BLOOMFIELD HILLS, United States (AFP) - A Tiger Woods is never more dangerous than when he is wounded.
That's the attitude European golfers have adopted regarding the eight-time major champion who leads the United States against them starting here Friday in the 35th Ryder Cup matches.
Woods has lost his top global ranking to Vijay Singh, gone 10 majors without a title after winning seven of the prior 11 and not won a PGA stroke-play event since July of last year. And his Cup record is a woeful 5-8 with two halved.
"I would think it's more of the wounded Tiger at the moment and he would be very dangerous to play against. I think he would be quite an intimidating opponent," Ireland's Padraig Harrington said.
"His record has not been as good as he would like. Guys have beaten him the last couple of years. He's going to have something to prove. There's definitely going to be a backlash from Tiger. At some Ryder Cup it's going to happen."
The biennial golf matches between Europe and the United States feature four-ball and foursomes matches Friday and Saturday with 12 concluding singles matches on Sunday. The US team needs 14 1/2 points to reclaim the trophy.
US captain Hal Sutton expects Woods to lead the US charge.
"I feel strongly that Tiger Woods is ready. Y'all might see some of Tiger's greatest golf this week," Sutton said.
"It's not always Tiger's fault his record is not as good. I've seen Tiger Woods shoot 64 and lose. He didn't play badly sometimes when he got beat.
"Everybody in the world, they want to beat Tiger Woods. They take their game to a level they didn't know they had."
Spain's Sergio Garcia is a perfect example. He would love to face Woods in a Sunday singles duel.
"That would be nice," Garcia said. "Why not? I've always enjoyed playing against him. It raises my game."
Woods accepts his role as prime target and motivational rival.
"That's the way it has been since my first Ryder Cup. That has not changed," Woods said. "That has been there from the very first week."
The team aspect of Ryder Cup play heightens the tension a bit more for Woods because for one of the few moments in his golf career, he represents something larger than himself - his nation and his peers.
"Come Sunday, you feel a little bit more. You realize if you lose a point you lose it not only for yourself but for your teammates and your captain," he said. "If you miss a putt to lose a major, all you hurt is yourself."
Great expectations might also play a role in Woods' Ryder Cup struggles, said European captain Bernhard Langer of Germany.
"Maybe it's because he was world number one and he feels like the crowd expects him to beat anybody he faces because that's what he has done for years in stroke-play events - and beat them by a wide margin.
"Then when it doesn't happen it's a major disaster."
"I don't feel he's the key to the team. The team is 12 players. Even if he wins every point, that only gives him five points," Langer said.
But England's Luke Donald admits that Woods could play a pivotal leadership role for an American squad that has lost three of the past four Cup showdowns and needed the greatest last-day rally in Cup history for its only triumph.
"If one player can inspire the rest, obviously that will help," Donald said. "Tiger, he's obviously not very happy with the way he has played this year. I'm sure he will be looking to play well this week. He doesn't have a very good Ryder Cup record and I'm sure he will be wanting to improve on that."
Woods, the youngest US player at 28, has advised older Cup debutantes this week even though he rarely takes a high-profile role.
"I'm not one for big speeches. I'd take another guy to the side, eyeball to eyeball. I've already talked to them a few times this week about what they might go through," Woods said.
"Even though I'm a veteran, I'm still the youngest guy on the team. You don't want to step on anybody's toes. You still want to do the right thing."