Olympia Fields, Illinois, June 17: Tiger Woods is without a major title to defend for the first time in nearly four years, but he refuses to accept any suggestion that he is in a slump.
On the contrary, the world number one believes he is close to playing his best game and puts down his failure to contend at the 103rd U.S. Open over the weekend as part of the vagaries of golf. ``It was frustrating in general this week because I never got anything going``, Woods said, after closing rounds of 75 and 72 left him tied for 20th in his title defence at Olympia Fields country club. ``I was so close to putting it together. You hit a good shot in there, and you miss the slope by just a yard. All I needed was a little bit of momentum to get things going".
``It`s not like I`m playing and can`t hit a shot. I`m hitting good shots and it`s a matter of making some putts``.

Woods, who won last year`s tournament by three shots at Bethpage Black, began the week knowing failure to defend would leave him without a major title for the first time since his 1999 U.S. PGA championship triumph at Medinah.

The 27-year-old American was bidding for a third U.S. Open crown in four years and the ninth major title of his career, despite having had to reduce his tournament schedule in 2003 following knee surgery last december.

In the tournament build-up, he exuded confidence.

Bureau Report