of nerves. It�s excitement. It�s something we don�t get to experience in that regard because basically it�s the final round of a tournament on the very first hole and every match you tee it up.
�It�s a different atmosphere and one that we absolutely love.�
The huge grandstand will create a crucible for Woods and his American team-mates to start En Avant, the opening 419-yard par-4 hole known as Go Ahead in English. Tee shots will be critical to setting up approaches as water comes into play from the start.
�When I first saw that on the first tee, I looked up and felt like I kept looking up and up and up,� American Patrick Reed said.
�It�s going to be an unbelievable atmosphere.� Woods expects the noise to reach a crescendo to rival Celtic Manor in 2010, when crowd noise shook US players. � AFP
