Tiger Woods has informed Rory McIlroy that, from his standpoint, the absence of crowds will not be a problem when the pair tee off in the US PGA Championship on Thursday. “As far as energy is concerned that’ll be the same,” Woods said. “I'm pretty intense when I play, regardless.” Since the restart, McIlroy has been honest in admitting that he has struggled in the behind-closed doors arena, as he has failed to record a single top 10 in five events. “It’s very hard for me to keep focus out here,” McIlroy said. “When there are fans there’s that energy and atmosphere and it’s easy to get into the mindset that you need.” Of course, if anything should concentrate the mind it is a grouping in the season’s first major with Woods, the 15-time major champion. With respect to Justin Thomas, the third member of the 8.33am match at Harding Park in San Francisco, even as the world No1 it is impossible to create the intimidation factor that Woods brings. Will this be the same without the circus that Woods normally brings or will it make the scenario seem destructively weird? That is McIlroy’s and Thomas’s problem. For Woods, after his experience at Memorial two weeks ago, the silence might even be preferable. "Those four rounds, I was into it and as far as the focus part of it, I didn’t have a problem,” Woods said. “It's different than normal when you go from green-to-tee, people yelling and trying to touch you … Look nobody in our generation has ever played without fans in a major. It's going to be very different, but it’s still a major championship, it’s still the best players in the world. So, for me, there's going to be plenty of energy from the competitive side.” Therefore, look elsewhere for a reason why Woods will fail to emulate his comeback performance at last year’s Masters and get within two of Jack Nicklaus’s record haul with a record-equalling fifth Wanamaker Trophy. One should not have to peer too far.
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