When Tiger Woods declined to play a practice round with Rory McIlroy this week, his friend Mark O'Meara told the teenager to take it as a compliment.
It meant the world No.1 already regarded the Ulsterman, who watched Woods claim his first Green Jacket on TV in his pyjamas as a seven-year old, as a genuine threat.
The American superstar knows any player whose world ranking is lower than his age has got to be the real deal.
Woods, the winner of 14 Majors, does not like to share tips or banter with players he reckons are his direct competitors. He prefers players past their peak (O'Meara and John Cook) or journeyman pros (Bubba Watson and Sean O'Hair).
Players like Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson, who never tee up with Tiger, have almost had their careers defined by losing to arguably the greatest ever player. But before playing his first Major since last June's US Open, Woods acknowledged the biggest danger to his domination will come from the next generation of players like McIlroy, Danny Lee and Ryo Ishikawa, who play without fear.
He admitted: "It's just a matter of time before these guys gain experience in Major championships.
That's something that they have not done yet. Once you start getting a taste of it, start getting a feel for it, it's just a matter of time.
"But you look at their games and they certainly have the talent. It's just a matter of gaining experience."
It meant the world No.1 already regarded the Ulsterman, who watched Woods claim his first Green Jacket on TV in his pyjamas as a seven-year old, as a genuine threat.
The American superstar knows any player whose world ranking is lower than his age has got to be the real deal.
Woods, the winner of 14 Majors, does not like to share tips or banter with players he reckons are his direct competitors. He prefers players past their peak (O'Meara and John Cook) or journeyman pros (Bubba Watson and Sean O'Hair).
Players like Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson, who never tee up with Tiger, have almost had their careers defined by losing to arguably the greatest ever player. But before playing his first Major since last June's US Open, Woods acknowledged the biggest danger to his domination will come from the next generation of players like McIlroy, Danny Lee and Ryo Ishikawa, who play without fear.
He admitted: "It's just a matter of time before these guys gain experience in Major championships.
That's something that they have not done yet. Once you start getting a taste of it, start getting a feel for it, it's just a matter of time.
"But you look at their games and they certainly have the talent. It's just a matter of gaining experience."
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