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Putting is key to Tiger challenge - Williams

Steve Williams and Tiger Woods share a close working relationship © Getty Images

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Tiger Woods' caddie Steve Williams has admitted the world No. 1 needs to rediscover his putting touch if he is to challenge for major honours.

Since Woods' return from his self-imposed absence in April, he has failed to win a tournament and has looked short of confidence on the greens.

He has admitted to feeling good from tee to green, but has suffered from a lack of touch with the short stick and he revealed on Tuesday that he will change his putter.

Williams has a key role to play in helping Woods find his touch and he admits if his boss is to make his presence felt at St Andrews this week, he will have to make his mark on the greens.

"The one part of Tiger's game this year that has been very sub-standard is his putting," Williams told pgatour.com. "He hasn't putted well in any of his events. The key to playing well at St Andrews is putting. The greens are very generous so you don't miss that many greens. The practice rounds will be paramount in spending a lot of time on the greens getting a feel for lagging putts.

"Putting is the key element - that's the difference between winning and not winning and Tiger has had a lot of ups and downs with his putter."

Woods and Williams will be putting in plenty of work on and around the greens over the next couple of days.

"The last time we went to St Andrews in 2005, we'd just come off finishing second at the US Open at Pinehurst and basically that tournament was given away," Williams added. "Tiger had a great chance of victory and his putting let him down on the back nine. We went to St Andrews and in every practice round he didn't hit one chip shot; he just kept putting and putting. Not three-putting comes down to speed. If you get on the greens and have a wonderful feel for the speed, you start making putts. That's what we'll be working on."

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