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PORTRUSH. — Tiger Woods acknowledges that he is still searching for his best form ahead of The Open Championship this week.

The 15-time major golf winner is coming off a lengthy break and has not played a competitive round since his T21 finish at the US Open in June.

Not only that, but Woods has never played on the links of Royal Portrush before.

Reports revealed that he played 18 holes with 2018 Masters winner Patrick Reed on Sunday, then went around again on Monday with Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler. Despite his lack of preparation, a final seven-hole loop on Tuesday marked the end of his course scouting.

“(My game’s) not quite as sharp as I’d like to have it right now,” the 43-year-old told his press conference.

“My touch around the greens is right where I need to have it but I still need to get the ball – the shape of the golf ball a little bit better than I am right now.

“Especially with the weather coming in and the winds going to be changing, I’m going to have to be able to cut the ball, draw the ball, hit at different heights and move it all around.

“I’ve seen enough of (the course) to understand that I’m still going to have to do quite a bit of homework in my yardage book of trying to figure out how I’m going to play each hole with the different winds that are going to be predicted to blow and where to miss the golf ball in the correct spots.” Woods will tee off at the 148th Open Championship with Matthew Wallace and Reed for company today. — AFP.