Tiger Woods Brimming With Regained Confidence Entering PGA Championship Nike's Ignite Averaging More Money Per Start Than Any Driver on Tour This Year Nike Golf Tour Staff Notes, Week of 2004 PGA Championship BEAVERTON, Ore., Aug. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- It's been a season of change for Tiger Woods. Unlike 1998 when a prescribed swing change was in the works, the microscope under which he lives today is arguably much keener than it has ever been before and the expectations are unprecedented. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020719/NKGOLFLOGO ) While preparing for this week's PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisc., Woods addressed (compiled from a variety of wire reports) some of the changes he's made this year and how things are beginning to gel in time before the final Major championship of the year. "I'm very excited about the prospects of what's happening," said Woods about the work on his game. He has also gone to a graphite-shafted 410cc Ignite driver since the Western Open, up considerably in size from the 340cc Ignite he had been playing since last October. The larger head Ignite has been proven in testing to provide greater distance and forgiveness off the tee. Coincidentally, the Ignite has averaged more money per start on Tour than any other driver in 2004, according to the Darrell Survey. Woods has expressed marked improvement and confidence since switching to the 410 Ignite at the same time he has been settling into the tweaks in his mechanics. Since the Western, he has finished consistently in the Top 10, including a tie for third at the recent Buick Open, with an average score nearly 10-under par during the six-week stretch. "The driver has been great for me. I feel very comfortable and confident with it," said Woods whose confidence off the tee has obviously extended to the rest of his golf game. Woods went through a well-publicized swing change in 1998. This season, his change of coaches has overshadowed the work he has been conducting on-course. Nonetheless, Woods has remained patient and undaunted. "Have I ever second-guessed it?" he said. "No. Because I knew that this is the direction I wanted to go in order to become better." "It feels very similar to that (the change process in 1998), and the things that are starting to come together," Woods added. "It's very exciting, just like it was back in '98 and '99 where they were starting to gel towards the end of '98 and the beginning of '99. That part of it is very similar." Woods joins a dozen more members of Nike Golf's Tour Staff teeing off tomorrow at Whistling Straits. Nike Golf Tour Staff Notes Week of the PGA Championship on the PGA and European Tour Playing at the PGA Championship this week ... Nike Golf's Tour Staff at the PGA Championship this week consists of Stephen Ames, Paul Azinger, Stewart Cink, Tim Clark, Jeff Coston, David Duval, Nick Faldo, John Huston, Trevor Immelman, Shingo Katayama, Carl Pettersson, Jeff Roth, Rory Sabbatini, Alan Schulte, Bo Van Pelt and Tiger Woods. Club Qualifiers ... Roth (Knollwood CC in Flushing, Mich.), Schulte (Hawthornes Golf Club in Fishers, Ind.), and Coston (Semiahmoo Resort in Blaine, Wash.) each qualified for the 2004 PGA Championship through the 37th PGA Club Professional Championship held in June at the Longaberger Golf Club in Nashport, Ohio. They are among just 25 club professionals who qualified. Longest Ball on Tour ... Ames, Sabbatini, Roth, Schulte and Woods will be using the four-piece/three-cover Nike One Gold for added feel and spin around the greens while Azinger, Cink, Duval, Faldo, Roth, Immelman, Katayama, Pettersson and Van Pelt are playing the new One Black, the Longest Ball on Tour, to take on Whistling Straits with the longest layout in major-championship history. Long Drive ... Ames (410cc), Cink (410cc), Coston (410cc), Duval (410cc), Faldo (410cc), Immelman (410cc), Katayama (460cc), Pettersson (410cc), Roth (410cc), Sabbatini (410cc), Schulte (410cc), Van Pelt (460cc) and Woods (410cc) are each playing the Ignite driver this week. Chip In ... Ames (55- and 60-degree), Cink (54- and 60-degree), Duval (53- and 58-degree), Faldo (53-degree), Huston (54- and 60-degree), Immelman (56- and 60-degree), Katayama (58-degree), Pettersson (50-, 55- and 59-degree), Roth (53- and 56-degree), Sabbatini (56- and 60-degree), Schulte (53-degree), Van Pelt (54- and 58-degree) and Woods (56- and 60-degree) have Nike Golf's Forged Wedges in their bags. Iron Men ... Ames, Cink, Coston, Duval, Faldo, Huston, Pettersson, Roth, Schulte, Sabbatini and Van Pelt are each playing combinations of Nike Golf's Forged Pro Combo irons while Immelman and Woods are using Nike Golf's Forged Blade irons. Slingin' It ... Nike Golf's award winning Slingshot Irons are in the golf bags of Faldo (#2 iron), Immelman (#2 iron) and Roth (#2, #3 and #4 iron) this week. Best Dressed ... Duval, Huston, Immelman, Katayma, Pettersson, Sabbatini, Van Pelt and Woods will be looking their best as usual in Fall/Holiday '04 apparel from Nike Golf. Gentlemen Stepping Up ... The following men are sporting footwear from Nike Golf's Sport Performance line at the PGA Championship: Ames, Azinger, Cink, Clark, Duval, Faldo, Huston, Immelman, Pettersson, Sabbatini and Woods. Nike Golf, located in Beaverton, Oregon, is passionately dedicated to honoring and respecting the traditions and heritage of the game, and to providing committed golfers with the absolute best equipment in the game in every product category. For more information on Nike Golf, visit our Web site at http://www.nikegolf.com/. Editors and journalists seeking editorial information and downloadable images, visit http://www.nikegolf.com/presscenter. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020719/NKGOLFLOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: NIKE, Inc. CONTACT: Dean Stoyer of Nike Golf, +1-503-532-6018, or Web site: http://www.nikebiz.com/

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