GRAEME McDOWELL feels that beating Tiger Woods when the Ryder Cup starts at Celtic Manor next Friday will mean as much as it ever did.

The world number one has been made a target ever since his debut at Valderrama in Spain in 1997 – and between then and his last appearance four years ago an amazing 13 different Europeans came out on top against him, several of them more than once.

US Open champion Mc- Dowell said: ‘‘We’ve all talked a lot about Tiger not being the player he was and so forth, but I think there are signs that his game is turning around and he’s definitely going to play a huge part on their team.

“If he’s up for it then obviously he’ll be tough to deal with, but if you are winning points against him I think the points could be worth more.

“It’s a big psychological factor.

If he’s up, you expect the team to be up and if he’s down that could pull the team down with him.

“He’s that big a factor on their team. I think that’s still the case.”

McDowell’s first cap two years ago came while Woods was recovering from knee surgery, but at The K Club in 2006 he was there working for BBC Radio.

“I very much had a sense then that what he did was pivotal.

I think back to that first tee when he stood up and pulled it into the water – it kind of set the tone for the week.

“He’s never really been a huge dynamic on the American side. His record is pretty average for Tiger Woods.

“I’m hoping to get a couple of games against him. It’s what golf is all about – you want to play against the best in the world and hopefully win some points.

“We hope Tiger Woods plays well and we beat a strong American side. That would be the ideal scenario.”

Without a win all season and needing a wild card to be part of Corey Pavin’s line-up, the match this time is a totally different scenario for Woods.

It is a chance for him to get something meaningful out of the season and maybe even win a few more fans back following the sex scandal that wrecked his image as well as his marriage.