THERE must have been a huge collective sigh of relief from everyone connected with next month's Ryder Cup yesterday when the name of Tiger Woods was announced as a wild card selection of United States captain Corey Pavin.

Despite his recent troubles Woods is still by far the biggest name in the sport (arguably in any sport) and his absence from the Celtic Manor would have knocked a huge amount of the gloss from the event.

Although tickets are sold out many will have bought them partly so that they can one day tell their grandchildren that they saw possibly the greatest golfer who ever lived play in Newport.

Forget, if you can, his serial infidelity, marital break-up and loss of form.

He will still be the focus of the American team and will be the prized celebrity at all of the social events surrounding the contest.

On the course it will be his matches that have the biggest galleries and the TV cameras, particularly from the American networks, will capture every second that he is on view.

Win, lose or draw we are certain that Ryder Cup Wales, the organising committee, the local authority, the owner of the Celtic Manor and Colin Montgomerie would all rather face an American team featuring Tiger Woods than win it against a sub-standard team that came here without his towering presence.

Let's just hope he lives up to his billing!