• PGA Tour

Woods sure he won't crumble, G-Mac doesn't fear rival

Graeme McDowell says he does not fear Tiger Woods © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Tiger roars to seventh Bay Hill crown
  
• News: G-Mac admits hitting 'rock bottom' in 2011
  
• News: Leader Woods set for new McDowell showdown
  
• News: Woods feels at home in winning position
  
• Profile: Graeme McDowell | Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods is confident he will not crumble under the pressure of a final round lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Sunday.

Woods is looking for his seventh career victory in the event at Bay Hill, but he has not won in a full-field PGA Tour event since 2009.

He did win at the limited-field Chevron World Challenge at the end of last year, but has since blown winning positions at both the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship (won by Robert Rock) and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (Phil Mickelson) already in 2012.

This year has seen a number of players blow sizeable 54-hole leads - most notably Kyle Stanley (at the Farmers Insurance Open) and Charlie Wi (Pebble Beach), but Woods insists he will not crumble as he takes a one-shot lead over Graeme McDowell into the final round.

"Well, they have not won a lot of tournaments. These are not the guys who have won 20 plus events," Woods, who is looking for his 72nd career win, said. "They are looking for their first event or they have only won one, or maybe even two.

"It's a little bit different story when, in my generation, when you have Vijay [Singh] and Phil, who have won 20 plus events and they are in that position. It's different when you're looking for your first win. I think most of the guys here this year are looking for their first win; whether it was Kyle or it was Charlie at Pebble, they are guys looking for their first wins."

Woods has some reason to fear McDowell - having lost to the Northern Irishman last time the pair went head-to-head on the Sunday of a tournament, at the 2010 Chevron World Challenge. However, with Ernie Els and Ian Poulter both in the hunt, the American insists he and McDowell cannot get too distracted by what the other is doing.

"No, not at all, because we have got guys right behind us. I believe there's, what, two guys at eight-under. Some guys can make runs," he said. "Obviously Poults and Ernie played well today, and it's the type of golf course that you can post a good number here. So we need to get off to good starts, and go ahead and just play our games."

McDowell, meanwhile, is unfazed by the challenge now facing him - believing his past experiences have prepared him for different challenges that arise playing with Woods. He insists the 14-time major champion does not have an "intimidation factor" anymore.

"It's not really the intimidation factor of him; it's more the kind of circus that goes with him, the media, the cameras, just everything; you multiply it by ten, 15, 20, from playing with anyone else," McDowell said. "The crowds are pretty big, fun here in Orlando and there will be a few beers on board and it will be pretty raucous out there, I'm sure.

"I've played with him many times, as recently as Tuesday in the Tavistock Cup. As I say I feel I've acclimatised nicely to playing with him. He's a great guy to play with. He always compliments good shots, and like I say, he's just another guy that I've got to go and try and beat tomorrow.

"He's not going to be able to tackle me thank goodness, and all I've got to do is just play my golf ball."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.