A disappointing season could be washed away for Tiger Woods this Thursday in Tulsa, Oklahoma when the PGA Championship blasts off at the prestigious Southern Hills Country Club.

The current world number one didn’t manage to secure even one major title in 2007 and the 89th edition of the PGA Championship is certainly his last opportunity to get back in the driver’s seat and brush off critics.

“You never want to be shut out, you never want to have a year where you don't win a major,” the highest paid athlete in 2006 said.

“This year I've come close in two, and it just didn't happen. But I've been in this situation before.”

Woods got back on the saddle at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, winning the event by eight strokes for the third consecutive time and sixth overall success at Britain’s Open. That victory certainly gave his morale a boost and put him on top of the PGA title favorites list.

Woods tees off with compatriots Bob Tway and Rich Beem on Thursday in his rally for a 13th major title on the same green where he failed to secure the PGA in 2001.
 
Another favorite and 2007 Open Championship winner, Padraig Harrington will get on the way his first two rounds with American Zach Johnson and Argentine’s Angel Cabrera.

The Irish golfer said despite finishing 14th at the Bridgestone Invitational, the event was a key training for the Championship at Southern Hills.

“While I was good this week in my preparation, it'll certainly need to be better next week,” Harrington said. “I was determined to put in a reasonable effort and I did.”

The course is one of the trickiest in the Tour and will present a serious challenge for the golfers. Woods was thrilled by the challenging course and agreed it puts a player’s skill to the ultimate test.

“It tests your ability to shape shots, and is one where you have to manoeuvre the ball both ways. Playing a course in which you have to hit the ball correctly, think how you're going to flight it, how it's going to land, what kind of spin you're going to have on it  that is the way to play golf,” the professional golfer said.