Sure, the World Golf Championships attract the best players from around the world. The criteria for this one is top 50 in the world ranking, and money leaders from the PGA, European, Australasian, Japan, South African and Asian Tours.

Phil Mickelson and Vaughn Taylor are the only Americans from the Ryder Cup not at The Grove, an estate north of London. Taylor didn't qualify and Mickelson likely is done playing until the Bob Hope Classic. The only European who didn't qualify was Paul McGinley.

Others who withdrew include Ben Curtis and U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy, who are new fathers; and Davis Love III, who wanted to spend time with his family after his daughter's friend was killed in a car accident.

That leaves only 63 players in the world, a small number of players for anyone to beat.

And some of them are still hung over from the Ryder Cup, figuratively and literally.

PGA TOUR commissioner Tim Finchem was staying at The K Club last week during the Ryder Cup, and just his luck, he and his wife were in a room directly above the Europeans' team room where they celebrated a resounding victory.

"We dozed off around 6 a.m.," Finchem said.

Lee Westwood went unbeaten while playing all five matches for the second straight time, and he was so weakened by a chest cold that he took a nap before the party. He limited himself to about five celebratory drinks.

"It's the most sober I've ever been on Monday morning after a Ryder Cup," he said.

Still coughing and wheezing on Wednesday, he was hard-pressed to recognize that a World Golf Championship was at stake this week, with a $7.5 million purse. It reminded him of Hilton Head, described by many as a working vacation because of the enormous buildup to The Masters, which is held the week before.

"Any time after something you've really built yourself up for, it's always difficult to get up the next week," he said.

Jim Furyk felt the same way.

He has long supported the Million Dollar Challenge in South Africa, missing only the year it was held the week after the Presidents Cup. And he wouldn't mind being home this week, in part because he has been away from his two small children for the last two weeks.

"If I had my druthers, I would never play the week after a Presidents Cup or a Ryder Cup because it's an emotional high or letdown either way," Furyk said. "If you play well and the team wins and you have a great time, it's tough to get your thoughts back in it. If the team loses, you're in a grouchy mood and you don't want to turn around and think about, 'What am I going to work on tomorrow? How am I going to get ready for this tournament?"'

Woods and Furyk are on their third week in Britain and Ireland.

"I'm just looking forward to getting back to the States and seeing the sun," Woods said.

Then again, he hasn't exactly lit it up over here. A first-round loss at Wentworth. Another Ryder Cup rout in Ireland. His last chance is the WGC-American Express Championship, and a chance to keep alive his winning streak, even though it's really dead.