Tiger's Swing Changes Ready For Spotlight By Associated Press - January 05, 2005 KAPALUA, Maui -- History indicates Tiger Woods could be in for a big year. Competition suggests it won뭪 be easy. There already have been a number of parallels with the last time Woods overhauled his swing at the end of the 1997 season, after he won four times and shattered records at Augusta National as the youngest Masters champion. He won only one PGA Tour event in 1998, just like last year. He lost his No. 1 ranking for longer than three months뾲o David Duval in 1999, to Vijay Singh last year. He had a moment on the range in May 1999 when the swing changes he made with Butch Harmon finally kicked in. Woods went on an incredible run, winning 31 times and seven out of 11 majors over the next five years. That happened to him again in November, an epiphany when all the mechanics drilled into his head by Hank Haney all made sense. It was an 8-iron on the range at Big Canyon in California, and Woods finished off his lackluster year by winning in Japan and at his unofficial Target World Challenge. On the eve of the 2005 season, which starts Thursday with the winners-only Mercedes Championships at Kapalua, Woods was asked if he had the same feelings as he did five years ago. 밡o,?he said, pausing for effect. 밒t뭩 better.? That would suggest Woods is on the verge of something grand, although his next answer spoke volumes to the obstacles that weren뭪 around five years ago뾫amely, Singh, Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson, Retief Goosen and others. Can he win eight times like he did at the end of 1999? Or almost 50 percent of his tournaments and three majors like he did in 2000? Is that expecting too much? 밒t depends on how well I play and how well the rest of the guys play,?Woods said. 밒 can hit the ball as great as I want and make a bunch of putts, but if other guys play well and make everything, it뭩 tough to win. 밊rom ?9 to now, the margin of error has gotten even smaller to win golf tournaments. It뭩 become more difficult. 밅uts are getting lower. Consequently, you can뭪 have an off day where you shoot 71 or 72 anymore. An off day has to be 69.? And he has to hope뾞s does everyone뾲hat Singh is having an off day. While several top players have not failed to mention that Woods appears to be in control of his game again, the focus remains on the 41-year-old Fijian, and rightfully so.