Reuters
Wednesday, November 8

SOTOGRANDE, Spain -- Tiger Woods starts the American Express Championship on Thursday hoping to become the first man in the sport to win $10 million in a season.

Victory in Spain would earn him a $1 million prize to take his season's winnings through the $10 million barrier. No one, apart from Woods himself, has ever earned half as much in a season.

"It was one of my goals at the beginning of the year," he said. "Most of the tournaments I've played in this year, I've had a chance to win. That's something I am very proud of."

Woods, who has won nine of 21 tournaments in 2000 -- including three out of the year's four majors -- was given a head start here when a dozen leading American players pulled out.

Phil Mickelson, who beat Woods at Atlanta last week in the Tour Championship, and David Duval were among the absentees who opted for a holiday break rather play in an event designed to attract the world's best.

Ernie Els and Vijay Singh, the only man to beat the 24-year-old Woods in a major this season, will take part, as will the cream of the European Tour.

Lee Westwood will be seeking a slice of history of his own at Valderrama, the venue of the 1997 Ryder Cup. Victory would give him a record seven wins in a European Tour season, as well as earning him the Order of Merit title.

"The Order of Merit is not something that concerns me that much," said Westwood. "Winning the tournament is what matters, because it would mean beating Tiger and giving me that record."

Westwood is just behind Darren Clarke in the money list after Clarke came second, one place ahead of Westwood, in last week's Volvo Masters.

Both men can boast a win over Woods this season. Clarke beat him in the World Golf Championship Match Play final in February, while Westwood beat him in the German Open in May.

That is more than can be said for Colin Montgomerie, Europe's top player for the past seven years.

Victory at Valderrama would salvage a disappointing season for Montgomerie, which has seen him slump to sixth in the Order of Merit.

He was hardly upbeat, however.

"You've got to beat Tiger Woods, don't you? That is almost impossible," he said.

Clarke, however, refused to write Montgomerie out of the equation -- or to hand Woods the title before a shot has been played.

"Monty says a lot of things," he said, before recalling Mickelson's weekend win.

"Tiger's record speaks for itself, but he was expected to win last week and he didn't quite manage it," said Clarke.

The 55-man field at Valderrama includes Michael Campbell, another man to have beaten Woods this season, 1997 British Open champion Justin Leonard, Jesper Parnevik and Nick Price.

There will also be a strong home contingent in the shape of 1999 Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal, Sergio Garcia and Miguel Angel Jimenez, who lost this event last year in a playoff with Woods.

Since then, several changes have been made to the undulating 6,974-yard course, known as the Augusta of Europe.

Olazabal, however, feared the worst.

"If anything, the changes will help Tiger," he said. "They will favour his long game, even though the course is very narrow."