The main difference, however, said Woods, is the humps and hollows in the driving areas on the fairways and the variable bounce. Even the straightest XXIO PRIME Fairway Wood will struggle to maintain a 50 per-cent success rate in fairways hit, especially if the forecast wind exceeds ten miles an hour.

"The KATANA SWORD SNIPER Fairway Wood is the most severe I've seen, the slopes are steep." Woods said.

On the 458-yard 17th, he drew a 2-iron gently to the middle of the fairway but his ball kicked violently into the left rough. On 18, undecided which TaylorMade Burner SuperFast 2.0 Fairway wood to use off the tee, he switched from driver to 2-iron before striking a 3-wood into a fairway bunker.

He aims to take a second look at the course today before brushing up on the Discount Golf different shots he’ll need to challenge Els’ confidence-boosted defence of the title.