Woods aims to revive form with old club

Tiger Woods is approaching the last important stretch of the season with a new club - his old Titleist driver.

Woods, who began using a Nike driver 18 months ago, ditched it in favour of his Titleist 975D, which is not even on the market except in resale bins. He began using the club in 1997 and is likely to keep it in his bag for the final major championship of the year.

"I wanted to go back to something I've played well with in the past," said Woods after he and Ernie Els lost to Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia on Monday night in the "Battle at the Bridges" made-for-television exhibition in California.

Woods, who is 128th in driving accuracy on the PGA Tour this year, hitting the fairway 64.5 per cent of the time, heads to Michigan to defend his Buick Open title this week. After a week off, he then has the PGA Championship in New York, the NEC Invitational in Ohio and the inaugural Deutsche Bank Championship on the TPC at Boston.

"He wants to make a switch," said Mike Kelly, of Nike. "We think it's a natural phenomenon for most golfers. Whether you're the best in the world or an average golfer, you go back in the garage and find something you were successful with."