• Bridgestone Invitational

Tiger dodges Ryder Cup question

Tiger Woods has refused to confirm he would accept a captain's pick for the Ryder Cup, should he fail to secure automatic selection for the USA team.

Woods slipped out of the top eight last weekend and with a little over two weeks until when the teams have to be finalised, he is in danger of missing out on automatic spot. The spotlight will be on USA captain Corey Pavin should Woods fail to earn an automatic spot, but the world No. 1 has refused to confirm he will accept an invitation.

During a press conference on Wednesday ahead of the Bridgestone Invitational, on three occasions Woods was asked if he would accept a captain's pick and on each occasion the answer was the same.

"I am planning on playing my way into the team," he said. "I am planning on playing my way into the team. I am planning on playing my way into the team.

"If I do well this week I should sew up my spot."

Woods is in danger of losing his world No. 1 spot, with Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood hunting him down, but it is not something he is losing sleep over.

"Every tournament I go to you guys keep reminding me," he said. "You just keep playing. How I got here is by winning tournaments and doing that takes care of it.

"Of late I have been driving well. The iron game has been spotty and I have not putted well. If I clean all that up, it will be good.

"The plan is to be patient and keep building. I have been through periods like this before. When things fall into place that is when I will win a few tournaments. I have been through stretches where I have not won and it is a case of being patient. It does not happen overnight."

Woods is defending champion this week and he is looking forward to playing on a course he knows very well.

"I am looking forward to getting out there," Woods said. "The course is in phenomenal shape and I am looking forward to it.

"I have always liked this type of course. It fits my eye. The shape is simple. It is not target golf and I have always liked that.

"Certain tournaments I have had success, but they have rotated. This has been a constant. I have always loved playing here. The course has changed a little, but it is pretty much the same as when the big three played."

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